Posts tagged ‘brainpower’

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September 6, 2011

Unleash Your Genius with Mind Mapping

Mind map of the mind map guidlines.

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Mind mapping is a powerful and underutilized whole brain system to solve problems, make decisions, develop plans, accelerate learning and communicate effectively with others. It’s faster, more fun and covers more bases than traditional outlining methods.

Mind mapping is widely acknowledged as being developed by British psychology author and brain researcher, Tony Buzan. His mind mapping contributions are an integrated approach, combining key words, visual images and symbols into a free-flowing “tree” emanating from a central idea, concept or subject area. “Trunks, branches and leaves” are the associated key points forming the “tree.” The process ends with a logical element of analysis and alignment.  Other practitioners of mind mapping are Nancy Margulies (author and visual mapping artist) and Michael Gelb (author of How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci).

The core concepts and methodology of mind mapping are well grounded and supported by practical neuroscience. The system taps into the visual cortex that constitutes a large percentage of the brain’s neurons. Mind mapping uses the brain’s imagination, natural curiosity and logical thinking powers. Most people are amazed at how quickly the system captures their ideas, stimulates creativity and formulates practical and realistic solutions to complex problems.

Despite what you may think, mind mapping doesn’t require artistic abilities. Anyone can mind map. Willingness to engage in the following simple and practical neuroscience methodology is the primary requirement to get started.

Materials

Start with a large piece of paper; flip chart paper is ideal. Use colored pens, pencils or crayons. Purchase colored stickers depicting shapes, images and symbols that appeal to you and pertain to the subject matter. These will give your mind map artistic qualities without requiring artistic skill.

Methodology

1. Start In The Middle: Draw a circle or oval with the subject or key concept in the middle of the page. You can use a symbol, image, or key word. Even a small photograph works fine.

2. Employ Key Words: Single key words are preferred over phases and short sentences. This may take a little patience and practice at first. Developing the ability to think in key words pays dividends because they are content rich, easy to remember and activate other key word concepts. “Strings” of associated key words eventually describe the context of a situation and the pathways to the insights, solutions and your desired outcomes. Key words are powerful catalysts for both creative and practical thinking. Effective use of key words is a competence worth cultivating.

a. Print your strongest concept key words on lines (to form the “trunks of the tree”) emanating from your subject in the middle of the page. As an example, if you are mind mapping your business, start with words like “PURPOSE,” “CUSTOMERS,” “CONCERNS” and “GOALS.” Be sure to use only one key word per line. Utilize color, images and symbols. This is where your stickers may be a handy aid. Stick figures and other simple, hand-drawn symbols work well.

b. Your key words will stimulate other key words aligned with central ideas. As an example “CONCERNS” may trigger new key words like “FINANCING,” “COMPETITION,” and “LICENSING;” these become new lines (e.g. “branches”) emanating from the “CONCERNS” line. These key words will create another chain or sequence of key words that become more new lines (e.g. “leaves”).  Again, always use color and images to depict and add meaning to your key words. It is best to print your key words.

3. Let It Flow and Go: Spontaneity, imagination and “big picture thinking” are the operative words when mind mapping during this early creative stage. Move as quickly as you can to fill out your page. Go wherever you want. This is not the place or time to be logical and sequential. If you get “writer’s block” with any string of associated key words, move to another key word “trunk” or “branch” that catches your eye and add key words that come to mind. Continue until you feel you have more than enough ideas to work with.

4. Analyze and Align: Take a break and rest awhile before you come back to analyze and align the results of your imaginative, free-association stage. This is the part of the process that will utilize your sequential, analytical and logical powers. Look for themes, patterns and relationships between the “trunks, branches and leaves.” Align and connect parts of your “tree,” using more lines, arrows, symbols and key words to give it additional meaning and provide the outcomes for which you are looking. You may also select what you think are the most relevant parts and eliminate the ones that seem unimportant.

5. Redraw Mind Map: Depending on the application, you may want to redraw your mind map and sequence the key ideas and concepts with numbers in a clockwise manner. This may be appropriate for communication and training purposes or for your use as a daily learning and memory aid to building a business or implementing a significant project.

In summary, mind mapping will reveal and unleash the genius within by utilizing the power of your visual cortex, imagination and logical thinking for planning, learning, solving problems and communicating with others. You have nothing to lose except the opportunity to directly experience the power of your brain to leapfrog your life forward.

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September 1, 2011

Can Practical Neuroscience Methods Help Adults with ADHD?

High Dopamine Transporter Levels Not Correlate...

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A recent St. Louis public TV special on Adult ADHD stimulated my thinking about this rapidly growing phenomenon. My first reaction was that I possess several characteristics of ADHD and wonder what an accurate diagnosis would reveal. I then thought about people I work with who have one or more ADHD symptoms and are competent, accomplished and self-fulfilled individuals with successful careers and harmonious personal relationships. I have used practical neuroscience strategies for over two decades to learn and perform in areas I never thought possible. These thoughts gave me hope that self-help is possible for tens of millions of people suffering from this condition.

My questions are:

  • Can adults diagnosed with ADHD help themselves manage specific negative traits?
  • Is the rate of adult ADHD growing and getting worse, or are increased awareness of the problem and improved diagnosis methods, finally revealing a human condition that has been around for a very long time?
  • What effect does physical environment, the economy and world affairs have on this condition?
  • What, besides prescription drugs and psychotherapy, may help people with mild and severe symptoms?

The following is a short list of Adult ADHD symptoms and traits, which may become more manageable using practical neuroscience self-help methods. Severe behavioral symptoms that typically require a combination of prescription drugs and psychotherapy are not addressed here. The list is organized by the three commonly used ADHD categories. Following each trait is a summary of how self-awareness of sensory and cognitive thinking strengths and “blind spots” may provide some level of relief and increased performance.

Hyperactivity

1. Impulsive movement, fidgeting and touching things

A high percentage of the population is comprised of Kinesthetic learners. Their world revolves around physical movement, hands-on activities and how things feel. When Kinesthetic preferences are significantly stronger and more dominant than Visual and Auditory preferences, the Kinesthetic traits associated with ADHD become more observable and may appear extreme. This imbalance can be managed by strengthening the next strongest sensory pathway, Visual or Auditory. Jobs, household activities, hobbies and sports activities, requiring extensive use of Kinesthetic skill sets, are healthy and productive outlets for highly Kinesthetic individuals.

Impulsivity

2. Interrupting others

Most people are poor listeners and do not realize how little meaning they extract from what is said. Very few are able to detect underlying feelings and intention by listening to tone-of-voice. Talking over other people and interrupting is frequently an unconscious act of people with low Auditory preferences and can undermine relationships. When individuals know their Auditory acuity is low, they can improve communication effectiveness in conversations by merely being more aware that they are poor listeners. This shift in awareness actually improves their listening ability through focus on their “non-preference.” Paraphrasing what they heard, making comfortable eye contact and asking questions to gain clarity strengthen listening ability, while improving relationship harmony. Everyone can gain from these practical neuroscience communication methods.

3. Switching tasks rapidly

Some people’s brains are wired to think Globally, in terms of the “big picture.” They live in a world of possibilities and options and are comfortable with open-ended situations. They naturally tend to jump around from task to task, giving casual observers the impression that they are accomplishing very little. Global thinking people have much to offer the world, however, when it comes to identifying future solutions and outcomes for current situations in need of change. Individuals with this cognitive preference should align themselves with Global activities to make use of their strengths. Global thinkers should also consider seeking help with life’s practical matters from Sequential-thinking, trusted advisors.

Inattention

4. Time management and organization

Issues with time management and organization may share the same core cause as rapid task switching. Time management and organizations skills can be learned under most circumstances. This is where Sequential-thinking family members and co-workers can  role model and coach Sequential skills.

5. Work related mistakes and accidents

Every person has “blind spots” related to their least preferred sensory and cognitive pathways.  Decreased attention to these pathways means increased likelihood of mistakes and accidents. Examples include:

  • Low Auditory – may not hear something important
  • Low Visual  – may miss seeing something important
  • Low Kinesthetic  – may be physically awkward and clumsy
  • Low Sequential – may not follow logical steps or safe protocols
  • Low Global – may miss identifying possibilities and options when logic fails

Awareness of “blind spots” allows for increased focus, when the risk of a mistake or accident is highest.

It’s also advisable to have trusted friends “cover your blind spots” with their strengths.

6. Taking longer to complete tasks than others

This condition is common to all people, as a function of their sensory and cognitive thinking strengths and “blind spots.” You tend to get more, productive work done, when using your strongest and most preferred pathways. What most people do not know is that they can boost personal productivity by creating a physical environment conducive to doing specific tasks and activities. Examples:

  • Auditory tasks – quiet and interruption free environment
  • Visual tasks – organized, attractive, uncluttered environment
  • Kinesthetic tasks – comfortable environment that allows movement
  • Sequential tasks – formal environment
  • Global tasks – informal environment

Performing tasks in compatible environments often boosts productivity by 20% -60%.

7. Relationship conflicts

Nearly everyone has difficulty communicating with some of the people in their life. This is when his or her “transmitting style” is out-of-sync with another person’s “receiving style.” Some combinations of sensory sequence and cognitive processing style place a person at high risk to be out of alignment with a large percentage of the people they interact with at home and work. Knowing the communication preferences of others, allows adjustment of one’s “transmitting style” to their “receiving styles,” thus enhancing rapport and understanding.

In conclusion, you have nothing to lose by learning how your brain is wired to receive and process sensory information and by knowing your “blind spots.” These insights may be what you need to know to manage your ADHD symptoms, regardless of your diagnosis. You may be delighted and surprised by how much you can improve and achieve with self-administered and safe practical neuroscience knowledge and tools. Look online for trusted sources of statistically validated practical neuroscience assessment products like Brain PathWays™ to help you and your loved ones relieve Adult ADHD symptoms.

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August 30, 2011

Turbo-Boost Your Body and Brainpower for Peak Performance

health

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Provide your brain and body with what they need for consistent high performance with these practical, science-based tips.

Your brain is the most miraculous mass of protoplasm in the known universe. It weighs in at a whopping 3 pounds and has approximately 100 billion neurons capable of connecting with one another in multiple ways to create memory and computing power that boggles the imagination. It’s your navigation system for life.

Your brain needs a healthy and vibrant body to function properly and vice versa. The following tips apply to general health and well-being, managing stress and keeping you alert and focused so you can perform at peak levels.

  • Fuel for Your Brain and Body

These ideas are intended to stimulate your thinking and motivate independent research to create and implement your optimum brain and body turbo boosting diet. Four to six small and nutrient rich meals per day provide a steady flow of fuel for consistent high performance. “Fatty fish” (e.g. salmon and tuna) containing omega-3 oils seems to be amongst the top ten recommendations from trusted sources for brain and body health. Fresh fruits high in antioxidants and nutrient-rich vegetables having a “rainbow of colors” come highly recommended. Protein sources include nuts, vegetables, dairy, whole grains, fish, poultry and low fat animal sources. Green tea is high in antioxidants and known as a brain boosting beverage. Four to six, or more, glasses of water is a given. Avocados have monounsaturated sources of fat that increase blood flow to the brain, important minerals and antioxidant properties. Look into turmeric that may protect your brain against disease, improve your vision and strengthen your immune system; look for preparations that include pepper to help your body assimilate this miraculous spice.

  • Exercise and Posture

Do exercise you enjoy to strengthen your lungs, heart and muscles a minimum of 20 minutes  per session, 3 or more times per week. Good posture while sitting, walking and driving will pay dividends now and in the future. Your spinal chord is the “central wiring system” connecting your brain and body. Pay attention to ergonomics where you work, eat, relax, play and sleep.

Stress causes distress and eventually disease. It’s no fun experiencing stress from worry, a tired body, fatigued brain, and an inhospitable environment. You most likely will make mistakes in what you are doing when stress takes hold. Also, relationships may suffer if you are interacting with others. Simple techniques help you prevent and manage stress.

Oxygen is vital for healthy brain function. Deep and rhythmic breathing is a good practice, particularly under stress, when most people tend to breathe shallowly or hold their breath. Drinking clean ice water, rich in dissolved oxygen, helps brain function as well as flushing body toxins. Exercise is also a great, therapeutic way to increase brainpower and keep the body healthy.

Take a break when you first feel the early signs of stress. Getting physically away from where you are, even for 5-10 minutes, will help you reframe and gather your wits. Do something different like taking a short walk, closing your eyes to meditate, having a short conversation with someone you trust, eating a snack, drinking a healthy beverage or listening to calming music.

Kinesthetic Cross-Overs help increase the distribution of electrical energy, blood flow and oxygen between the two brain hemispheres. Take your right or left thumb and hold it in front of your eyes. Trace an imaginary large figure “8.” Follow the motion of your thumb with your eyes. Do three to five sequences, or more, in both clockwise and counter-clockwise directions. You may also toss a ball from one hand to another to get the same effect.

When you are tired and working too long at one thing your focus and attention drops off.  Mistakes and costly accidents can occur. Practical neuroscience methods keep you at peak levels of performance.

Peppermint will perk up your brain when you feel sleepy and need to stay focused and alert. Essential oils, mints and chewing gum work well when driving a vehicle and when you need to  stay on task while working.

Frequent breaks are recommended, particularly when doing highly stressful activities. Typically,  the adult attention span is 20 – 30 minutes. It makes sense to take short and frequent breaks, timed with the decline of your attention and performance.

Classical music is known to put your brain in an optimal state for high levels of cognitive  processing and performance. Popular music may stimulate emotions that can distract you and  cause you to think about the words, rather than what you have to do.

  • Think About What You Think About

What you give attention to gets stronger and persists because of neuroplasticity. It’s like exercising a muscle. When you think about a subject, talk about it, and take in additional sensory information to expand your knowledge and understanding, your memory get stronger, like growing a root system of a tree. If you’re thinking about what you don’t want in life, quickly reverse negative thoughts into polar opposite positive thoughts and outcomes so  you will get what you really want to experience. Always think positively and optimistically, even when life is challenging and looks bleak.

In conclusion, small and frequent portions of healthy food, pure water, oxygenation, exercise, proper posture and practical neuroscience are great ways to stay healthy, manage stress and maintain focus to be the very best you can be. A positive mental attitude always wins out and makes life better.

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August 25, 2011

Secret Weapon For Job Hunters and Career Changers

Your secret weapon is how your brain is wired for performance excellence. Job hunters and career changers will differentiate themselves from the competition and accelerate their success rates by integrating practical neuroscience into the search and interview process. Combining your brain strengths with passion for a specific career is a foolproof way to land, keep and enjoy the “right job.”

It can be so incredibly frustrating when you apply for job opportunities that seem to fit you perfectly, but get no response. Your experience, achievements, education and values seem to be in perfect alignment with the job requirements. As you begin to feel like a “speed bump” from all the disappointments, you get back up, put on your “happy face” and keep the faith that you will soon experience success. In the meantime, stress may take hold and affect your peace-of-mind, health and relationships. You probably wonder what else you can do to give you renewed direction, confidence and an edge on the competition.

If you’ve read “What Color Is Your Parachute?” by Richard N. Bolles, you may have used tools from this job hunting guide to analyze your achievements, skills, competencies and preferences. This classic treasure helps you navigate your career journey. The problem is that there are fewer jobs available and more people actively competing for them. There is one small omission of a little known strength category in this wonderful book. This strength is almost always ignored by job hunters, career changers and employers alike. The job seeker who leverages this strength gains a unique advantage during the screening and interview process.

Most strength groupings seem to focus on “how smart you are,” rather than the “ways in which you are smart.” This is where practical neuroscience enters the picture. The most fundamental and ignored “strength category” is your sensory and cognitive pathways strengths:

Sensory Pathway Strengths

  • Visual: “Picture Smart” (design, graphic arts, data entry, quality control observations, reading body language, eye for detail, remembering what was seen and how it looked)
  • Kinesthetic: “Body Smart” (“gut feel” and instinct for what to do, hands-on activities, projects involving movement and action, building and repairing things, tools and equipment)
  • Auditory: “Word Smart” (listening attentively and patiently, asking questions, copy writing, speech and proposal writing, negotiating, public speaking, coaching and counseling)

Cognitive Pathway Strengths

  • Sequential: “Logic Smart”  (orderliness, sequence,  process and procedures, practical and realistic, schedules and budgets, content, data and accuracy, staying on task)
  • Global: “Imagination Smart” (“big picture”, brainstorming, ideating, inventing, creative problem solving, research, open-ended situations, context, options and possibilities)
  • Integrated: “Balanced Brain Smart” (managing diverse teams, conflict resolution, negotiating highly different points-of-view, combination of strategic and operational initiatives)

All job activities have “neuro-signatures” comprised of a unique combination of sensory and cognitive characteristics. Alignment of how your brain is wired with the “neuro-signatures” of job activities is a secret formula for performance excellence. As an example, IT professionals with strong Visual and Sequential strengths have higher productivity and make fewer mistakes than co-workers who have different brain wiring strengths. A telemarketer or copywriter should have strong Auditory preferences, with a good balance of Sequential and Global strengths to craft language into understandable and memorable messages.

In conclusion, it’s quick and easy to determine your sensory and cognitive strengths using reliable statistically validated assessments you can trust. The next step is to think about job activities that you find engaging and enjoy the most. These will inevitably involve and call for your brain strengths. The final step is to use this unique and powerful knowledge in your cover letters, resume, “elevator speeches,” emails, phone calls and personal interviews. Educating the interviewer and your future boss about unique competencies afforded by your sensory and cognitive strengths will set you apart from competition. Combining your brain strengths with your experience and passion for a specific career is a foolproof way to land, keep and enjoy the job you dream about.

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August 23, 2011

Danger Signs That You May Be at Risk for First Round Job Layoffs

"Termination Agreements"

Image by rynosoft via Flickr

Are you concerned about your job security? A simple and quick assessment helps determine your probability of being caught in the first round of downsized employees. It also indicates whether your job may be in jeopardy, when layoffs are not imminent.With this warning in mind, you can use practical neuroscience methods and take positive action to improve your job security and fulfillment.

Danger Signs Assessment

The premise is that when slumping sales and profits drive an organization to lay off a percentage of a department or its general workforce, there are logical and fair criteria for who leaves and who stays. The danger sign statements pertain to your attitude, performance and relationships, as perceived by management. They do not take into account politics, discrimination and other non-integrous factors.

  • I am unhappy in my work
  • Some co-workers know that I am unhappy with my job and/or my employer
  • My body language, facial expressions and tone-of-voice may be telegraphing my negative feelings
  • I am experiencing fear, anxiety and uncertainty about my future
  • My spouse and family share my concerns and challenges
  • I have difficulty staying focused, engaged and interested
  • I don’t seem to get as many things accomplished as my co-workers
  • I make three or more mistakes a week that I notice and correct myself
  • I make one or more mistakes a week that others call to my attention
  • I experience communication problems with two or more people at work

If you cannot relate to these statements and experience polar opposites, your chances for long-term job security are greatly in your favor.

Practical Neuroscience of Danger Signs

All of these danger signs have practical neuroscience underpinnings. Therefore, there are neuroscience solutions for each issue. The overarching principle involves alignment of:

  • Your sensory and cognitive strengths with your work activities
  • Your sensory and cognitive communication “transmitting” style with the “receiving” styles of co-workers

Each person has their unique sequence of sensory preferences, comprised of combinations of Kinesthetic, Visual and Auditory. Further, people have cognitive inclinations for working, solving problems and making decisions; Global thinkers prefer the “big picture” and using their imagination, whereas Sequential thinkers prefer logic and order. Great results and outcomes occur when a person’s brain strengths are aligned with what they have to do and the strengths of the people with whom they interact.

In summary, alignment corrects each of the danger signs and exponentially increases your probability of being happy, productive and fulfilled. Further, you will experience good rapport with your boss and co-workers. Alignment positions you on the safe list, as a valued employee. Alignment and leveraging your brain strengths for improved productivity and relationships are powerful, practical differentiators for career success.For practical neuroscience solutions to improve your chances of surviving first round layoffs, discover your brain strengths with the Brain PathWays online assessment and report.

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August 11, 2011

Boosting Trader Performance With Neuroscience

trader

Image by killthebird via Flickr

I recently had the opportunity to facilitate the opening session of a workshop for financial traders in Kansas City, Missouri. Participants arrived from Spain, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand and throughout the United States. They came together to present results of their research projects and to engage in five days of live training to observe and share best practices.

My role was to help these traders understand how their brains are wired to receive and process information so they could improve their performance. The effect of stress on their brains was addressed with emphasis on neuroscience methods to stay calm, resolute and “whole brained” while working. First, I will share my personal observations of the group characteristics, followed by a summary of the neuroscience data. Finally, a summary of the participant responses to their neuroscience reports and experiential exercises is provided.

Trader Behavioral Characteristics

The energy, tone, attitude and dynamics of the group were significantly different than what I expected. While this is a competitive field, everyone exhibited humility, open-mindedness and willingness to share their knowledge. What a breath of fresh air to experience men and women coming together for self-improvement with the attitude and intention of learning from one another.

The group, as a whole, seemed emotionally stable, with resilience and preparedness to deal with uncertainly, risk and opportunity in their profession. There was a quiet tone of calmness, maturity and wisdom present. The overarching theme seemed to be “performance excellence from continuous learning.”

Trader Neuroscience Profile

Fourteen participants completed an online, statistically validated survey that measured their sensory sequences and cognitive thinking preferences.

Sensory Strengths

  • Auditory (“word smart”): 7%
  • Kinesthetic (“body smart”): 21%
  • Visual (“picture smart”): 71%

Sensory “Blind Spots”

Where accidents and mistakes are most likely to happen under stress:

  • Auditory (not hearing something important): 86%
  • Visual (not seeing something important): 7%
  • Kinesthetic (pushing the wrong key): 7%

Cognitive Strengths

  • Sequential (“logic smart”): 14%
  • Global (“big picture smart”): 29%
  • Integrated (“cognitively balanced”): 57%

Trader Responses to Neuroscience Tools

All participants exhibited high levels of eagerness and enthusiasm to learn more about themselves through a neuroscience lens. They enjoyed their individualized reports and stated the results were accurate and connected to their performance. Most were familiar with some of the traditional personality and behavioral assessments;they were delighted to experience something different with practical brain-based tools they could put to use immediately.

The group takeaways included a heightened awareness of their neuroscience strengths and “blind spots” and how stress affects trader performance. They valued the tip on how to avoid visual sensory habituation (staring at data and screens too long) by moving their eyes around and shifting their physical position. The breathing and oxygenation techniques for managing stress got attention and “ah ha’s.” The group was challenged to form “trader teams,” with different brain strengths. The exercise helped them learn to leverage the power of diversity for “whole brain” performance and boosted their ability to spot opportunities and avoid pitfalls.

Summary

Being a successful trader requires a combination of highly unique characteristics. These include a passion and fortitude for the work, combined with extraordinary patience and willingness to learn from one’s disappointments and accomplishments. Successful traders know that success is never final; it’s measured over time like a baseball player’s batting average. They need to know themselves, inside and out, including their mental and emotional nature. Knowing how to leverage brain strengths is a critical, and often neglected, ingredient that can mean the difference between mediocrity and performance excellence.

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August 4, 2011

Win the Motivation Tug-of-War With Simple Practical Neuroscience Laws

A game of tug of war

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Have you ever wondered why you’re highly motivated and inspired about some things, but can’t get enthused and move forward in other areas of your life – even when you know that taking action makes good sense? Do you sometimes feel an internal tug-of-war and resistance to committing to that “something” that nags at you? It may be an exercise program, healing a relationship, going back to school, organizing your office, getting your legal will prepared, looking for a better job or just taking some time off to rest and get your head together. How do you get and stay motivated, so your brain and body cooperate to move you forward, seemingly without effort? The answers to these questions lie in practical neuroscience: how your brain is wired and what makes you tick.

Laws of Personal Motivation

1. Brain engagement is a voluntary function

Your brain must identify and experience strong value and benefits to voluntarily engage in an activity, particularly one that takes hours, days or lasts a lifetime. Common sense and intellectualization don’t always work. Look about you and observe people who say, “I know that I should be doing different things for better health and quality of life,” yet, they continue to repeat destructive behaviors. These patterns can be reversed, with simple, safe and practical neuroscience methods.

2. Your brain is naturally curious and attracted to challenges

What a wonderful gift to have a brain that is endowed with playful curiosity and attracted to challenges and fun learning experiences. Your brain is equipped to take in, remember and process sensory experiences through its Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic, Olfactory and Taste pathways. It is further gifted with cognitive powers to process sensory information in Sequential (logical, orderly) and Global (imagination, “big picture”) ways. Your brain is capable of making decisions, solving problems and virtually achieving anything it can think about, describe and attach with strong value. This is the miracle of the brain that can be tapped into by anyone using practical neuroscience.

How to get and stay motivated

The greatest deterrent to being the best you can be and living the life of your dreams is fear. Thoughts, feelings and emotions, associated with what you don’t want in life, are a paralyzing aspect of fear. Fortunately, this is the easiest component of fear to overcome. The solution is to replace thoughts of what you don’t want with thoughts of what you do want. If you fear poverty and lack, replace your worries with anticipation of prosperity and abundance.

Whatever you choose to get motivated about, be very specific about your desired outcome. If it’s money, establish how much and within what timeframe. Imagine what it looks, feels, sounds, smells and tastes like. Use all your senses, focusing on those to which you are most attracted and which give you the strongest and most positive feelings. Close your eyes, breathe deeply and relax. Imagine the outcome in rich and deep detail. Attach strong and positive emotions. Think the highest, best and grandest thoughts. Be sure to record your experience and thinking, because visual images, pictures, symbols, key words and colors become deeply embedded in your visual cortex. This process puts your brain on “auto-pilot.” Consider mind mapping because it’s a “whole brain” (Sequential and Global) activity; traditional outlining is a Sequential activity and bypasses the imaginative and creative Global hemisphere. Your Global brain operates about 10,000 times faster than your Sequential brain.

In summary, it’s simple and easy to keep yourself motivated using practical neuroscience methods. Provide your brain with an interesting challenge and it will naturally engage on conscious and sub-conscious levels, even as you sleep. Make your desired outcome real to your brain, by imagining associated sensory experiences, then get out of the way and let it get to work. The neuroscience message is to trust your brain to get and stay motivated.

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August 2, 2011

Regaining Your Personal Power Through Neuroscience and Love

A firm hand on the tiller

Image by Ruth Flickr via Flickr

Are you feeling lost and powerless? Perhaps you’re wondering how you got to where you are and what you need to do to get to a better place. Many people are experiencing confusion, fear and uncertainty during these troubled times. Regaining your personal power is your navigation system to a better life. Personal power is a combination of brainpower, “heart power” and a sprinkling of “ego power.”

What is Personal Power?

Personal power is when you experience what you want regardless of what’s going on around you. People with personal power consciously and deliberately use practical neuroscience to manifest the most important things they need for fulfillment and growth. The highest level of personal power is when you add “heart power,” or love, to brainpower.

Personal power is also being self-aware of your mental, emotional and physical nature and continuously improving each on a daily basis. Through continuous learning and positive actions, your state of mind and body improves; likewise, your knowledge and “tool box” of manifestation methods grows as well. This process strengthens and increases your personal power.

Great leaders use personal power and the power of like minds to create positive and sustainable change. They know we live in an infinite and abundant universe capable of creating what we want through thoughts, words and actions. Great leaders are resolute and confident when changing things for highest good. In the words of Winston Churchill, “never, ever give up.”

Brainpower

The underlying neuroscience concept for using brainpower to manifest change is to define and get very clear on what you want, rather than what you don’t. Your brain attracts and creates experiences it imagines and thinks about.

Make your goals real by writing them down, imagining wonderful outcomes and thinking about the positive feelings associated with what you want. It’s essential to develop and keep a positive mental attitude and it helps to make and work a plan.

Heart Power

True personal power does no harm to anyone. Love knows that everyone is doing the best they can. Judgment enters the picture because we are all capable of doing better and improving. This statement may help you understand why people attack themselves and others. Everything is relative like “hot and cold,” “good and bad;” it all depends on your perspective, based on your life experience.

Love places you in “neutral gear,” where you quietly and calmly observe and evaluate what’s going on. The goal is understanding the dynamics and potential outcomes. Avoid getting caught up in an emotional state that blocks clear thinking. You can take action if you wish; just do no harm to anyone. Attacks and judgment fuel volatile situations like injecting oxygen into a blast furnace. Forgiveness, love and non-judgment heal.

Ego Power

Ego power is about “me, me, wonderful me.” At extreme levels, narcissistic egotistical behavior dominates without regard for others. It’s highly unlikely that anyone reading this article falls into this category because these extremists have no interest in brainpower and love power. Using a combination of neuroscience, brainpower and love, automatically puts the ego in check. So, a sprinkling of ego makes your journey interesting and fun. Your ego is a part of you and deserves respect and love.

Summary

True personal power is in trusting that your brain, heart and the natural order of the universe are working in your favor. A gentle and firm hand on the “tiller” will keep you on-course while you remain alert to changing conditions, opportunities and risks.

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July 29, 2011

Looking for Solutions in All the Wrong Places

Advice

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There seem to be more people than ever worried about having enough money to pay bills, do fun things, cover emergencies and retire someday. People are worried about their careers, employment security and where their next job lies, should they become unemployed. Basic needs and survival issues are putting unprecedented levels of stress on relationships at home and work. Stress is compromising our mental, emotional and physical health. People are searching for direction and solutions leading to a better, safer and more predictable life.

We can no longer depend on the “historically dependable employer” for job security, or on government and institutions “too large to let fail” for solutions and bailouts. Historically, people depended on wise parents, grandparents, clergy, teachers and close friends for counsel and advice. The problem is that many of these people are now struggling with their own challenges. It’s hard to think clearly and help others when you are hurting and struggling.

Looking for solutions outside of ourselves is the wrong and worst place to go. People have too long given their power to other people, organizations and institutions, allowing these others to tell them what to do and letting them make decisions on their behalf. This trend must end now, if we want to reverse what we are experiencing. This is an ideal time to look for solutions in the only places they can be found: our own brains and those of our “trusted advisors.” We must use our brainpower at higher levels than ever before to create new outcomes and realities. The thinking and actions that created our current situation are incapable of making it better; they can only give us more of the same.

Hierarchy of Decision Making (From Best to Worst)

  • You and your “trusted advisors”
  • You
  • Businesses and services providers having demonstrated integrous values, services and products
  • Self-serving individuals, organizations, institutions and business

The reason for placing “trusted advisors” at the top is because they share your values, have common goals, believe in the “power within” and are committed to helping you in return for you helping them. Trusted advisor groups know that they can do more together than individually. They recognize that “flying solo” is a lonely and potentially dangerous act.

In conclusion, if ignorant and selfish thinking created our current colossal mess, then focused integrous thinking becomes the new pathway to a better future. Practical neuroscience is available to anyone interested leveraging their brain strengths, knowledge and experience to solve problems. This is a call for action to form critical masses of like-minded people to combine their brainpower for a more prosperous and peaceful life.

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July 26, 2011

Practical Neuroscience Approach for Homeschooling Parents

Studying

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Homeschooling parents undertake the monumental responsibility for facilitating their children’s education. Taking on the role of “teacher,” as opposed to being a “facilitator of learning,” is a potential deterrent to successful learning outcomes for parent and child, alike. The two greatest gifts a parent can bestow on their children are instilling a lifelong desire for continuous learning and helping them develop the life skill of “learning how to learn.” These two elements of practical neuroscience all but guarantee the development of young minds into responsible, successful and self sufficient adults and future leaders. This applies to all parents, regardless of whether they home school or not.

John Naisbitt, American author and futurist, said:

“In a world that is constantly changing, there is no one subject 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.”

Many homeschooling parents may associate “learning how to learn” with learning styles. The practical neuroscience definition of learning styles is your child’s preferred sensory sequence to take in information and their cognitive preference to process it.

Sensory Pathway Preferences

It’s important that you, as a parent, and your child, both know the child’s most and least preferred ways to take in new and challenging information. For successful learning outcomes, the inflow of information must be presented in the student’s two strongest sensory pathways. Your child should pursue self-directed learning, whereby they request and select learning resources and delivery methods best suited to the way their brain is naturally wired to learn.

Sensory Learning Aids for:

Kinesthetic Children

  • Allow student to move around and be comfortable while learning
  • Encourage making flash cards for key learning points
  • Let student squeeze a small ball or work with another manipulative, while learning

Visual Children

  • Provide material to look over and read before class
  • Give instructions, homework, and key learning points visually
  • Minimize words and maximize symbols, pictures, charts, illustrations

Auditory Children

  • Allow extra time for questions and discussions
  • Suggest reading notes and study material aloud
  • Encourage student to discuss and tell others what they are learning

Cognitive Pathways Preferences

Cognitive processing is required to solve problems, make decisions, and develop skills and competencies to navigate life. Your child’s tendencies for Sequential and Global thinking may be established from birth or may be dependent on their environment and how you influence them. By the age of 7, the preferences for cognitive processing can usually be observed. The strongest cognitive preference should be acknowledged, while allowing opportunities to use and strengthen the least favored one. This approach helps build an integrated and balanced “whole brain.” If resistance is experienced, let your child follow their natural instincts. Both Leonardo da Vinci (Global) and Isaac Newton (Sequential) have made significant contributions in the world.

Cognitive Learning Aids for:

Sequential Gifted Children

  • Connect the key learning points and steps to one another to form central concepts
  • Organize assignments into logical steps and sequences
  • Encourage students to complete one assignment at a time
  • Formal physical environments are favored: straight back chair at table, quiet, bright and direct light, cool room temperature, snacks and drinks limited to breaks

Global Gifted Children

  • Explain major concepts and the big picture first; then provide the detail, if necessary
  • Allow student to multi-task as long as learning progress occurs
  • Provide for frequent breaks to maintain interest and focus
  • Informal physical environments are favored: Casual furniture, dim and indirect light, warmer room temperature, snacks and drinks while learning

In summary, each child has distinct interests, gifts and styles for receiving and processing sensory information. Homeschooling parents can lighten their “teaching load” by helping their children become self-directed, lifelong learners. Parents can also role model what they teach, provide a smorgasbord of learning opportunities and assist with making learning resources available.

 
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