What Motivates You? According to researchers from the nation’s top schools, there is an element of the brain that prevents people from tapping into their full potential. Instead of being programmed to achieve success, your brain is wired for basic survival, and this can prevent you from navigating change to reach your goals.
When Your Brain Is Stuck in Survival Mode
When the brain is in survival mode, it shifts into a condition referred to as negative bias, which is focusing on negative things more than positive ones. With negative bias, you’ll feel more emotional pain from rejection than joy following a compliment.
You’ll be happy to know that you don’t have to be stuck in survival mode. You can rewire your brain to focus on maximum success. Keep in mind that when you’re dealing with negative bias, it will diminish your chances of reaching a higher level of achievement.
You can be optimistic and positive about your future, but at some point, it’s likely that you will sabotage yourself by allowing your brain to keep you from going all-in on one of your dreams. When your brain is in survival mode, your uncertainties and fears overcome your inner dreams and desires, resulting in good ideas becoming disasters.
Shifting the Brain Out of Its Negative Bias
The trick to gaining access to your full potential is to replace the incapacitating negatives that you experience on a regular basis with ones that are positive. It takes practice to do this initially, but it gets easier and more automatic as you work at it.
The first step is to realize that you have a negative thought. Then, replace it with something positive, an idea that will empower you and inspire you to reach success.
It’s likely that you’ve been invited to do something that you were unable to pick up easily. Did you continue to try it or give up and admit defeat? If you gave up, then your automatic mindset is one that is fixed. When you continue to think this way, it will be hard for you to accomplish your dreams. If you keep trying, then your mindset is in growth mode. This means that you believe that if you work at something hard enough and practice your skills more, then you can develop your abilities, making success possible.
Focus on a Single Goal
Your brain might be languishing in survival mode because you have too much happening in your life. When this happens, you probably feel tired and unmotivated. Notice if you have several goals that you’re trying to tackle at the same time. Eliminate one and focus on a single critical skill or goal.
While it might be tough to choose one skill or goal and give it your full attention, doing so will make it easier to shift out of your negative bias and put all of your brainpower toward one thing. After accomplishing your first goal, shift your attention to the next one on your list.
Find What Motivates You
There are many places where you might find inspiration. Look to people who have already achieved your goal. Read books, magazines, and blogs. You can also research success stories to pinpoint each step others took along the way. In addition, search for information about your goal on the internet. The internet is a great place to discover different paths to your goal.
Do You Let Yourself Off the Hook?
While it’s good for your mental health to avoid negative self-talk, if you let yourself off the hook too easily, you might need a little more stress to accomplish your goals. Try to create balance between emotional gliding and feeling overloaded. Positive stress can shift how you perceive the way things are. It also helps you avoid underperforming.
Are You Too Hard on Yourself?
On the other hand, if you’re too hard on yourself, it will be tough for you to get past negative thoughts and try new things that will help you grow and become successful. Often, when people experience a setback, they overreact. To see if you’re dealing with a setback in a way that’s healthy, consider how much the experience will matter to you a year from now. Then, plan your next step.
Don’t Let Your Brain Hold You Back
Successful people put a great deal of time and effort into improving their talents and leadership skills. There is a popular quote that says, “Sometimes later becomes never. Do it now.” Is your brain motivating you or holding you back? Once you’ve determined your brain’s mode, you can take steps toward achieving your goals.
At the Leonard Productivity Intelligence Institute, I can help you tap into your unique skill set. To learn more, contact me today.
