Bad ideas refuse to die, not only in the outside world, but inside our own heads too!
If you read the Guardian article “Why bad ideas refuse to die” by Steven Poole, it truly highlights the fascinating phenomenon of “zombie ideas” worldwide. However, perhaps because I, as a coach, exhibit selective perception, I read it as if it were written for a person’s inner world. The writing maintained its logic and didn’t lose its meaning, and even when it moved from the macro level to the micro level, it became more interesting and stimulating.
According to the article, zombie ideas provide people with a sense of security. We can all believe in a multitude of ideas, even if they are absurd, without questioning their validity, fashioned into logical and beautiful stories within our own minds, which purify our doubts and thus captivate us with the comfort they provide.
The zombie Smurf within us sometimes tries to impose zombie ideas on us — convenient stories that rush in to fill the gaps we fear or avoid in our inner world. When they take hold, they trap us in obligation, distortion, and paralysis.
Coaching is one of the most effective ways to confront these zombie ideas. A coach is a skilled zombie hunter: someone who helps you see the story, separate truth from illusion, and dismantle the narratives that have grown larger than reality.
Once these stories lose their grip, something remarkable happens: you reclaim the space they occupied. You can fill it with goals that genuinely satisfy you, choices that reflect who you are, and momentum that moves you forward. The barricades fall — and you walk out free.
Nil Kalagoglu, September 8, 2016
Exintus™ Coaching 