Get Ya Mind Right

[DISCLAIMER]

*Cool Hand Luke spoilers contained herein

Not having seen the film since early adulthood, I recently re-watched Cool Hand Luke (1967). Summarizing the plot, one source states:

Luke Jackson is a cool, gutsy prisoner in a Southern chain gang, who, while refusing to buckle under to authority, keeps escaping and being recaptured. The prisoners admire Luke because, as Dragline explains it, “You’re an original, that’s what you are!” Nevertheless, the camp staff actively works to crush Luke until he finally breaks.

I didn’t recall much from the movie from my first viewing, though I walked away with a better understanding this time. What the audience observes when Luke’s free will “breaks” is systematic positive and negative punishment techniques by authorities in an incarcerated setting.

For example, Luke is beaten with a cane (positive punishment) and is subjected to a reduction in time spent with other inmates (negative punishment). During the process of supposedly breaking Luke’s will, prison camp staff impress upon Luke to get his mind “right.”

Describing the phrase “get your mind right,” one source states that it’s a “term used to tell someone to get it together and start using their brain.” Expanding upon this description, a separate source states (punctuation and capitalization left intact for effect):

To get your mind right requires AWARENESS.  To get your mind right you must first recognize that you aren’t in control of yourself, that you are losing control and then you must know HOW to get back in control of yourself and that starts with taking a deep breath to reconnect yourself to the present moment.

To get your mind right is to be in control of yourself mentally, physically and emotionally so that you can increase your chances of being in control of your performance.  Rule #1 of the mental game according to my mentor the great Dr. Ken Ravizza is that you must be in control of yourself before you can control your performance, this is the essence of “get your mind right.”

I appreciate this life coaching perspective in regard to mental, emotional, and behavior health (collectively “mental health”), as I also use this approach when functioning as a psychotherapist. Mainly, my line of approach relates to Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT).

This is accomplished with two main tools. First, REBT uses the ABC model to illustrate that when an undesirable Action occurs and you Believe an unhelpful narrative about the event, it’s your unfavorable assumption, not the occurrence itself, that causes an unpleasant Consequence.

Addressing how people upset themselves with unhelpful attitudes, the ABC model incorporates Disputation of unproductive philosophies of life in order to explore Effective new beliefs. Whereas rigid beliefs cause self-disturbance, flexible beliefs result in an un-disturbed condition.

The second main tool of REBT is the technique of unconditional acceptance (UA) to relieve suffering. This is accomplished through use of unconditional self-acceptance (USA), unconditional other-acceptance (UOA), and unconditional life-acceptance (ULA).

Whereas the ABC model is a scientific approach to wellness, UA serves as a philosophical method for un-disturbing yourself. I view the former as an abortive approach to disturbance and the latter as a preventative method. Of course, not all REBT practitioners use the same style as I.

With my approach to REBT, I incorporate author Stephen Covey’s concepts regarding the circles of control, influence, and concern, as well as an area of no concern. UA maps onto the circle of control (USA), circle of influence (UOA), and circle of concern and area of no concern (ULA).

The circle of control encompasses only oneself, the circle of influence encapsulates elements which may be subject to one’s sway, the circle of concern engrosses most matters one can imagine, and the area of no concern relates to all content which isn’t yet imagined.

Regarding the life coaching source above, recommendatory must statements were used (e.g., you must first recognize that you aren’t in control of yourself). When providing psychoeducational lessons on REBT, concerning USA, I invite people to understand that they have limited control.

Consider Cool Hand Luke. Luke was merely a fallible human being who had limited control over himself. As an example, within nothing other than the capacity of his conscious mind, Luke couldn’t stop his own heartbeat, increase his body temperature, or stop his hair from growing.

Nevertheless, he could control his reaction to undesirable events. Perhaps Luke could’ve also tried to influence other people, places, and things. Still, his leverage was exceedingly limited. Imaginatively unaware of REBT, Luke self-disturbed about his limited control and influence.

I envision him believing something along the lines of, “I hate these lowdown prison guards, because they shouldn’t treat me so poorly! It’s awful enough being incarcerated, as is. In fact, I can’t stand having my movement restricted, so I’m gonna attempt another escape!”

With this unaccommodating outlook, Luke repeatedly escaped the prison camp. Each time he was captured and returned to his incarcerated setting, chain gang staff increased unpleasant positive and negative punishment techniques in order to force Luke to get his mind right.

Property of Warner Bros.-Seven Arts, fair use

In the above scene, Luke is depicted as a groveling man broken of free will. Lying on the ground, embracing the leg of his captor (i.e., boot-licker), and begging for an end to his punishment, the following scene illustrated a dramatically different version of Luke’s behavior.

The audience is led to conclude that with enough oppressive force, authority figures can break the will of an individual—depriving a person of self-determined and autonomous faculties in favor of unwavering obedience to power structures. Was Luke really broken in such a manner?

Of course not! Although Luke’s movement was largely influenced by the prison camp (e.g., his legs were shackled), prison guards couldn’t control his mind. Therefore, when oppressively demanding that ol’ cool hand Luke get his mind right, he was actually in control of his reactions.

I imagine a moral and ethical conflict between authority figures and Luke. What they considered a principled stance of right or wrong behavior (morals), along with principles of conduct governing an individual or a group (ethics), clearly clashed with Luke’s own worldview.

Ultimately, Luke considered that his mind was already “right.” Thus, there was no need for him to get his mind right in accordance with what others oppressively demanded. Stated more eloquently, one source expresses:

The central theme of Cool Hand Luke is the absurdity of man’s will for power over his fellow man. In the attempt to gain power over others, one must not only mislead others into artificial “laws of God and Nature”, one must also lie to oneself, for it is transcendentally self-evident that we are born free in our primal state. The chains the prisoners wear are symbolic of the chains that civilization itself puts on the individual.

Whereas the life coaching source expressed herein uses a flexible recommendatory must statement (e.g., you must first recognize that you aren’t in control of yourself), the source just above expresses an inflexible conditional must statement (e.g., one must also lie to oneself).

Using a syllogistic form (modus ponens; if p, then q; p; therefore, q), this unhelpful belief states, “If you are to relinquish free will to authoritative entities, then you must mislead others and yourself in the interest of conformity.” Yet, even with overwhelming force, Luke didn’t obey.

According to one source, “Nonconformity requires courage, willpower, and tremendous personal belief, and not everyone has the stomach for that kind of battle,” and, “Luke is set up as a redeemer for the other inmates, and he is punished beyond proportion for all their sins.”

Some people will quickly adjust their beliefs to conform to the will of authority figures. I imagine that such individuals hardly understand what principles are (comprehensive and fundamental laws, doctrines, or assumptions with habitual devotion to right principles).

Alas, I enjoyed re-watching Cool Hand Luke, as I was reminded of many instances in my life when nonconformity came at great expense to me (e.g., being placed in solitary confinement while detained in a military brig, because an overzealous guard took personal issue with me).

I know what my principles are. Additionally, it’s a matter of personal mental health that I represent an authentic approach to maintaining these subjectively moral and ethical standards of getting my mind right – or at least right enough to navigate an impermanent and uncertain world.

When further contemplating this matter, I’m reminded of the 2005 album Let’s Get It: Thug Motivation 101 by (Young) Jeezy. Contained on the anthology is the track “Get Ya Mind Right”, produced by Shawty Redd. Personally, the chopped and screwed version is preferable.

In part, the chorus states, “What it do? What the business is? Word on the street, Jeezy known to handle his. Bitch, get ya mind right. Let me talk to ‘em.” In essence, he states, ‘What’s up? What’s goin’ on? The rumor is that Jeezy takes care of business. Use your brain. Hear me out!”

This relates to Cool Hand Luke, in that Luke was introduced to varying power structures at the prison camp (i.e., hierarchy among inmates and guards), as gossip about his ability to handle himself according to his own principles quickly spread. Subjectively, he had his mind right.

While I’m not necessarily condoning an anti-authority outlook herein, I am inviting you to consider your own principled stance. Do you even operate according to a moral, ethical, or other habitually-devoted perspective of principles? Or, do you merely conform as demanded?

Perhaps your bending of will doesn’t regard external entities. Maybe you cower to rigid beliefs while being pulled like a puppet by every impulse. Take account of your life in this very moment. Are you proverbially incarcerated by guards of your own mind (mental boot-licking)?

If so, what will empower you to take a stand and free yourself? Luke escaped over and over again. Even when authority figures ultimately shipped Luke off to bleed to death in a prison infirmary, ol’ cool hand Luke was prepared to accept death over confinement.

What then will you settle for? Will you be yanked this way or that by impulse connected to inflexible beliefs? Or, are you ready to put the ABC model and UA to use in your life, endure the discomfort of self-change, and free yourself while getting your mind right? The choice is yours.

If you’re looking for a provider who tries to work to help you understand how thinking impacts physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral elements of your life, I invite you to reach out today by using the contact widget on my website.

As the world’s foremost hip hop-influenced REBT psychotherapist, I’m pleased to try to help people with an assortment of issues from anger (hostility, rage, and aggression) to relational issues, adjustment matters, trauma experience, justice involvement, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and depression, and other mood or personality-related matters.

At Hollings Therapy, LLC, serving all of Texas, I aim to treat clients with dignity and respect while offering a multi-lensed approach to the practice of psychotherapy and life coaching. My mission includes: Prioritizing the cognitive and emotive needs of clients, an overall reduction in client suffering, and supporting sustainable growth for the clients I serve. Rather than simply trying to help you to feel better, I want to try to help you get better!

Deric Hollings, LPC, LCSW

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