Renewal

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I was taught in college that the process of making new brain cells stopped in adolescence and we are basically “hardwired” by the time we start school; however, new findings have turned that theory upside down by stating that we are making new brain cells and neural connections throughout our life. This means that you are capable of changing your attitudes, beliefs, and ultimately your results in life – if you believe you can and want to change.
In order to start learning how to change your brain, you should understand how your brain functions. In a previous article I mentioned that our mind works like a self-correcting guidance system to “steer” us toward the results we expect. In order to take advantage of our cybernetic ability, we should know the Results we want, take Action, and be Self-correcting, which can be remembered by the acronym: RAS.
RAS also stands for reticular activating system, which is the scientific term for a network of nerve pathways about the size of the tip of your little finger. It is located at the base of your brain that connects to the spinal cord, cerebellum, and cerebrum. Your RAS acts as a filter or control center for the billions of bits of sensory data your brain processes every second. Everything you see, hear, smell, taste, and touch passes through this control center, which is then relayed to the appropriate part of your brain for processing. Much of this occurs at a nonconscious level at a speed eight hundred times faster than your conscious brain cells operate. If there is something important to you, your RAS sends a signal to your conscious brain to alert you.
For example, if you’re walking through a noisy airport with hundreds of people talking and lots of ambient noise, not a lot is brought to your attention. However, when an announcement is made over the public address system that states your name or your flight information, your RAS automatically alerts you so you can focus your attention on the important information.
You could also compare your RAS servomechanism to an internet search engine where you type a keyword and within seconds, millions of websites are searched to find relevant pictures, videos, or articles for your inspection. Similarly, your reticular formation scours your neural network in thousandths of a second for all the relevant data you have in your biochemical hard drive. When you plant an idea into your RAS, it will search your brain to find precisely what you want.
If you create a clear picture that has strong emotional appeal (Result), your reticular activating system moves into high gear (Action) and uses your sensory abilities to hone in on anything that is relevant to your goal (Self-correcting). Your intention focuses your attention for retention of anything that can help you successfully achieve your desired result. If you’re in a crowded, noisy room and two people twenty feet away are carrying on a conversation related to your goal, your RAS will focus on that conversation and alert your conscious brain to pay attention.
This marvelous ability of your brain can also work against you depending on what’s been programmed through your beliefs and self-image. For example, if you earn $30,000 and you believe that is all you are worth, then you create a comfort zone and act in ways to maintain that self-image. If you have a million-dollar idea, your RAS will filter it out so you won’t become aware of it or you won’t act on the idea. Research shows that a significant number of lottery winners lose their winnings within five years because their new wealth doesn’t fit their self-image. The Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards estimates that nearly one-third of lottery winners become bankrupt.
Another way your RAS can work against you is if you program it with what you don’t want. It will cause you to think about the negative thought until you get exactly what you don’t want. This is the reason why people who focus on not being broke, not getting divorced or breaking up, not getting fat, or not failing a class typically get the very thing they’re trying to avoid. The habit of thought around a negative idea produces negative results.
Here are five steps you can take to harness the power of you RAS to become more successful: First, clarity is power. Choose the exact message you send from your conscious to your nonconscious mind. Condition your brain to have clarity so that it knows precisely what you feel is important and what you’re going after.
Second, spend time thinking about your goal each day and imagining the results you want and how it will feel in full sensory detail. You may want to cut pictures out that represent the achievement of your goal and place them where you’ll see them often. Read books, watch movies and listen to music that inspire you and reinforce the image of the new person you want to become.
Third, focus on the positive aspect of your goal, and stop thinking about any negative thoughts about it. Avoid people that are negative and belittle your efforts to change. They act as an anchor to maintain your status quo. As you begin to progress, the negative influencers will have a tendency to pull you back down to a level where they feel most comfortable with you.
Forth, take action. Be aware of the thoughts that your RAS sends to your conscious mind to move you closer to your goal. As you act on the cues given to you through your RAS, you’ll develop greater awareness and you’ll also begin to reinforce your new self-image and provide greater proof why you are worthy of your goal. Keep a journal of your ideas and thoughts. As you create new neural pathways with your new thought patterns you may have bursts of inspiration.
Fifth, once you’ve achieved your goal, reinforce the idea that you deserve your success. If your new self-image is not firmly planted in our mind, you may find yourself slipping back into old habits and moving toward your old self-image.
A similar process can be used to overcome the negative patterns created by a group of people that have a common cause such as families, organizations and communities. The leader of the group must initiate the renewal process and act as the group’s RAS to help initiate change through positive transformation in the shared culture, values, and beliefs. It’s more difficult because there are always dissenters who want to rock the boat and maintain the current situation, but the journey can be worthwhile if the final outcome is consistently communicated and kept at the forefront of the group’s mind.
With a change in your life, family or business, you will have a change in the way you think and interpret the world around you. You will develop new neural pathways that override your negative programming and old habit patterns. It is possible to change and renew yourself. As Napoleon Hill said: “Whatever the mind can conceive, and believe, it can achieve.”