Watts of Thoughts: E=mc² 
Joe Ferguson, PhD | January 22, 2010

     Energy cannot be created or destroyed, but only transformed. Since Einstein matter is energy and so is every other thing in this universe; including your car, your computer, and your thoughts. Thoughts are not yet understood well enough to derive their energy content, but they are certainly implemented in neural chemistry that is very well understood, and that can be described completely as an electrical process powered by granola, Haagen-Dazs, salt, water, and oxygen. Although we cannot yet calculate it, every thought has a specific wattage. When some incipient Nobel laureate finally discovers the meaning of the word gist we will be close to the formula for that calculation.

     For the moment we can rely upon our universal agreement that there are a limited number of thoughts that can be thunk in a given period of time. That is why you need more time to think about this, and why your kids need more time to study. I have read the opinion that people think about 30,000 thoughts a day, which is ridiculous but probably about right, and that 20,000 of them are repeats. Now that is a really interesting thought whether it is literally true or not! The technical term for this phenomenon is obsession, and it constitutes a great waste of intellectual energy that could be applied far more fruitfully. You know what I am talking about. Yes, you.

     The good news is that obsession and other pointless repetitive thinking is voluntary, at least to a certain extent. To the extent that it really is involuntary it can be reconditioned. What could you accomplish if you spent more of your time thinking systematically and effectively about your projects and the ongoing development of your life? Would you be more comfortable? Would you be more powerful? Would you be more admirable? Would your life be better? Call me.