Comments on: The Zeigarnik Effect http://blog.montclaircommunitychurch.com/?p=24 Random reflections, serendipitous insights and other fragments of my imagination. Sun, 01 Aug 2010 04:49:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Ed Woodward http://blog.montclaircommunitychurch.com/?p=24#comment-21 Ed Woodward Tue, 21 Mar 2006 01:23:33 +0000 http://blog.montclaircommunitychurch.com/?p=24#comment-21 The Zeigarnik Effect is an interesting observation / behavior. It explains why the chase is better than the capture. Why the anticipation is better than the realization. I suspect it is also the reason why the kangaroo and emu only being able to move forward is an attractive symbol. It points toward purpose and goals as part of our basic design. From the begining God intended for Mankind to work toward a goal and to enjoy the chalange of the effort. It is shown in Adam naming the animals, tending the garden, Noah building the Ark, his descendants building the tower of Babel, and many more. All working toward a goal. Some goals good and some evil. The tension of unfinished business is a two edged sword. It causes the pain of failures, but also provides the impetus to keep trying, as Paul said "I press toward the mark for the prize ". One of my favorite quotes is from Winston Churchil when as an old man he was explaining his recipe for sucess, "Never, never, never give up." Reaching the goal may take a lifetime, but the struggle is as important as the victory. The Zeigarnik Effect is an interesting observation / behavior. It explains why the chase is better than the capture. Why the anticipation is better than the realization. I suspect it is also the reason why the kangaroo and emu only being able to move forward is an attractive symbol. It points toward purpose and goals as part of our basic design. From the begining God intended for Mankind to work toward a goal and to enjoy the chalange of the effort. It is shown in Adam naming the animals, tending the garden, Noah building the Ark, his descendants building the tower of Babel, and many more. All working toward a goal. Some goals good and some evil. The tension of unfinished business is a two edged sword. It causes the pain of failures, but also provides the impetus to keep trying, as Paul said “I press toward the mark for the prize “. One of my favorite quotes is from Winston Churchil when as an old man he was explaining his recipe for sucess, “Never, never, never give up.” Reaching the goal may take a lifetime, but the struggle is as important as the victory.

]]> By: Barbara Ruglio http://blog.montclaircommunitychurch.com/?p=24#comment-18 Barbara Ruglio Wed, 15 Mar 2006 03:09:00 +0000 http://blog.montclaircommunitychurch.com/?p=24#comment-18 The Zeigarnik Effect is a wonderful theory and it does clarify how unfinished business, especially in relationships with other people, can keep coming up again and again. But I could use a practical application. How can we deal with unfinished business from long ago when we realize it is still affecting our lives now? What do we do with an old hurt, that we intended to forgive and forget, but now we discover we cannot, because it keeps coming up? And what do we do if it seems like someone has an old hurt against us, because of how they act towards us, but they never get to talking about the real issue? Unfinished business is a problem. The question is, how do we finish it? The Zeigarnik Effect is a wonderful theory and it does clarify how unfinished business, especially in relationships with other people, can keep coming up again and again.

But I could use a practical application.

How can we deal with unfinished business from long ago when we realize it is still affecting our lives now? What do we do with an old hurt, that we intended to forgive and forget, but now we discover we cannot, because it keeps coming up?

And what do we do if it seems like someone has an old hurt against us, because of how they act towards us, but they never get to talking about the real issue?

Unfinished business is a problem. The question is, how do we finish it?

]]> By: Celia Pierce http://blog.montclaircommunitychurch.com/?p=24#comment-17 Celia Pierce Mon, 13 Mar 2006 22:58:46 +0000 http://blog.montclaircommunitychurch.com/?p=24#comment-17 This blog was very clarifying. As you yourself have been studying the brain, you have probably run across the information that the brain experiences memories without regard to time. So it is not time passing that is the key to resolving unfinished business, it is indeed the finishing of the business, however recent or distant the event that left its imprint on us. I really identify with the brain that continues to try to fix the mess and resolve the failure. That activity needs to be replaced by the very complicated and painful matter of accepting that some messes defy fixing and our failures may be with us always. This leaves me with even more appreciation for the God who removes our sins as far as the east is from the west. And then He forgets those sins. What a great God to bring closure to our sins and failures! This blog was very clarifying. As you yourself have been studying the brain, you have probably run across the information that the brain experiences memories without regard to time. So it is not time passing that is the key to resolving unfinished business, it is indeed the finishing of the business, however recent or distant the event that left its imprint on us. I really identify with the brain that continues to try to fix the mess and resolve the failure. That activity needs to be replaced by the very complicated and painful matter of accepting that some messes defy fixing and our failures may be with us always. This leaves me with even more appreciation for the God who removes our sins as far as the east is from the west. And then He forgets those sins. What a great God to bring closure to our sins and failures!

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