Have you ever been frustrated because you could not achieve some expectation or goal you set? Fail, go back and attack it with renewed fury. Do exactly the same thing, expecting a different outcome. Makes perfect sense. Do the same thing with frustration and fury added into the mix and you are bound to succeed the second time. Right?
Instead of rushing back in, try the 5×5 technique. Back off 5 and give yourself 5, to settle down and consciously think things through. Whether the expectation is a physical action, a mental task or a relationship, slow down and look for a different viewpoint. Question the expectation. In fact, question everything. What’s missing? What do you believe that might not be true?
When you adjust your perspective, it becomes obvious that doing the same thing, expecting different results is indeed insanity. Yet in the heat of battle, you fail to grasp it. Your mind is both intelligent and ignorant at the same time. The mind can take in new information and use it to modify present knowledge or use that present knowledge to validate its present perspective.
Learn & Grow
By modifying your view instead of validating it, you increase the breadth of your perspective. When you broaden your perspective, intelligence wins – you evolve. You are able to solve problems and gain more knowledge. Problem solving is an evolutionary process. The amalgamation of new information and present knowledge is intelligence. You move forward, away from the known, towards the unknown. But then the ignorant part of the mind becomes uncomfortable, even fearful as you move away from your comfort zone.
“It is the very mind itself that leads the mind astray; Of the mind, Do not be mindless.” ― Takuan Soho
New studies reveal a subconscious mind that is far more active, purposeful and independent than previously recognized. They suggest our minds employ a bottoms-up decision making process. This makes sense from an evolutionary perspective. The subcortical, fight or flee software runs first, before conscious thinking ever has a chance to engage. An unconscious or subconscious goal can persist with the same determination as any of your conscious pursuits.
Become The Guardian
Sometimes called the Reptilian Brain, it runs the self preservation software – the four Fs; Feeding, Fighting, Fleeing and Fucking. Behavior patterns include defense of self, family and property. It also runs the social approval and prejudice programs. As you move forward, towards learning and the unknown, the program unconsciously runs, whether you want it to or not. Just like it has for a million years and very likely a million more, if we don’t collectively exterminate ourselves first. In the current paradigm this self preservation program, (Lizard Mind) sabotages your evolution.
You must become the Guardian of your mind. Your mind has a mind of it’s own. It makes conscious, subconscious and unconscious decisions. As the Guardian, you must guard against the validating tendency of your mind and it’s a difficult trick. Even when you receive new information from a teacher, a book or even an interesting essay at 3MPH, about this validating tendency, you believe that it doesn’t apply to you. A protective feature, built into your self preservation and social program – Lizard Mind.
Self Empowerment
“The unexamined life is not worth living.” ― Socrates
The program is attempting to keep you safe, comfortable, and secure. It only understands self-preservation. The trick is to practice self-empowerment rather than self-preservation. Become The Guardian – don’t fall victim to your Lizard Mind. The Guardian employs the 5×5 technique and takes a step back from the thinking mind, observing it from a higher perspective. To examine your life, you need to examine your mind.
A higher perspective helps you recognize when the Lizard Mind starts running the self preservation program. The Guardian can press CTL ALT DEL, to reboot and fire up the modification is intelligence firmware. Evolution is slow, you can’t wait around for the operating system update. Comfort is way over-rated anyway. Self-empowerment is about grabbing the wheel, putting the pedal to the metal and chasing down what really matters. Learning, growing, evolving and leaving the comfort zone in the dust.
“Keep your eyes on the road, your hands upon the wheel.” ― Jim Morrison, (Lizard King)