Posts tagged ‘brainpower’

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January 15, 2013

Downside of Doing, Upside of Being

5/4/2010: To-Do List

5/4/2010: To-Do List (Photo credit: john.schultz)

Do you think our society and children are lost in technology, endless “to do” activities, and low-road behaviors that limit human potential?   Perhaps we have been neglecting our core self that yearns for peace of mind, happiness, harmonious relationships, and inner growth.  We may be temporarily lost in “doing” if we don’t have enough time and are stressed out, concerned about our health,  experiencing relationship conflicts, feeling bewildered, or wondering about the meaning of life. Practical neuroscience insights and ideas help us navigate a balance between doing and being, thus living a higher quality and purpose driven life.

Differences between Doing and Being

“Doing” involves daily activities like getting to work, working your “to do” lists, following instructions, responding to distractions, solving problems, dealing with relationship dynamics, attaining goals, and staying healthy. Most people can relate to and explain the importance of “doing;” indeed, it is an essential component of practical living. It may be helpful to view “doing” as content, and “being” as context. Where people go astray is by placing their “doing” activities on a high plateau, mistakenly thinking they are the most important aspect of their lives; this condition can be likened to the metaphor, “can’t see the forest for the trees.”

“Being,” on the other hand, is a bit deeper and more philosophical. It has to do with “who you are,” “why you are here” and “how you can best live the life you have been gifted with.” “Being” involves your state of mind (e.g. positive or negative), your values and beliefs, and how you want to treat yourself and others. There is a huge spectrum of choices ranging from “high-road being” (e.g. grateful, kind, caring, loving, empathetic, patient, forgiving, respectful, helpful, cooperative) and “low-road being” (e.g. mean, abusive, dictatorial, judgmental, opinionated, angry, disrespectful, righteous, competitive, narcissistic).

Downside of Doing

The downside of “doing,” in the absence of consciously choosing a state of “being,” includes:

  • Getting lost in physicality
  • Ignoring your well-being
  • Damaging relationships
  • Bringing out lower road behaviors
  • Regretting, later, that you were capable of being a better person
  • Delaying  inner growth and peace of mind

Upside of Being

“Being” is a choice. You decide which high-road behaviors you will consistently exhibit on a 24/7 basis. Making a conscious choice of how you want to live your life, and influence others, requires courage.

  • Being the best you can be
  • Being true to yourself
  • Being the captain of your life
  • Living a purpose-driven life
  • Having a positive impact on yourself and others
  • Growing and experiencing the fullness of life

How to Balance Doing and Being

Most people start with the “doing” component; this is a dead-end street. Begin with the foundational and contextual “being” side of life. Decide on one or two central themes for “how you want to be.” Think of what legacy you want to create; imagine what you want people to say about you when you are no longer here. Be realistic and select the highest values and behaviors you can sustain each and every day. Pick those that resonate strongly with you, do no harm, and serve yourself and others. Try them for a week or two, then experiment with new states of being to replace choices that didn’t feel quite right and were difficult to sustain. Let feedback from your inner self and others guide your choices.  You will find this process fun and fulfilling.

In summary, “being” defines “who you are,” and not “what you do.”  “Being”   is the tapestry, territory and landscape in which you live, work, relate, learn and grow.  The ideal combination is to be the best person you are capable of being, and superimpose the things (doing) you need to accomplish to navigate life; this provides flow, beauty and elegance to living life to the fullest.

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January 11, 2013

Closing the Gap Between Intention and Action

English: New Year's Day postcard mailed in 190...

English: New Year’s Day postcard mailed in 1909. It reads: “A New Year’s Resolution / Jan. 1st / Good Resolution / Each resolution that I make / My conscience surely troubles / Because I find they always break / As easy as Soap bubbles” (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A startling statistic is that only one in twenty, who make New Year resolutions, succeed in achieving their desired outcomes.  If you are amongst the 95% trying to close the gap between intentions and action, practical neuroscience is your bridge to success.

Intentions are ongoing throughout the year. Perhaps people wait for the New Year to make changes, as it is a time-honored tradition and New Year’s Day is a symbol for a “fresh slate” or “new beginning.” Why not look at each day as the best day to be the best you can be, and to improve your quality of life?

It seems that most people tend to launch into making resolutions quickly and emotionally, without going through a brain-based approach that exponentially improves the success rate. It’s all too easy to make grand and noble resolutions; it’s another matter to experience success at keeping them. This is where guilt and embarrassment set in, particularly if you make your resolutions visible. Then, the process of making future resolutions becomes even more difficult and burdensome because you’ve programmed yourself with negative memory imprints.

It may be helpful to think about intentions as the “starting point” for resolutions. Visualize your intentions as filling Hoover Dam with positively charged water; as the potential energy builds, the pressure increases to the point where you need to release it (action). Saying aloud and visually documenting your intentions kicks your brain in gear to think, see, feel and hear (through your internal voice) the benefits and outcomes of your intentions.  Your brain will consciously and unconsciously work on establishing goals and action plans if the outcomes are satisfying and sustainable.  Natural repetition of the process strengthens motivation through neuroplasticity as you fill your “Hoover Dam Brain;” this renders willpower unnecessary.  If natural repetition ceases, you can assume that the “value equation” of your intentions were sufficiently low; this is a gift from your brain and you can start over with a different set of intentions in a guilt-free manner.

The key to success is to stay with the “intention process” for hours, days and even weeks; you will go on autopilot if your brain is sufficiently motivated. It’s essential to document your thoughts and ideas; these building blocks are subject to review, analysis, change, removal and new additions. Visual documentation fuels repetition.   Contrasts are made, below, between intentions that rarely succeed and those that catalyze action and success.

Intentions That Rarely Succeed

  • Impulsive: These are statements or resolutions you blurt out, perhaps while in an emotional state. They are rarely written down, analyzed and processed logically or imaginatively.
  • Low-Value: Your brain only engages voluntarily if there is high and enduring value. Willpower often loses the battle when the value equation is in question.
  • Purely Selfish: It’s unlikely others will support you if they don’t receive some positive benefits themselves.
  • Too Many: It’s better to triage your intentions/resolutions so you have adequate time to put your brainpower to work on completing one change before beginning another.
  • Situational: You will be out of alignment if the situation that sparked your intention/resolution changes. It’s good to assess if what you want to change is something that will be satisfying for “all seasons.”
  • Negative Mood State: Intentions established during a negative mood state are charged with negative energy. This imprint may block returning to the intention process in a calm and clear mental state.
  • Not Visually Documented: The likelihood of success is multiplied when you visually document your intention/resolution process.
  • No plan: When there is no plan, there is frequently the absence of action; when there is no action, there is no visible change.

Intentions That Succeed

  • Positive Mood State: Create and process your intentions and resolutions while in a positive mood; this charges your “inner space” with positive energy that facilitates the intention process in a smooth and positive manner.
  • High-Value Outcomes: High value outcomes keep your brain engaged and focused. If you lose interest quickly, it’s a sure sign that the value equation is low.
  • Long-Term Benefits: Your brain stays engaged as long as there are favorable outcomes. Long-term benefits plus high-value outcomes are a sure-fire way to keep your brain working without having to call forth willpower.
  • Mix of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Rewards: Intrinsic rewards include improved relationships, expressing and experiencing kindness, caring and doing the right things.  Extrinsic rewards come and go and are insatiable.
  • Repetition: Frequent visits with your intentions/resolutions strengthen them through neuroplasticity; you will   naturally go into autopilot to achieve high-value outcomes, having long-term benefits and rewards.
  • Other People Benefit: You will receive support and compliments from others, when your intentions do no harm and other people can experience your success. They will likely ask you, “How did you do it?”
  • Create a Plan: Stay with the process of documenting outcomes, benefits and rewards before establishing action plans and measurable goals.  You will know when you are ready to create the plan.
  • Work the Plan: This is the simplest and most natural step because all the prior steps naturally catalyze action. You have now closed the gap between intention and action.

In conclusion, it’s never too late to make and manifest meaningful resolutions; there is no better time to start than now. Begin the process of thinking about your intentions; say them aloud and write them down. Keep adding thoughts, feelings, ideas, outcomes, benefits, beneficiaries, goals and action plans to your documentation. This “living process” is the real-world mechanism for change using intention-based resolutions. This practical neuroscience methodology is bound to be more successful and fun than the methods used by the 95% of people, who fail in making and keeping their resolutions.

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November 15, 2012

Practical Neuroscience of Reversing Negativity

Turning frowns upside down

Replace negativity with positive thinking to turn frowns upside down

Have you observed and experienced an increase in negativity in the world? Politics are but one of many glaring examples of people attacking each other, expressing negativity and bringing our mood state down, as opposed to raising morale and improving the human condition.  Negative energy “rubs off” on others, and conditions get worse as negative thinking stimulates more negative thinking. This is a wake-up call to think more positively and leverage our collective brainpower for a better life and world.

If the power of your brain creates negativity and fear, think about what you can experience on the polar-opposite side by consciously using your brainpower toward different outcomes. Practical neuroscience is the only escape route I am aware of to transcend negative thinking, behaviors and outcomes.  A positive mental attitude and fresh imaginative thinking may be easier and quicker than you think. If you believe that “changing your inner thinking changes your outer world conditions” you possess a foundational truth to create greater prosperity, happiness, safety and peace of mind.

What is Negative Thinking?

Negative thinking is a low level emotional state characterized by fear, seeing scarcity, feeling bad, perceiving threat, being judgmental, blaming and attacking others, confused and scattered  thinking, and not seeing the “light at the end of the tunnel.” Negative thinking seems to occur on the sub-conscious level and arises in unexpected ways. It may be activated by current events that trigger negatively charged memories and then project fearful scenarios into the future. It may also be subtle and simple like a media or internet message that creates a domino effect in your brain. Negative thinking is “negative imagination” and serves everyone poorly; it’s a living hell, often created by fallacious information and groundless fear.

Negative emotional states are not “real;” they only seem real because of physical sensations and cascading thoughts that “things are very bad and out of control.”  Negative thoughts and feelings pick up speed and gravity when you dwell on them; a group of people sharing the same negative thoughts creates an exponential “henny penny effect.” Stock market crashes, financial crises and wars could have been averted had people been able to break free of panic caused by negative thinking.  It’s time we take conscious control of our most important asset, brainpower.

How to Reverse Negative Thinking

The key to controlling and transcending negative thinking and emotions is to recognize them for what they are; unreal with no intrinsic power. If negative thinking is the reverse of positive thinking, then start to think and act positively; this is the magic elixir.  The power used to create negative consequences is the same power available to create positive and pleasant outcomes; it’s two sides of the same coin. You don’t have to rely on a toss; you have the power to choose which side of the coin will define your life.

Positive thinking is characterized by seeing an abundant world with infinite resources, optimism, feeling safe, strong self-esteem, being happy, cooperating and collaborating, and trusting your brain to create solutions to challenges.  “Positive imagination” has the reverse effect of “negative imagination;” think about what your world would be like if you and others practice positive thinking 51%, or more, of your thinking time.

Positive thinking brings the best out in everyone willing to participate. For people deeply entrenched in negative thinking patterns, the process of “thought reversal” still works if they practice the adage of “fake it until you make it.” Forcing a smile on your face, a healthy laugh and repeating affirmations like “it’s not as bad as it looks and feels,” “there is a way out of this mess” and “cooperating with others will change this situation” get’s the attention of the higher and positive thinking  parts of your brain.

The most important part of reversing negative thinking is  stating the positive outcomes you want; saying and thinking what you don’t want always makes things worse because what you give attention to, gets stronger.  Writing, envisioning and saying aloud what you want will kick-start your higher cognitive brain functions until positive thinking becomes automatic.

In closing, the power of positive thinking increases exponentially when you connect and align with people of like mind. This fun, powerful and simple process creates solutions and new realities that do no harm to you or others; the maximal state is helping others improve their quality of life, as you improve yours. This builds good will and magnetizes more people to join you, increasing the benefits for all exponentially.

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October 2, 2012

Activate Your Pleasure-Memory Connection to Overcome Obstacles

memory Road

memory Road (Photo credit: Peter Lee(이원희))

Do you experience internal resistance to engagement with certain activities, and find yourself pushing back or procrastinating? Examples include dealing with relationship conflict, finding a new job, saving money, starting an exercise program, public speaking, organizing a closet, or enrolling in a self-improvement course. Why do you push back on some things, but others come easily and naturally? Practical neuroscience provides understanding and solutions that help overcome resistance to accomplishing important things in your life.

 

The Pleasure-Memory Connection

Dr. Arych Routhenber, neuroscientist from Northwestern University, says that the brain reward pathways play an important role in learning and memory. He was one of the first to discover that the pathways that generate pleasure-producing endorphins are also the same centers for locking in memory. Most people verify that they most easily remember and recall events and situations where they experienced strong, positive emotions.

The greater the pleasure and reward, the stronger the memories are likely to be.  Positive and pleasant memories are created when solving problems successfully, overcoming challenges, enjoying a wonderful meal, maybe experiencing your first kiss, learning something new, or making satisfying changes in your life.  The pleasure reward mechanism can also be activated by environmental elements like an inspiring nature scene, art, or music, present while you are doing or experiencing something.  Extrinsic rewards like money, acknowledgment, kind words, seeing smiling faces, receiving a pat on the back, or hearing a of round of applause all activate your pleasure-memory mechanism.  The type and source of the reward is not important, only that the pleasure is registered and valued in your brain.

Overcoming Obstacles

All people have things they don’t want to do, prompting them to push back. It’s likely that you have negative emotions associated with what you don’t want to do. These emotions may be real and should be honored; or, perhaps, they are imaginary and stem from false programming and mistaken experiences. The natures of the feelings associated with your thoughts drive your willingness or resistance to doing certain things. The following practical neuroscience steps help you gain clarity on your thoughts and feelings, make intelligent decisions, and remove obstacles for positive life changes.

1.      Establish value and desired outcomes.

It’s best to first establish the value and desired outcomes to build the foundation for motivation, action, and new positive behaviors. Why would you engage in changing a mindset or commencing on new life pathways unless there were redeeming rewards, intrinsic and/or extrinsic? This first step is essential to making a conscious decision if you really want to expend time and energy to change your life. It may be that the subject you are resisting has adverse consequences and low value; if this is the case, you can get this subject off your plate in a guilt-free manner.  Conversely, the outcomes may be highly advantageous; then, the remaining step is to remove the obstacles. These defining questions guide you through the process of establishing value:

  • In what ways will the outcomes benefit my quality-of-life?
  • Are the outcomes short-lived or long-term?
  • Do other people benefit?
  • Will I be happy with the outcomes in five years?

2.       Activate your pleasure-memory connection before taking outward action.

World-class athletes and coaches know that practicing in their “mind’s-eye” yields equal or better results than actually “doing it” physically. The brain can’t tell the difference between what it perceives internally and what is perceived externally. Neuroscientists have conducted brain scans of people imagining moving their finger  and compared them with those of people actually doing it; the same region of the brain “lights up” each time.

Doesn’t it make sense that you can use the principle above to activate your pleasure-memory connection before having to move into “outer world” action? It’s like a free trial run or a free taste test that doesn’t require a full commitment. Assuming you’ve decided to remove an obstacle or resistance to something, you have a seemingly magical and safe way to kick-start this natural, practical neuroscience process that gets you rolling forward in the right direction.

You might want to start the process by studying and observing others doing what you want to accomplish; resources include people you know, TV, videos, movies, books, magazines and internet resources. This research gives you ideas, best practices and models-of-excellence to replicate in your mental practice sessions. Get into a quiet, safe and comfortable environment. Close your eyes. See and feel yourself doing the activities with ease and in total flow; imagine having fun. Play some background classical music that calms negative emotions and stimulates your imagination. It’s likely you will automatically start doing the activities naturally in your “outer life” after a couple of “inner world” practice sessions. This process can be applied to virtually anything in your life.

In conclusion, practical neuroscience principles and practices help you overcome obstacles and resistance to making positive changes in your life, allowing joyful engagement in personal improvement programs. The key steps are to decide on the redeeming, long-term value of changing your old and outdated patterns of behavior, followed by practicing new and improved behaviors in your imagination to activate your pleasure-memory connection. This process gives you more of what you really want to improve your quality-of-life.

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June 20, 2012

One of Many Faces of Neurodiversity

Neurodiversity has many unique facesNeurodiversity is the recognition that every human being is 100% unique resulting in myriad combinations of strengths, talents, interests and how they interpret and interact with the world. The vast and infinite array of the ways each person is different is a challenge to understand and manage on an individual level. The complexity of human interactions increases exponentially when you consider the unique attributes of people who live, interact and work with one another.

A practical neuroscience exercise guides you through a fun and easy discovery process to better understand your own face of neurodiversity. For each category below, think about and record your responses to the questions .Your brain wiring and programming to learn, think, interpret, express is your GPS for navigating life, and it’s constantly changing.

Neurodiversity Exercise

  • Sensory strengths Which of these sensory pathways is your strongest and most preferred way to take in new information: Visual (seeing, observing), Kinesthetic (doing, moving) or Auditory (listening, asking questions)? What is your least preferred way to learn? Can you think of situations where you experienced frustration learning something new and challenging? Perhaps the teaching style or learning resource was misaligned with your strengths. Are your sensory strengths aligned with your career?

 

  • Cognitive strengths Which of these three cognitive pathways do you most prefer, when thinking about things, solving problems and processing information: Sequential (logical, orderly, details), Global (“big picture”, possibilities, options) or Integrated (near equal balance of Sequential and Global strengths). Does your job leverage your cognitive strength? Think about people with whom you have difficulty communicating. Are their cognitive strengths similar to or different than yours? Do you transmit information on their preferred wavelength, or yours?

 

  • Values Values drive behaviors. Behaviors establish outcomes that impact on your personal performance and relationships. What are your two most cherished values? Next, name at least three behaviors associated with each value. As an example, for the value of “Teamwork” the behaviors might include respect for others, non-judgment, compliments and “going the extra mile.” What are the outcomes when you practice your values daily; what benefits do you and others receive? Are your values serving you well?

 

  •  Beliefs What are your strongest and most powerful beliefs? Subject areas may include: Your life purpose. Human potential. Relationships. Family. Spirituality. World Peace. Work. Fun. Money. Personal health. Do your beliefs and opinions serve you well? Do they harm others? How often do you question and challenge your beliefs? Are your core beliefs built from your own personal experiences and research or are they the product of childhood and social programming and what authority figures told you to believe?  Do you listen and try to understand other people’s beliefs that may be different than yours?

 

  •  Emotional “hot buttons” Everyone has “hot buttons” that activate positive and negative emotions Examples of positive hot buttons may be phrases like Thank you, I have a problem and need your help, Please forgive me, or Great job! You may also respond positively to certain music selections, affirmations, art or nature. Make a list of your positive emotional hot buttons. What things initiate and activate your negative responses? These might include criticism, judgment, yelling, certain facial expressions, tone-of-voice, whining, bullying and interrupting. Are you receiving what you need from others to stay on a positive and even keel?

 

  •  Interests & passions Think about subjects and activities that put “fire in your belly,” outside of your work.  They may include anything in your life like cooking, golf, a special person or place, learning something new, music, gardening, or health. What interests and passions give you the most fun, joy and fulfillment?  Are you integrating these things in your life for balance and variety? What new things are you attracted to that you want to explore?

 

  • Knowledge & education What do you know the most about? How well has your knowledge and education served you? Have you been continuously learning and improving?  What core competencies are you most proud of? Competencies might include interpersonal communications, mathematics, leadership, mechanics, marketing and sales, writing, graphic arts, hands-on activities, or teaching. Are your skills, knowledge and competencies being used effectively to give you more of what you want in life? Are there places, situations and careers where your strengths are transferrable?

 

  • Life experiences Think about your life pathway from childhood to the present time. What are the most memorable experiences, milestones and turning-points? These are the forces, events, people, places and learning that programmed and shaped you into whom and what you are today.  What major life lessons did you learn? In what ways can you maximize these learning’s to leapfrog your life forward? All life experiences are of value, even the ones that inflicted wounds on you and others. Let them go by focusing on the positive experiences. Neuroplasticity is the brain’s natural ability to learn, think, make decisions, build memory, create new patterns of behavior and give you the opportunity to grow and change.

 

In conclusion, your new understanding and appreciation of neurodiversity can be embraced and leveraged for a better life. Activate your new knowledge by selecting one person with whom you want to improve your relationship. Ask them to do the exercise you completed and compare notes. You will be amazed and delighted on the outcomes derived from sharing each other’s different faces of neurodiversity. Remember that you can always create new brain pathways for a new and better life through the power of neuroplasticity. Change your thinking, change your life.

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February 29, 2012

An Inside View of How and Why People are Different

Have you ever wondered why people are so diverse in their emotional reactions, interpretations and opinions about everyday situations? Why is it that some people have a positive mental attitude, while others are gloomy and believe they have little personal control over their lives? Why do people experience and think about the same subjects or situations in totally different ways?  Each party thinks they are right and, at worst, the other person/group is wrong.  Judgment is the genesis of discord, conflict and sometimes war.

I am hopeful that expanding awareness and respect for neurodiversity will help people become kinder, more understanding and more tolerant of the differences of others. My intent is to help people create better lives for themselves and others, through the power of their brains.

Each person’s unique brain wiring contributes to our neurodiversity.  Our brains have created our representational system for life, from childhood experiences to where we are today. The following are important facets or aspects of neurodiversity.

  • Sensory and Cognitive Strengths – On the most foundational level, your favored sensory pathways to take in information (six combinations of Visual, Kinesthetic  and Auditory sequences) and process it cognitively (Sequential, Global and Integrated) should be leveraged for career and life success. When you are using your strengths, you are more productive, having more fun and happier.

 

  • Your Gifts – Everyone has natural talents and gifts, even when they may not be obvious. Howard Gardner, Harvard Psychologist, says we possess combinations of 9 intelligences: Visual/Spatial (Picture Smart), Bodily/Kinesthetic (Body Smart), Musical/Rhythmic (Music Smart), Logical/Mathematical (Number Smart), Linguistic (Word Smart),  Intrapersonal (Self Smart), Interpersonal (People Smart), Naturalist (Nature Smart) and Existential (Spiritual Smart). Our gifts shape our interests and help define what we are good at doing. Using our gifts contributes to inner joy and satisfaction.

 

  • Interests and passions – Your interests and enthusiasms about life (e.g. career and life goals, music, art, cooking, health, sports, learning, nature, and hobbies) should be explored with zeal, as long as they satisfy you and cause no harm or injury to others. Your interests and passions are shaped by your natural gifts, early childhood and life experiences.

 

  • Knowledge – Most subjects taught in the educational system provide useful knowledge to navigate life. The internet contains true and helpful information along with false and misleading information. It is best to trust teachings from reliable sources. Constructive and integrous knowledge are building blocks for a purposeful and fulfilling life.

 

  • What we experienced as children – Young children are particularly susceptible to believing and retaining, as memories, what they experience, hear and see. Our early programming (birth through age 7) has a profound impact on our values, behaviors and how we interpret and respond to life.  If life is not going well, it may be productive to think about and sort out what was useful and what may have been harmful and untrue from your childhood, or even adulthood experiences. These include negative programming like, “you are stupid,” “you can’t trust…,” “you can’t escape the reality of…” Any belief that limits your peace-of-mind and ability to grow and change your life for the better is eligible for scrutiny and change.

 

  • Social programming – Even the adult brain can be highly naïve, consciously/unconsciously taking in and believing what it reads, sees and hears.  Beware that social programming runs rampant on the internet, television, radio, in the print media, workplace and literally everywhere people interact with one another. The brain cannot discern truth from falsehood, particularly when it is bombarded with repetition from people you may respect. Mass hysteria and the “Henny Penny effect” can easily occur, even with intelligent and educated people. Just look about you and identify where social programming negatively and positively affects quality-of-life.  Social programming can build opinions we hold true and defend with vigor, forming the basis to attack others.

 

  • Values – Values drive behaviors. They come from life experiences and what we hold to be “true.” We can control our behaviors and the resulting outcomes by constantly up-shifting our values to higher levels. When we experience conflict, fear and pain, it is an ideal time to examine our values and beliefs.  Questions to ask include: “How can I look at this situation differently?” “What do I really want as an outcome?” “What behaviors will give me the outcomes I want?”

 

  • Emotional “hot buttons”- We all have many emotional hot buttons that initiate a wide range of feelings from highly negative to highly positive. Certain songs may trigger feelings of sadness or happiness, making us want to sing aloud, dance or cry. A person’s “look” or body language may set off a range of interpretations, such as acceptance, approval, rejection and judgment. Words and tone-of-voice can stimulate our emotions in positive or negative directions. Photos and imagery affect our mood state. A “tailgater” may set off “road rage” or may signal an increased need to stay calm. The thought of public speaking may generate a panic attack or provide a feeling of positive excitement.  Emotional “hot buttons” are the brain’s way to create feelings for strong memory imprints. Trying to put your brain in “neutral gear,” when your negative emotional “hot buttons” are pushed to the limits, will help you regain composure to think clearly. There is some truth to “counting slowly to ten” when you are emotional.

 

  • Beliefs, Opinions and Prejudices – Nearly everyone thinks their perception is right, when experiencing a situation, processing it through their “brain programming” mechanism and placing it into memory. This process is continuous and subtle. There is potential for trouble, when we defend our positions, beliefs, opinions and prejudices, thinking that we are “100% correct” and other people are “wrong.” The litmus test for questioning your position is when you experience conflict with others or when barriers and obstacles seem to block you from achieving important goals and desired outcomes. Maybe this is a good time to listen to the points-of-view of others and question the validity and usefulness of your own beliefs.  Ask yourself, “Do my beliefs and opinions serve me and others in positive or negative ways?” You may be surprised at how quickly you can get back into the flow of life, when you release your tight grip on outdated and faulty thinking and take the time to understand other people’s points-of-view.

 

In summary, I believe that neurodiversity is an unrecognized strength of the human race that can be used constructively to improve quality-of-life. Our neurodiversity gives us what we want in life, but it also gives us what we don’t want. Faulty programming causes faulty decisions and misinterpretations of situations. The good news is that we can reprogram our brains to override what we don’t want, gaining more of what we truly desire. If you want different and better outcomes, change your thinking.

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November 30, 2011

Making Shared Visions Real and Meaningful For All Concerned

flip chart 2.0

Image by velkr0 via Flickr

Peter Senge describes “building shared vision” as “a practice of unearthing shared pictures of the future that foster genuine commitment and enrollment rather than compliance.” His description and application applies, not only to teams and organizations, but also to couples, family units and any group of people that comes together for a common purpose. I want to share a fun and dynamic methodology to make shared visions real and meaningful for all the participants.

The characteristics and benefits of shared vision include:

  • Visual portrayal of everyone’s  “picture of success”
  • Focus on collective and mutually beneficial future outcomes
  • Everyone’s voice is heard, respected and acknowledged
  • Visibility of the group’s values that help guide “high road” behaviors
  • Stakeholder buy-in, commitment and involvement
  • Group and organizational performance excellence and sustainability

This practical neuroscience method has been field tested extensively with groups ranging from 3 to 50 people. The group participants may be a family, social organization, church committee, board of directors, sports team, business department or an entire organization. The process can be replicated multiple times in an organization to cover hundreds or thousands of people.

The Basics

  • Every group member willing to participate is included without exception.
  • The meeting room should accommodate all participants to sit in a semi-circle, stand and move about. Less than 30 participants at a time are recommended to allow for maximal participation and keep sessions under 2 hours.
  • A large, smooth and unobstructed white board or wall, with space to post 7-10 flip chart pages, is required in front of participant seating. The flip charts are where the participants place their shared vision notes.
  • Each participant is given an 8 1/2” X 11” paper with 6-8 colored Post-It notes. Additional Post-Its are available upon request.
  • A skilled, non-participating facilitator, known for open-mindedness, flexibility and non-judgment should lead the session.
  • No interruptions or questions are allowed when participants share their “pictures of success.”
  • Order of participation is voluntary; everyone participates.
  • Pre and post-applause for all participants is recommended.

The Process

  1. The facilitator welcomes the group and explains the process and ground rules for sharing. Post-It notes and colored pens are provided for all participants.
  1. Each person records a single idea of his or her vision, picture and description of success, per Post-It note. Description may be a key word, short phrase, value, headline, symbol, color, image, outcome, book, movie, song, event, award, number, dollar amount, sound, feeling, picture or virtually whatever comes to mind. Maximum of 12 ideas per person.
  1. Pre-Applause for first volunteer. First Post-It is placed on any one Flip Chart page and said aloud for everyone to hear. Subsequent ideas are placed next to similar/associated themes or on a separate flip chart if the idea doesn’t seem to relate to the others. Post-applause with no comments or questions.
  1. Pre-applause and post-applause for subsequent volunteers until all participants have shared their vision of success. The process reveals a colorful galaxy of “cluster pattern” themes that constitute the group’s “shared vision.”
  1. The facilitator invites the group to walk around the flip charts for a closer look, name the themes and realign individual notes. Themes may include legacy, values, goals, customer benefits, team benefit and so forth.
  1. The facilitator asks the group if any theme should be dropped because it is less important than the others are. All the groups I have facilitated say all themes are connected and equally important; this response is ideal and should be expected. The facilitator asks the group if they feel their voice has been heard and respected.  Finally, participants are given the opportunity to voice their takeaways and closing comments.
  1. The flip charts and Post-It notes are photographed, transcribed and distributed to each participant. This process continues until all smaller groups, constituting the larger group/organization, have gone through their shared vision sessions. It is strongly advised that the materials be transformed into a colorful mind map for daily viewing, communications, meetings and events. The mind map should be magnified to poster size and hung in large reception areas or other areas where people learn, work and communicate. Smaller versions are made available for every participant.

In conclusion, implementing a “shared vision” session is immensely rewarding for all participants, their organization and the people they serve and interact with. The process connects each person’s mind, body and heart in a respectful way. It brings people together to work with shared purpose, common goals and desired outcomes. Creating a shared vision builds morale, trust and cooperation; it leverages the brainpower and heart power of the group for outstanding and sustainable outcomes.

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November 22, 2011

Are Your Mental Models on the High or Low Road?

Road Closed

Peter Senge in his The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of The Learning Organization (1990) describes mental models as “deeply ingrained assumptions, generalizations, or even pictures of images that influence how we understand the world and how we take action.” Mental models have profound impact on how we view, react to and respond to the world; they shape our decisions, relationships and quality-of-life. They affect us on all levels –personal, social, professional, organizational, national and global.

My purpose is to raise your level of awareness of what mental models are and how they operate.  Practical neuroscience principles and tools help you challenge, change and manage your mental models for a better, more peaceful and less stressful life.

Personal Observations of Mental Models

  • Mental models are stored information and emotional imprints of how your brain perceived  and remembered direct personal experiences, as well as information learned from a third party or indirect source like the media.
  • Mental models that yield harmful outcomes to you and/or others are good candidates for examination and changed thinking.
  • Formed over time from accumulated information, mental models may also be developed quickly and deeply depending on their importance and emotional impact.
  • Most people are unaware of their mental models, where they came from and their effects.
  • Mental models are subtle and challenging to identify and describe.
  • They seem to operate in a “back room” or subconscious part of our brain.
  • Our mental models tend to get stronger over time as human nature wants to “be right” about its opinions.
  • Mental models may or may not be verifiable through direct experience or independent observations from integrous people.

I believe the core question is “how well do my mental models serve me and others,” rather than “are my mental models right or wrong?” There is no right way of taking in and processing sensory information because everyone perceives and interprets information differently. A group of people agreeing on something doesn’t make it true; the process merely bonds the group around something they hold to be true. Needless arguments, and even wars, ensue due to differences of opinion about mental models.

Evaluating Mental Models

These everyday life situations give you a grasp of what mental models look like; each pair contains differences of mindset for illustrative purposes. As you look them over, ask yourself which ones might serve you and others best, rather than deciding on what may be correct or in error. The purpose of this exercise is to shift your focus to a “high road” or positive perspective for evaluating mental models. Hopefully, these examples will stimulate your thinking to write down your mental models that serve you well or poorly.

Low Road: Good ideas for innovation are drying up and there is limited opportunity for me to prosper.

High Road: Good ideas for new products, technology and services are endless and infinite.

 

Low Road: We live in a competitive world of scarcity.

High Road: We live in a world of boundless opportunity where situational cooperation is possible.

 

Low Road: Girls do poorly in math and science.

High Road: Anyone can learn what interests him or her, when in a supportive environment.

 

Low Road: You can’t trust people who look , act and speak a certain way.

High Road: There are trustworthy and untrustworthy people in all walks of life.

 

Low Road: In this economy, no one will interview me, much less, hire me.

High Road: I have transferable skills and positive traits that some employer is looking for.

 

Low Road:  I can’t trust myself behind the wheel due to my driving record and what my spouse says.

High Road: A refresher course will make me a safer, more dependable and better defensive driver.

 

Low Road: I can’t learn new things because I made poor grades and my teacher said I was stupid.

High Road: My brain has infinite capacity to grow, get stronger, learn quickly and make great decisions.

 

Low Road: It’s unlikely I’ll live beyond 73 because of my family health history.

High Road: Good health practices and a positive mental attitude will increase my quality-of-life and perhaps add years to my life span.

In conclusion, mental models are what we believe and hold to be true about life. They are our “software programming” that drives thinking, opinions and behaviors. There is always an outcome from every mental model, although they may not be obvious. People vehemently agree or disagree on the truth of their mental models. The defining moment for challenging a mental model occurs when the focus shifts to the desired outcome. Clarity can best be achieved by examining gaps between what is desired and the outcome that actually occurs. This is the only way I know to break the endless cycle of defending and attacking mental models.

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November 16, 2011

Three Reasons Why People Talk More and Listen Less

Listen, Understand, Act

Image by highersights via Flickr

Have you noticed that many people can’t remember what was said, interrupt others regularly, rarely ask genuine questions and generally have poor listening skills? Has attentive and respectful listening gone out of style since the advent of TV, computer technology, cell phones, texting and video games? I wonder if people were more “auditory,” from a listening standpoint, when distractions were fewer, people engaged in more mealtime conversations and radio was a bigger source of news and entertainment.

Our worldwide statistics show that 78% of the population least prefers to listen as a primary way to receive sensory information; these people prefer to take in information visually and kinesthetically. Why do people who least prefer to listen select talking as their preferred way to express themselves? Practical neuroscience and common sense reveal possible reasons and provide pathways to improve listening competencies.

Reasons Why People Talk More and Listen Less

  • Lack of awareness: I believe most people are unaware of how their poor listening skills negatively impact rapport, harmony and understanding others. Interrupting, “tuning out” others and raising one’s voice to get attention serve no useful purpose; hurt feelings often occur and important information is lost. As a practical matter, meager listening takes a steep toll on valuable time that could be used for other things. At worst, important relationships can be put in jeopardy and may crash. These factors are why people benefit from being informed of how their brains are wired to receive and process information. Practical neuroscience reveals our sensory and cognitive processing strengths, thus providing a simple recipe to communicate with others in optimal ways.
  • Busy Schedules: During an executive coaching session, I asked a person about his listening competency. His reply was, “it’s poor and I don’t care because I don’t have time to listen.” He went on to say, “I prefer to receive information by email, text and brief discussions when walking with a colleague to a meeting or during mealtime.” I asked him what impact his tactics would have on his morale and productivity if he walked in the shoes of his direct reports and peers.  He then asked how he could be a better listener; the Hot Tips (below) summarize what I suggested. Within a week of using these new “high road” listening tactics, this busy executive received positive feedback from three people saying they enjoyed working with him and it seemed like he was different person.
  • Maintaining Control: As long as you are talking, you don’t have to listen, answer questions or respond to other people. A higher form of talking is using language understandable to others, stating the purpose of the communication and asking questions to confirm their understanding. Listening requires attention, focus, personal involvement and feedback. Attentive and respectful listening sends a strong message that you care about the other person; talking, alone, may introduce an element of doubt about your intention and integrity.

Hot Tips for Being a Better Listener

  • Ask for the purpose and desired outcomes of the conversation.
  • Respectfully, set a time period for the discussion, if time is an issue.
  • Do not interrupt and impose your opinion.
  • Ask questions to gain clarity and understanding.
  • Listen for congruency of tone-of-voice and body language with what’s being said.
  • Paraphrase what you hear.

In conclusion, improved listening skills pay big dividends of relationship rapport, mutual respect, understanding others and making effective use of available time. Based on statistics, most people should talk less and communicate more visually and kinesthetically. Practical neuroscience methods are the ideal solution for “transmitting” information on the preferred “receiving wavelengths” of others.

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November 8, 2011

Practical Neuroscience Approach to Personal Mastery

Premioneurona

Several visionaries cite “learning” as a key ingredient to personal and organizational success:

Peter Senge identifies “personal mastery” as the second discipline of a learning organization in his book, The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of The Learning Organization (1990). Senge describes personal mastery as a commitment of employees and leaders to the process of learning.

John Naisbitt says, “In a world that is constantly changing, there is no one subject or set of subjects that will serve you for the foreseeable future, let alone for the rest of your life. The most important skill to acquire now is learning how to learn.”

Peter Drucker states, “We now accept the fact that learning is a lifelong process of keeping abreast of change. And the most pressing task is to teach people how to learn.”

Steven Covey declares that the mental component of “Sharpening Your Saw” (the 7th habit of The 7-Habits of Highly Effective People) is “learning, reading, writing and teaching.”

Many people agree on the underlying value of personal mastery through lifelong learning. However, few know the practical neuroscience principles and practices behind learning with ease, thinking imaginatively and logically, solving problems quickly, working happily, communicating effectively and making decisions accurately. Most people appear highly interested in learning more about how their brains are wired for success and what makes them tick. There seems to be a strong undercurrent of awareness that understanding and leveraging individual and collective brainpower may be one of the last frontiers for human development.

Practical Neuroscience 101 for Gaining Personal Mastery

The following is a summary compilation of practical neuroscience principles and practices that will help you understand and leverage your brain strengths for personal mastery.

  • Practical Neuroscience: An overarching term comprised of neuroscience-based principles and practices focused on understanding “self” and the people you influence and lead. Practical neuroscience acknowledges and respects diverse brain strengths, varied knowledge, personal interests and emotional trigger points; it enables people to be the best they can be, individually and collectively.
  • Neuroplasticity: Your brain is the most amazing mass of protoplasm in the known universe. It contains about 100 billion neuron cells, each having the potential to make multiple connections with other cells. Your brain is dynamic, not static. Neuroscience research reveals that you have “brain plasticity” or the ability to continuously grow and adapt your brain as you learn and use new information, despite your age. The more you learn, think and use knowledge, the more you grow and increase your intelligence and resourcefulness. What set Einstein’s genius apart, was not what he started with, but how he developed his thinking through vast neuron pathways. The bottom-line is that we can rewire our own brains for new and better outcomes and help other people do the same.
  • Learning Is Voluntary: Your brain must establish value and positive emotions to engage with learning, thinking, listening, working and any form of mental or physical activity. Fear works poorly as a motivator and is not healthy or sustainable.
  • Unique Sensory and Cognitive Strengths: Everyone has their preferred order for taking in sensory information; there are six combinations of Visual, Kinesthetic and Auditory sequences. Besides, people have cognitive preferences for processing sensory information, receiving communications and for specific types of work activities; there are three major categories: Sequential, Global and Integrated.
  • Alignment Is Your Key to Success:  No one combination of sensory and cognitive preferences is better than another. The key to success is aligning your brain strengths with activities and tasks you are passionate about and require your strengths. Communication challenges are often due to misalignment with how people prefer to receive and process information. You can “flex” and align with people who are different from you to gain rapport, respect, trust and understanding.
  • Integrate Fun Into Everything You Do: Your brain is naturally curious and loves to learn. A fun and safe environment naturally engages your brain. Create fun and safe environments for others; teach others what you want to learn. These are some characteristics of a neuro-leader.

In conclusion, practical neuroscience is the pathway to greater self-awareness of your potential for personal mastery. Online, validated assessments accurately determine your sensory and cognitive strengths and offer tools to help improve your learning, thinking, problem solving, decision making, communication success, career fulfillment, and help you experience more fun in life.

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