Auto-pilot of the mind is quite interesting. I think I’ll start with one of the most common skills that I know of- driving. All of us start out knowing nothing about driving a car. From the time we are driven to kindergarten and daycare we get a basic understanding for how others drive. After much observation we also put this skill into an auto-pilot. Most of us even disregard how to drive because we are not the one driving. We make a good passenger though. And that is what we become accustomed to.
The day comes when you get your learners permit or drivers license and are behind the wheel. The passenger auto-pilot quickly shuts off and most of us are thrown into a shocking and frightening world of the driver. The feeling is even exhilarating and refreshing to most, because we are experiencing something new and foreign. Whether or not it’s a manual or automatic transmission, it does take a little time to adapt your reflexes to the skill. Once again, not to long after learning this new skill you get an overview of the entire process. All you need is a little more time to just fine tune your eyes to the road, and your hand to the wheel adjustments. A few more months pass and you can’t really recall how everything you felt the first time. The movements of the wheel are becoming second nature and are getting, ‘hard-wired,’ into your brain. I am not sure at what point a skill becomes, ‘hard-wired,’ but I think I have a basic understanding of how to tell it is. When you have the ability to let your mind wander while you are practicing or performing your skill, this means your mind doesn’t need to concentrate on the skill at hand. It is no longer the priority of focus for your mind. So you have more time to think about other items of concern. Personally, I sometimes even become conscious of the actual action of driving and come out of the trance for a moment. In recap, I think the most important part of any skill is learning to turn off auto-pilot every now and then. This way you get a look at what the outsider is seeing and don’t get too caught up in performance.