| Decision making ideas for sanity well being. Ever notice that when you’ve finally made a decision, especially an importantly strategic one, your brain finally feels at rest? That’s no random occurrence.Neuroscientists studying the subject, point out that when you make a decision on a goal and then achieve it, you feel better than when good stuff just happens by chance.Brain science shows that making decisions reduces worry and anxiety — as well as helps you solve problems. Making decisions includes creating intentions and setting goals— all three engage the prefrontal cortex in a positive way, reducing worry and anxiety. Making decisions also helps overcome tendencies that can pull you toward negative impulses and routines. Finally, making decisions shifts your perception of the world — finding solutions to your problems and calming the limbic (emotional) system. |
| But deciding can be hard. So what kind of decisions should you make? Neuroscience has an answer…Make a “good enough” decision. Don’t sweat making the absolute 100% best decision. We all know being a perfectionist can be stressful. Trying to be perfect overwhelms your brain with emotions and makes you feel out of control.Trying for the best, instead of good enough, brings so much emotional ‘out of control activity’ into the decision-making process. In contrast, recognizing that good enough is good enough activates more pleasure areas in the brain which helps you feel more in control. Good enough is almost always good enough.So when you actively make a decision, your brain feels you have control. And a feeling of control reduces stress as well as boosts pleasure because of increased dopamine activity.Actively choosing causes change in attention circuits of the brain and in how you feel about the action, and increases rewarding dopamine activity.And this answers the eternal mystery of why dragging your butt to the gym can be so hard.If you go because you feel you have to or you should, well, it’s not really a voluntary decision. Your brain doesn’t get the pleasure boost. It just feels stress. And that’s no way to build a good exercise habit.Interestingly, if forced to exercise, you don’t get the same benefits, because without choice, the exercise itself is a source of stress. Extend this concept to other tough decisions like controlling eating habits, prospecting for new business, cleaning up your data base, dealing with clutter, etc.So make more decisions. We don’t just choose the things we like; we also like the things we choose.For many reading this newsletter, for whom I’ve created personalized hypnosis sessions, the method behind the science in formulating suggestions in terms of what you DO WANT uses these above mentioned brain truths. My process: 1. First you decide on a list of specific goals. Get it out of your head and in writing. I can’t tell you how many get stuck in the goals selection process. Usually it’s paralysis by analysis. First draft doesn’t have to be perfect. Let it flow. 2. Write it/them down using concise and specific words. This is difficult for those who live in the world of generalities and lack of focus. But it is necessary to create clear visions the brain can use. 3. Do this for all important decisions/goals. You are not a ‘one trick pony.’ Working on goals that balance you allows you to accomplish the easier ones faster and creates a positive momentum for others that might be more resistant to achieve. 4. Send the list to me and I’ll create the session that will create new neural passageways…meaning goal accomplishment, scaling up your business, changing habits and attitudes. Because of brain plasticity, you can change even deep seated negative habits more easily than you can imagine. You become what you think about. |