My dilemma with the word “hacking”

Admittedly, the word “hacking” has become one of those we throw every now and then in conversations—and super cool blog names too—perhaps because it conveys a long‑standing desire of us humans. I could think of many different ways to name this deep desire of ours: to solve problems, to tackle situations, feel in control, feel powerful, proud of our smarts and skills... I guess you can relate to some of these and even come up with more of your own.

I remember an interesting experience I had with the “h” word back when I was fresh in the working world. I had a couple of acquaintances who were in IT and one of them told me about how he and his friend enjoyed assigning each other hacking challenges. Things like “I bet you can’t hack this or that...” Anyways, I chose to forget the details (sure hope it wasn’t anything too illegal).

But the one thing I wanted to tell you about this experience is that it was pretty clear they were far more interested in the process of hacking than the actual outcome. In computer jargon, the word hacking refers to something like an attempt to identify weaknesses in a computer system in order to exploit such system and gain access to information in it (I’m just paraphrasing and I’m not a computer expert, please don’t use this definition for anything formal).

But it got me thinking about an interesting behavior of us humans where we get lost at some point in the process of facing a situation and we focus on the solving part and forget about the real end. What if we don’t really need to solve it? What if we’re getting distracted from the point?

I know I have felt this way many times in my life. After hours—or even days—of trying to figure something out I have ended up telling myself “Maybe just because something can be solved it doesn’t mean I have to solve it. Maybe just because, in theory, it can be 'figured out' it doesn’t need to be figured out.”

Of course, this is not to go against or undermine our wonderful problem‑solving skills and nature. It is one of our most precious tools as humans, it’s such an invigorating force that helps us achieve the unimaginable.

But I do believe it’s important to check on ourselves every now and then along the thinking process just to make sure we’re not being too human about it, and just remind ourselves to maybe just let go.

For me, this is part of a philosophy of humbleness I am blessed to have welcomed in my life recently. The awareness that I am part of something greater, and not everything is there for me to comprehend. And, in letting go this “hacking need” (or hacking bug) in my system, interestingly enough, I have felt more empowered and more in control. I’ve realized I needed control over my feelings and thoughts about the thing, and not over the thing itself. And, boy, does that save me a lot of iterations and take me right to the bigger goal.

So, what do you say you give those hacker neurons the rest of the day off?

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Bonus note: I have updated this blog entry to include a link to a mental exercise which you will find very useful in relation to this article. This link will take you to a short meditation on letting go and personal growth, which is in essence the idea of this article, and you will also find it useful in releasing the overwhelming feelings and brain fog that come with overthinking.

The benefits of meditation would probably be the subject of a different blog entry, but for now I leave you with this meditation I have personally prepared and recorded, and hope you find it empowering in letting go. (A meditation on letting go)

-Kristal Pastor

B.S. in Psychology - Universidad Intercontinental, Mexico

Diploma in Neuromarketing and Market Intelligence - Universidad Anahuac, Mexico

Diploma in Comprehension and Intervention of the Elderly in the 21st century - Universidad Intercontinental, Mexico

Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn (Kristal's LinkedIn profile)