As
we get used to it being 2015 and consider what the New Year holds in store for
us, it is a good time to reflect on what we would like to achieve this
year. Setting and achieving a goal takes
commitment and focus and while a lot of people start with best intentions many
let their motivation fizzle out and get lost in the busyness of work and
personal life. But there is now a simple
a way to tap into your deepest resources so you can focus on achieving results.
It involves the latest scientific
thinking and knowing how to access your ‘Inner Director’.
As many regular readers know, I’m fascinated
by the latest experiments in the field of Neuroscience and how the research can
help us be more effective and happy in our work. It is exciting to see how the scientific community
are now establishing a strong foundation of proof that supports many of the
theories about how important our thinking is to our success. I have always respected and valued the
ancient wisdom that emphasises the need to ‘quieten the mind’ and ‘know
yourself’. However, it was often shrouded in religious practices and
psychobabble which made it difficult to discuss in a business setting.
The last 4 to 5 years have produced
clear scientific evidence that our ability to manage our thinking can lead to
more creativity, energy and general well-being.
This in turn allows us to make better decisions and be more resilient in
the face of the inevitable setbacks that life throws at us.
Accessing
our Inner Director
Our Inner Director is the quiet voice
of wisdom that we can only hear when we take the time to clear our
thoughts. This means taking a moment to
focus on our posture and breathing by concentrating on our ‘direct experience’ (there is
more on this in previous
blogs on my Website). Focusing on our breathing and allowing it to
settle into a relaxed and even rhythm means we calm our thoughts and can simply
observe the specific sensations in our body.
Once we directly observe the sensations in their raw form and let go of
what we are making them mean, we enter a state of Mindfulness. Many scientific studies are now demonstrating
that Mindfulness is the key to more creativity, energy and general well-being
because it dampens the stress hormones produced by a threat response and boosts
the feel-good hormones produced by a reward response.
It is worth mentioning here that a
threat response produces high levels of cortisol making the brain fearful and
putting it into a ‘flight or fight’ mode.
It also makes the brain produce ‘accidental’ negative connections that
we believe are real. Our brain then
spends precious energy seeking proof for this belief and if it seeks hard
enough it will see evidence where there may not be any, because the brain craves
certainty.
On the other hand, a reward response
produces neurochemicals like dopamine which create a ‘toward’ mode, stimulating
an open mind, curiosity and interest. It
also creates more neural connections per second which leads to increased
creativity and finding solutions.
Utilising
the Inner Director
When we develop goals we often think
of the specific thing we want to achieve or have. This is not enough. In order to maintain focus, energy and
momentum, especially over a longer timeframe, you need to think about your goal
on a number of levels. A useful model to
use is the Personal Alignment model (sometimes called Logical Levels)
originally designed by Robert Dilts. I have
adapted it slightly to incorporate a number of mind-sets that assist with the thinking
required to answer the key questions below.
I invite you to consider an important
goal you want to achieve in 2015, give yourself some time to be Mindful and
then think it through using the following four levels, in two phases. Phase one is about exploring your current
thinking about your goal. Phase two is
about exploring the thinking you need to develop in order to succeed.
Begin by taking a few deep gentle
breaths, relaxing completely on the out-breath and notice the sensations in
your body without making them mean anything.
Then, starting at Level 1, ask yourself the questions and progress
through the Levels. When you get to
Level 4 take another moment to pause and be Mindful. Then complete the sequence by continuing back
through the levels as laid out below.
Level 1
– The Instructor Mindset: This is all about thinking through what needs
to be done and the standards or criteria that need to be achieved. Key questions to begin with:
1.
How
specifically will you know you have achieved your outcome?
- What will it look like?
- What will it sound like?
- What will it feel like?
2. What don’t you
want?
3. Where do you want it?
4.
When
do you want it?
Level 2
– The Mentor Mindset: This is all about thinking through what skills and
capabilities that you need in order to achieve your goal. Key questions:
1. What skills and
capabilities do I already have to help me succeed?
2.
How
effectively do I currently use them?
3.
What
does using these skills and capabilities look, sound and feel like?
Level 3
– The Coach Mindset: This is all about thinking through what you believe
and value most about your goal. Key
questions:
1.
What’s
been most important for me up until now?
- What’s important about that?
2.
What
do I currently believe to be true or untrue about my goal?
- These may be quite subtle so listen carefully to your Inner Director
Level 4
– The Inner Director Mindset: This is all about thinking through the
purpose of your goal and the role you need to play in order to achieve it. Key questions:
1. What role(s) do I
play in the context of my goal?
2.
What
has my purpose been up until now within the context of this goal?
Now pause and take a moment to be
Mindful of your answers so far. Notice
how you are breathing and what sensations you are having in your body as you
think about your goal and any insights you have gained by answering the
questions.
The next phase is to go back through
the Levels reviewing the questions with a view to using your insights and
allowing your Inner Director to create an even more meaningful and inspiring
set of answers.
Level 4
– The Inner Director Mindset:
1. What is an even more
meaningful or higher purpose to focus on?
2.
What
role(s) do I need to play in order to succeed?
Level 3
– The Coach Mindset:
1.
What
needs to be most important for me to succeed?
- What is important about that?
2.
What
needs to be true for me to succeed?
- What useful beliefs do I need to hold and seek evidence of?
Level 2
– The Mentor Mindset:
1. What skills and
capabilities do I need to develop to ensure success?
2.
What
does using these skills and capabilities look, sound and feel like?
Level 1
– The Instructor Mindset:
1. What actions do I
need to take tomorrow, next week and next month to ensure I succeed in
achieving my goal?
Be very specific!
2. Who else do I need to
involve?
3.
What
additional resources do I need?
When doing the above exercise be
playful and notice what comes to mind. Some of the questions may draw a blank and
that gives you a clue about where there may be gaps in your thinking or
motivation. This creates an opportunity
to pause and practice being Mindful so you can notice what subtle thoughts you
have about it. Alternatively you may
want to get a trusted colleague or friend to ask you the questions so you don’t
need to think about the ‘process’ and just answer the questions. It is also very powerful to simply record
your answers on your phone or other device and then write down all the key
points as you review it.
The power of this exercise lies in the
fact that the science now shows us that it is more beneficial to stay focused
on what you want (rather than what you don’t want) because it stimulates
dopamine production and this keeps you optimistic, creative, interested and
engaged. Having a clear sense of purpose
is also a powerful driver because it creates certainty and that gives the brain
a reward response. Understanding your
values (what is most important to you) helps you to make decisions that support
you in the achievement of your goal, and making decisions also promotes
autonomy, another reward response for the brain. A clear set of beliefs that you can seek
evidence of, creates an expectation that will stimulate the brain in a positive
manner – this helps it to make new connections and gain insightful
solutions. Finally, it is also good for
the brain if you create a series of small milestones to achieve along the way
because this helps to give your brain lots of dopamine boosts that encourage
and enhance all of the above.
So, I invite you to have a go at
accessing your Inner Director to guide you through 2015 to new levels of
success and achievement. (If you are
interested in more information and resources about Mindfulness just
click here)
Do let me know how you get on.
Remember . . . Stay Curious!
With best regards
David Klaasen
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