The more I read about the neuroscience of the brain, the more I’m convinced that the human brain has been fighting against itself for as long as we’ve been in existence.
If I asked you what keeps you from achieving your highest goals, you’d probably drag out a list of factors that you believe are partially or completely responsible for your failure to succeed in attaining them.
The list could include…
Not smart enough
Not motivated enough
Too many other priorities (too busy)
Not enough money
Not enough time
Not high-profile enough
More pressing priorities
Too shy, timid, fearful
Sabotaging comments from family, friends, acquaintances
Too old
Too young
There are plenty of reasons why we fail in areas where we say we want to succeed. But the chief reason most people fail is because their two brains have conflicting interests/goals in mind.
The oldest part of the human brain seeks safety, comfort, connection/sex, and sufficient food and rest to remain robust. (All animal species share this aspect of “mindfulness”) And let’s face facts: If this part of our brain had exclusive control, we’d all be lounge lizards. Being safe, comfortable, well fed, healthy and loved feels good. Facing any kind of risk (real or imagined) to “any of the above” feels bad.
This aspect of our minds is cemented in. And it is this part of the brain that determines outcomes, no matter how much we like to think that it’s our “new”brain (the neocortex, where more advanced thoughts and “higher callings” originate) that calls the shots.
Unless you’re a fully-actualized human being (have any of us attained that status yet?) you’ve felt the tug. Your rational mind, heart and soul can be completely committed to achieving a certain outcome that will transform your life and the lives of everyone your life touches, and yet… and yet… there, in the “back” of your mind you hear stuff like, “You’re wasting your time.” “Life will never be as good as you visualize for yourself or for anybody else.” “You’re a dreamer.” “People would laugh if they could hear what you’re thinking.” “Don’t be so uppity.” “Your lot in life is fixed.” “Only people with money/class/smarts/time/connections can attain what you’re thinking about.”
The underlying sensation: Fear. Fear of looking or sounding foolish. Fear of failing. Fear of succeeding. Fear of standing out instead of fitting in. Fear of being remark-able.
Every Saturday John Assaraf and five of the world’s leading brain experts reveal ways to lower the decibel level on the oldest part of the human brain so the newest part can begin to exert sufficient influence to make succeeding as simple as it gets. His Brain-a-Thon explains what’s going on inside you that keeps you stuck. Best of all, it reveals ways to get you un-stuck so you can sally forth and win the game of Life, Love, Money and whatever else you’re hankering for. So set aside one Saturday soon to engage fully! You’ll leave the event with the information you need to get underway again with a renewed, robust sense of possibility. It’ll feel great. Don’t wait to sign up. Here’s the link!
