Managing your mind for success
Posted: June 8, 2011 Filed under: Articles Leave a comment »Driving to Rotorua (a 2.25 hour drive) for a seminar, I got to thinking about how important it is to understand the way our minds work and how we can harness the most powerful “tool” we have at our disposal. The following article is the result of my reflection on the journey. Janett
“Knowledge is power.” ( Sir Francis Bacon, 1597). Very few people stop to consider how their mind (or more precisely their brain)really works. Understanding the most powerful organ in your body would go a long way to ensuring a more successful and less stressful life. To illustrate, consider the notion of the modern aeroplane. These magnificent craft have a complex on-line computer together with a hands-on crew. Between them they successfully navigate and manage the flight that carries you and many others to destinations far and wide. The on-line computer with its sophisticated programmes controls most functions automatically. It is loaded with relevant data for the intended flight and in response to the many sensors on-board can make subtle adjustments. In general the pilots need only monitor the progress of the flight from time to time to ensure that all is going according to plan. “In the unlikely event of an emergency” (as the flight crew will say at take-off) the pilot and co-pilot can assume control and manually or consciously take the necessary actions to ensure the plane stays in the air and on track for the desired destination or they can abort the flight or change the flight path or even alter the destination.
During the flight the crew perform a number of other functions. Some are completed via semi-automatic systems, pre-programmed but needing activation by the crew members. Others are individual self-controlled actions that range from those born from training and/or habit, to completely random and spontaneous acts. Such functions, whether semi-automated or spontaneous, are nevertheless the responses to input from the crews’ sensors (senses) just as the on-board computer performs functions in response to data from a range of on-board sensors. In both instances the response or action results from the meaning that the individual or the computer makes from the data input.
In this analogy we can see how the automatic functions driven by the on-board computer may affect the semi-automatic and/or more spontaneous actions of the crew and how the input to the on-board computer can be affected by actions of the crew, or by external changes and events. In addition we can see that the crew can intercept the on-board computer and over-ride it.
Under usual circumstances a flight will be relatively uneventful with the on-board computer functioning as planned, data input being as expected and crew responding via the semi-automatic system and their own more random and spontaneous systems in “appropriate” ways. There will, however, be those times when things do not go as planned. Perhaps the computer programme malfunctions and either fails to accurately analyse the input or begins to respond in unexpected and unhelpful ways. The initial data that tells the on-board computer the correct flight path, destination and times may be incomplete or faulty. External conditions may be sufficiently unexpected or unusual that the on-board computer is not adequately programmed to deal with them. A fault may arise in other equipment so that the plane is unable to respond correctly to the instructions from the on-board computer. The pilot or co-pilot may decide to over-ride the automatic programme of the computer and change the responses of the craft. Furthermore, if the pilot and co-pilot are not vigilant in monitoring the progress of the craft they may miss a malfunction and the flight could end in either emergency systems coming into play or worse it might crash and never reach the intended destination.
Issues may also arise with the semi-automatic and/or more random systems controlled by the flight crew. They may misinterpret data input and react in ways that are out of line with needs or intent. They may encounter a situation for which they have no prior habitual behaviour. Equipment may malfunction preventing them from responding in appropriate or expected ways. If the on-board computer malfunctions the crew will be faced with data input that may not have previously been experienced. They will then have no habitual behaviour to fall back on and will have to interpret the situation and create a new action that appears to suit. This new behaviour may or may not be effective in dealing with the situation and may even then cause further problems with the on-board computer system.
How does this provide insight into the functioning of your mind (or brain) and how might you use this to better “pilot” yourself through life? Consider that you are like the aeroplane. Your mind consists of an on-board computer which has some pre-written programmes and a few programmes that you wrote as you grew and developed. You also have some semi-automatic programmes that you have installed over time. Alongside this you have random or spontaneous reactions to stimuli or “data”. You load data into your on-board computer regularly and select what semi-automatic programmes you need or wish to run. You are capable of monitoring the operation of your on-board computer and of taking actions to over-ride most of its functions when necessary.
Your on-board computer can affect your semi-automatic operations and may also influence your random or spontaneous behaviour. Conversely you can affect the operation of your on-board computer by your behaviour. The external data picked up by your on-board computer can influence its operation. Your on-board computer can develop malfunctions from time to time. Very occasionally malfunctions either of your own doing or as a result of external influences may lead to a fatal outcome!
Your on-board computer takes care of many of your bodily functions, for example – breathing, circulation, digestion, endocrine (hormone) systems, some aspects of reproduction, cell renewal, alarm systems such as flight/fight response and sensation of pain or discomfort. Your semi-automatic systems are largely programmed by learning and habit. They may include such things as riding a bike, driving a car, cleaning your teeth and bathing and also certain aspects of communication such as facial expressions and body language as well as your professional, trade or work skills. You will be able to work out what is completely automatic and unconscious (your on-board system) and what is more a matter of habit or training, not completely unconscious but nevertheless pretty much automatic.
Here’s where all this becomes important to your ability to be highly effective in your life. You are the Pilot. You get to decide the data you put into your on-board computer. You get to monitor your progress and level of functioning. You decide what semi-automatic programmes to load and when to run them. You are in charge of your random or spontaneous reactions. What this means is that you can fine-tune and greatly enhance your performance through taking responsibility for your mind (on-board computer).
1. You need to pay attention to the upkeep and maintenance of your on-board computer and all its peripherals (e.g. your body).
Eating well, getting sufficient sleep, exercising, having a balance of work and relaxation, attending to injuries and illnesses are all important aspects of getting the most out of your on-board computer. Imagine how much extra work your computer has to do if it is having to manage a body that doesn’t respond promptly and efficiently. In addition your on-board computer may have to be preparing responses to deal with aches and pains, grumbling digestion and over-tired, overloaded cells and muscles. This is akin to the extra load placed on a car engine when the tyres are worn or poorly inflated. Failure to provide good quality food and to keep your body well tuned is expecting your on-board computer to operate on reduced power levels – a sure-fire way to have a memory failure or unscheduled shutdown.
2. You need to ensure that the data you input is good, clear and appropriate.
When the aeroplane’s on-board computer is prepared for a flight, accurate data identifying the required destination, travel times and route is input. Unnecessary or confusing data is eliminated. It is possible for the on-board computer to carry several flight-plans simultaneously with the pilot or co-pilot activating the appropriate plan at the appropriate time. So too with your on-board computer. You need to eliminate confusing and unnecessary data by ensuring that you gather good quality information and do not up-load “rubbish” e.g. rumour, scaremongering, derogatory, gratuitous violence/sex/prejudice and unfair or unkind thoughts, news, chatter. Watch the conversations you have with others and yourself. Be selective in the type and amount of news and entertainment you watch and read. Most importantly, be clear about where you want to go in each area of your life,
when you want to get there, and what route you will take. You can run several “plans” simultaneously e.g. for your health and wellbeing, relationships, career, and any other area of your life that is important to you. Just be sure that these don’t conflict with each other and that your computer and peripherals can reasonably be expected to execute the “flight-plans”.
3. You need to monitor the functioning of your on-board computer and make necessary adjustments, even taking over conscious control of certain functions when need be.
While your on-board computer may run many functions automatically including those that you preprogramme (your flight-paths), you cannot afford to simply let it run without paying any attention. You need to regularly check your progress on each of your plans. Unless you monitor and check your progress you will have no way of knowing if you have gone started to go off track, fallen behind or perhaps have external factors interfering with your intended flight path. At the same time you need to monitor your automatic functions to ensure that your body (the vehicle for your journeys in life) is in optimum working order. Attending to the signals that you may need more sleep, more exercise, better food or that you have some “malfuntion” or wear and tear that should be repaired or compensated for. Keep your medical checks up to date, take medication as prescribed, get to the dentist in a timely manner. Failure to pay attention is likely to result in costly delays to your progress, possibly even requiring amendments to your plans and even aborting some destinations. In extreme circumstances you may have a complete system failure or your vehicle may “crash” and you will never reach your destination.
4. You need to monitor, develop, adjust and select appropriate semi-automatic programmes that you install and run.
We develop many semi-automatic programmes (or responses) during our lives. Often we become unaware that these are in operation and yet they can interfere significantly with our intended flight paths. For example, you may have installed a semi-automatic programme that recognises any unexpected events as dangerous and therefore causes you to abort a flight path automatically every time you encounter something unexpected. While this programme may serve a good enough purpose most of the time, allowing it to run unchecked will result in many dreams being abandoned unnecessarily. You may have a programme running that recognises all younger people as being immature and untrained. This programme if unchecked may result in you avoiding employing younger people or working comfortably with them when in reality some younger people may have exactly what you need to help you along the way. Take the time to check your responses and ensure that you “test” your semi-automatic responses regularly.
5. You need to be aware of and consciously choose your random or spontaneous actions.
While the aeroplane has a range of responses preprogrammed for external and internal events, the crew will encounter many random situations (as will you in your daily life) and they will use both automatic, semi-automatic and random behaviour to deal with these. Just as you need to regularly check your automatic and semi-automatic programming you also need to be consciously in control of your spontaneous actions. Clearly you are unlikely to be fully in control of such things as the startle response when you encounter a surprising event but you can certainly take control of whether you respond to an unkind remark or how you respond to a customer’s complaint. Constantly responding to everyday events with angry actions will eventually have a destabilising effect on your body and on your mind (more significant programmes that you are running).
To be a powerful pilot in your life you need to take control of all aspects of your functioning. You need to consciously programme your mind for the results you want, monitor your progress and make the necessary adjustments, be aware of how your responses may impact on your “journey” and also take note of how your physical and mental wellbeing is intrinsically important to your success.
