In case you just joined us, we just concluded a series of posts that discussed ways to increase personal happiness by optimizing physical health. We will now begin a series of posts about mental well-being and happiness.
ALTHOUGH A NEURO-ANATOMIST may furrow his brow at the notion, it can be imagined that our human brains contain two separate yet very integrated structures – like a two-story flat comprised of an older lower unit and a newer upper add-on.
The downstairs apartment represents the remnants of an ancient mammalian brain; the home of our subconscious mind – the constantly evolving entity that reacts to events quickly, without a whole lot of conscious "thinking" involved.
Follow the stairways to the upper add-on, and you will find a unit representing additional frontal lobe real estate; showcasing the advanced electronic circuitry of a relatively newer, more conscious mind. Our conscious mind processes and prioritizes information rather thoroughly, before responding in a more deliberate manner.
Some philosophers have intuited that our subconscious minds are connected to an Infinite Intelligence – imagine small ocean harbors opening to a great sea. Others ascribe a unifying consciousness to the universe, noting that our bodies and brains are derived from elements of the cosmos, and therefore we humans are living manifestations of a universe that has learned to contemplate its own existence.
Whether our subconscious minds are truly linked to a greater force via undiscovered processes, or if humans are contained in consciousness rather than vice versa, is for others to say. I do, however, believe that it is useful to expand our notion of the possible.
At the level of the individual, the subconscious and conscious mind each have important roles to play, each exquisitely balancing the other.
Primitive emotions, emanating from subconscious centers, can be overridden by newer cognitive circuits. Left unchecked, caveman physiology and instincts are not always well suited for a modern world. Knock a bothersome neighbor on the head with a stick tonight, and you may awaken with a cell mate staring you in the face tomorrow morning.
Conscious minds can indeed soften the edges of subconscious actions, but newer forebrain circuits can also sometimes get in their own way; complicating tasks that older hunter-gatherer brain pathways can most easily accomplish on their own.
Consider a jockey and a racehorse at the starting gate of the Kentucky Derby. One creature atop the other, each nervously fidgets as they await the sound of the starting bell. In a surge of power, they are off; and the two now act as one. The rider does indeed guide the steed, urging it on, but he ultimately relinquishes some control, allowing the magnificent animal to do what it can do quite well on its own – which is to run very, very fast.
Similarly, there are times that it is most useful to have our conscious mind surrender some control, letting the subconscious mind charge steadfastly to our goal.
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It is game point at Wimbledon. After three hours of athletic combat on the court, a competitor must break her opponent's serve to continue the match. She cannot think of failure. Her conscious mind visualizes a successful return of serve; painting a picture for her subconscious mind to achieve.
Her subconscious mind then jumps into action; watching and listening to the tennis ball come off the opponent's racquet, quickly judging the ball's velocity and spin, and calculating the anticipated trajectory of the bounce. It then sends messages to nearly every muscle in her body, allowing each to engage in synchronous fashion, shifting her quickly in the proper direction. It simultaneously decides when to intercept the bounce of the incoming ball, and where to deliver it back in to her opponent's court. Firing her muscles in a then different fashion, she delivers a stunning return to extend the match.
Meanwhile, the Rolex in her locker registers about one second of elapsed time. She is reacting, not responding.
Now imagine this same tennis player, attempting to incorporate and respond to all of this information in a logical and methodical fashion, using conscious decision making. She would need a mathematician to help with the velocity, trajectory and angle of the incoming ball; a physiologist to help her decide which muscle groups to deploy; and a tennis coach to tell her where best to place the return volley – all of which would take at least a few minutes at best.
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Pandemonium is about to erupt at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. Down two games to one in their 2002 NBA playoff series with the Sacramento Kings, the Lakers have slashed a greater than 20-point deficit down to just 2 points. In the final possession, Kobe Bryant drives the lane, but is denied a basket. Shaquille O'Neil grabs the rebound; however, his follow-up layup rolls off the rim. With just over one second left on the clock, the ball bounces out to the waiting hands of Robert Horry. Horry grabs the ball, sets his feet, and then fires in a 3-point shot to win the game, just as time expires. The Lakers would eventually go on to defeat the New Jersey Nets in the finals to take home the championship trophy.
After the game, a reporter asked Horry what he was thinking as he attempted that famous shot. His response went something like this: "What was I thinking? I wasn't thinking! If you think, you miss!"
We have all heard the stories of baseball catchers who can no longer throw the ball back to the pitcher, the golfer who suddenly develops the yips and cannot sink a putt, or the usually sure-handed wide receiver who unexpectedly drops the ball when the game is on the line. Some call it "trying too hard" or "over-thinking it".
Like a fox pouncing on a rabbit, our hunter-gatherer ancestors could not afford to often "over-think" it. They just threw the spear at the prey in the tree and watched it fall to the ground. Dinner is served. Getting the "yips" meant growing hungry and making your mate very unhappy. Not a good recipe for getting her to accompany you back to your cave.
Similar to the jockey and his horse, our conscious mind can guide our subconscious mind. However, the conscious mind must not attempt to perform the task alone, rather instead provide a mental picture or verbal statement of what it wants the subconscious mind to do. The conscious mind provides the blueprint, but it then trusts the subconscious mind to build the house.
The successful athlete uses this form of imagery to excel in his sport. He has learned to "See it and be it." The golfer imagines the exact flight of the ball on the way to the green, the basketball player visualizes the ball going through the hoop, and the baseball player sees the pitch careening off his bat and over the center field wall. The conscious mind delivers the work order to the subconscious mind and trusts it to complete the task.
There is no guarantee of success every time. The subconscious mind is not foolproof – sometimes a fox will leap and miss his quarry. There is, however, a guarantee that success will come more often when one utilizes appropriate imagery.
Although it certainly does not have quite the same ring to it, we can also "Hear it and be it." Our subconscious minds do indeed listen to what our conscious minds have to say. That is why mantras have such a positive effect. Say each day that "The best is yet to come!" and it is quite likely that your subconscious mind will lead you to this outcome.
It is not just in athletic competition that one can benefit from a ''see it and be it" mentality. We can visualize ourselves being successful in business, in our relationships with others, in our fitness and health, or in any realm of our lives.
Ralph Waldo Emerson said:
"Live the life you have dreamed for yourself. Go forward and make your dreams come true."
There are two important parts to this advice. First you must dream, and then you must go forward and begin the task. There are many dreamers who forget about the second part, never taking the steps necessary to accomplish their dreams. As German philosopher Johann Goethe once said, "Make the start, begin, and then the work will be completed." Make the start.
There are also many who ignore the first part of Emerson's advice, never allowing themselves to dream of a remarkable life. Caught up in the daily grind of living, they merely exist, never realizing that there is much more within their reach.
Dream big. You may fail. In fact, you most probably will – at least initially. Dream big anyways. As Thomas J. Watson, former CEO of IBM, once said:
"Success is on the far end of failure."
Do not be afraid to fail. Read almost any business book and you will be regaled with story after story of successful athletes, politicians, business leaders, and scientists whose failures far outnumbered their successes; yet through perseverance they emerged triumphant. Never give up.
Dream big. Tear down make-believe fences that you or others have invented for yourself, and that keep you from achieving your goals.
Follow the words of Walt Whitman:
"From this hour I ordain myself loosed of limits and imaginary lines..........divesting myself of the holds that would hold me."
Never allow yourself to think that you are not good enough or important enough or strong enough. Do not underestimate the treasures that are within you.
Dream big. Expand your ideas of your own capabilities. American philosopher and psychologist William James said:
"Compared with what we ought to be we are only half awake. We are making use of only a small part of our physical and mental resources..... the human individual thus lives far within his limits."
Dream big. This does not mean that you must dream of personal riches or recognition. Dream of big causes, and how you can be a part of something important. Dream of a planet comprised of clean oceans, fresh air, and rich soils. Dream of a world of peaceful and healthy citizens. Dream of sustainable global happiness.
You do not necessarily have to have your name in the newspapers or be known to all people. Whether it is a large or small part, play your role magnificently.
My wife Diana showed me this quote from Helen Keller:
"I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish humble tasks as though they were great and noble. The world is moved along, not only by the mighty shoves of its heroes, but also by the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker."
Delight in your own small victories.
Dream often. Start when you wake up, and then repeat your goal several times throughout the day. Create a video of yourself in your mind. Watch yourself realizing your ambitions.
In your mind's eye, see yourself accomplishing your goals. Be very specific. Observe yourself succeeding brilliantly. Notice the clothes you are wearing, the feel of the ground beneath your feet, the presence of others nearby, and the sounds that surround you. Imagine unexpected problems that may come up and watch as you masterfully handle them with equanimity and grace. Do this several times each day. The subconscious mind does not care if this is real or imagined. It will help bring you to your goal either way.
At night, as you drift off to sleep, think once again of great and noble goals. And then hand them over to your subconscious mind, which will often be fast at work while you sleep, helping to solve problems and guide you to your objective. You may awaken out of a deep slumber with an inspiration or brilliant new plan. Keep a pen and paper near the bedside to write it down. Sometimes in the early morning hours, in that misty space between sleep and awakening, you may come up with your best ideas.
Gautama, the Buddha said:
"The mind is everything; what you think you become."
Consider the words of philosopher Elbert Hubbard:
"Keep your mind on the great and splendid things you would like to do, and then, as the days go gliding away, you will find yourself unconsciously seizing upon the opportunities that are required for the fulfillment of your desire.....Thought is supreme.”
Sometimes it is necessary for our conscious mind to problem solve. It can devise a rudder and compass, to help guide us on our way. But we can also tap in to the power of our subconscious mind, the constantly evolving entity born of Providence. We can create for it an image of our intended destination – and then just let go, trusting the current of a self-organizing universe to carry us forward. We may be pleasantly surprised where it takes us.
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