What If...

Recently, I listened to a podcast with Dr. Bruce Lipton from Stanford University, who spoke about biology, belief, and the conscious and subconscious minds. Dr. Lipton maintains that the average person is running on autopilot by way of their subconscious mind approximately 95% of the time. We have probably all experienced driving on the highway and not remembering part of the trip. Or, taking a shower and then trying to remember if we already washed our hair. We were on autopilot, and that's often very helpful. But here's the problem per Dr. Lipton, our autopilots have been programmed with learned behaviors (from others in our early years), 70% of which are negative, self-sabotaging, dis-empowering, and limiting. Is there any wonder why even with positive thinking (during the 5% of conscious thought) we often aren't successful in our endeavors? It would seem clear that our conscious mind is seriously outgunned by our subconscious mind and its limiting beliefs. That's one of the reasons why I recommend handwriting a plan (at least at first), reviewing it often, visualizing it, feeling it, and internalizing it. They are all exercises in mindfulness and your conscious mind must be present for each step.

So...

What if you actually created a plan with objectives and a goal?

What if you actually wrote it all down?

What if you read it every day?

What if you visualized achieving the objectives and your goal?

What if your conscious and sub-conscious believed you could achieve it?

What if you imagined the feelings you would experience upon achieving it?

What if you took your next best step every day towards achieving that goal?

What if you mustered up 20 Seconds of insane courage every day to move past those things that are scary. Make a call, send an email, make an offer?

What if your thoughts and actions were mindful and purposeful?

What if you stopped letting your subconscious run 95% of your life.

What if you started using your conscious mind 10% instead of just 5%?

Well, that's a 100% increase in cognitive computing power and it would seem then, that you would be capable of achieving much more than you already have!

Are there any "What ifs" above that you feel you're not capable of?

Are any of them truly beyond your ability?

If the concept of autopilot is new to you, or if you are interested in learning more about how to take back more control of your daily living, consider Dr. Bruce Lipton's work “The Biology of Belief”. Or, for a different but enlightening perspective seek out the works of the mystic Osho.

For those in the Cleveland area, Baldwin Wallace University is very fortunate to have a Professor who is very well versed in the works of Osho. Dr. Param Srikantia delivers several wonderful seminars per year at the BW campus in Berea, Ohio and they are free for all to attend. (https://www.bw.edu/news/2013/business-professor-teaches-joy-of-living)

This post many seem to fall under the touchy-feely category for some readers, but I do hope that they stuck with us to the end. Whether we are Coaching with the GROW model, using the SCRUM framework for projects, or developing a strategic plan, we are used to identifying obstacles and impediments to progress and success. But, none of those situations really touch on what's below the surface in each of us. That 95% of ourselves that has the power to distract and derail us with our own limiting beliefs. I believe anything that powerful is worthy of our understanding and consideration.

What do you believe?