Are we REALLY in control of our thoughts?

At my office today two of my colleagues described how their respective clients spoke to them about their current solutions with our company. They both said that they were looking for information on new solutions that we currently offer and on hearing this they both replied and said that not only have they already offered them the new solution but they have already signed new contracts to have the new solutions implemented! They responded with, oh ok, go ahead then.

Now this makes me question how it is possible for those clients; successful businessman with senior management positions not being able to remember that they have signed 24 month contracts. These contracts will not only have an effect on the way they do business, but will also have a CAPEX implication on their Balance Sheet! Then how can they have forgotten this? Were they “present” when they signed the contracts?

This makes me think if this can happen on a business level what happens to them and other people on a normal day to day basis? Are we always in our present state of mind or do we go into a day dreaming or hypnotized “robotic” mode? What is the cause of this, is it boredom, distraction, fantasizing or an external influence? I’ve noticed before that if I travel the same route to work everyday that my mind drifts off, I will arrive at work and not remember my journey. In a way I find this very scary. It means “I” was not driving the car, someone else was. I was not driving the car because otherwise I would have noticed unique things on the route. I would have remembered something unique in the journey, a new car, a person in the vehicle next to me or the beautiful sunrise.

So I’ve decided to make a conscious effort to start noticing myself more. The need for discovering myself and notice every time my mind drifts off to day dreaming or fantasizing about all kinds of things. In fact I tried to slow down the thoughts running through my mind and although I found this very difficult, I made some interesting discoveries. I started to notice that I “see” more things. Also because I am “there” all the time, I don’t forget things, like where I’ve left the car keys. The only time I forget where I left something is when “I” was not there when I placed at that location in the first place.
Try this for yourself and you will notice how your world of discovery will open up. You will become less “robotic” and more in control of your body, mind, feelings, emotions and thoughts. You will start to notice the smaller things in life and at the same time discover more about yourself (remember your Self).