BRAIN DEFENSE

Learning is your brain on offense. How does the brain play defense to protect your mental health.

October 21, 2021

Welcome.

We appreciate you taking the time to work on your leadership and social/emotional skills. Here's a review of what we covered in our time together:

Program Your Filter

The RAS (Reticular Activating System) can be an ally or an enemy within.

Your RAS is the physical, brain-based manifestation of your comfort zone.

What's stuck in your filter?

Answer these questions for yourself:

What words from your past are in your filter?
What situations from your life do you play and rewind?
What is something/someone that you haven't been able to let go?
What are some decisions that you have doubts about?
Do you have any "sacred cows" or things that are off-limits?

Change your filter.

Start with visualizing to re-program your confirmation bias.

What do you see?

Visualize your responses to the following questions:

When you close your eyes and imagine yourself in a moment of incredible success, what are you doing?
What would you like to achieve?
What are the attributes that you want to be known for?
What is your legacy?
What is your ideal level of significance?
What brings you joy in the future?

NEW HABIT STARTING TODAY: VISUALIZE FOR 30 SECONDS FIRST THING EVERY MORNING.

THERE'S WORK TO DO

Let's create a "connective model" for the life you want.

BE DO HAVE

Start by creating a very clear picture of exactly what you want and who you need to be.

3 Practices for a healthier brain.

Switch it up.

Get Critical

Question things with intent.
Every day, ask yourself a question about something that is just a routine decision. Aim to find things that don't add value any more.

Examples:
What can I change about my morning routine?
Why do I trust this source of info?
What do I love about my work?

Re-frame Past Experiences

Go back through your life and one-by-one, re-examine the choices, moments and relationships that have become part of your filter. Focus on finding a positive to take from each.

Example:
That relationship ended with so much hurt. What was one good thing that I learned from it that will help me in relationships moving forward?

Disrupt Patterns

Change your physiology. Try something new. Improvise and be random. Use your body.

Find small ways to shift your normal patterns of work, communication and relationship.