Are you successful? How do you define that?
Is your success “across the board” or are there some areas of success and areas of, well, challenge?
Success and Longevity
One of my clients has a tremendous services business, an excellent reputation, and the “stuff” that brings about envy from others. There is burnout lurking, though. And even though I was brought on to help on the business side, our work often turns to the foundational topics we mention in a moment.
Why? Because our goal is to maximize success AND longevity, and not just longevity in terms of years lived, but in QUALITY years lived. He is becoming more aware of his definition of what success really is.
Measuring Your Own Success
If you’re like most people, there are areas in life where you are doing great, and others where there is some room, or perhaps serious room for improvement. Me too. Check out a diagnostic tool here for you to think through what this looks like for you using the Wheel of Life resource. I highly encourage you to pause here and do this work!
Now, let’s not pretend that the goal is 100% in all areas. That is called perfection and is unattainable by us. What we are looking for is not necessarily balance, but harmony – with the understanding that there will be seasons we will strive more for some categories than others.
Decisions, Actions, and the Nonconscious Brain
Success is a product of the decisions we make and the action we take. Both of these are governed in large part by our nonconscious brain.
If there is a gap in one or more of those Wheel of Life areas, we need to look at both our decisions and our actions. (For those that didn’t click on the Wheel resource, another way to evaluate areas of life is the FORBES acronym – Family/Friends – Occupation – Recreation – Body and health – Education/personal growth – Spirituality)
Let’s look at why we decide to do things. And then, why we do them in a certain way.
The scientific evidence overwhelmingly shows that our nonconscious brain processes govern far more of our decision-making than we consciously realize. While we experience making deliberate choices, much of the groundwork—pattern recognition, emotional evaluation, and initial preference formation—happens automatically and unconsciously, often seconds before we’re aware of our decisions. This doesn’t eliminate free will, but it does highlight how much our conscious minds are influenced by unconscious processing that occurs beneath our awareness.
This processing has a foundation based in part on our:
- Family/Upbringing
- Peer circles
- Mission / Vision / Principles
- Body and brain health
- Mindset
- Faith
- Experiences
- Wiring
Our nonconscious notices patterns, emotional triggers, and any shortcuts that can help with rapid decisions. This is why neuroscientists recommend changing behavior by first “changing the program” which lies beneath the surface, and why behavioral scientists focus on working with the nonconscious brain by designing environments and systems that leverage how it currently operates.
How to Reprogram Your Nonconscious for Success
Outside of technological protocols like neurofeedback training, Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) and other Unconscious Learning Interventions, we can look to the above bullet list and think through how we might start influencing our nonconscious in a fantastic way.
- Seek therapy when appropriate to unlock and release past trauma
- Develop new fulfilling relationships and/or intentionally deepen existing ones
- Gain clarity on your M.V.P. and incorporate its review in your Morning Kickstart
- Implement a Morning Kickstart to set your day up for success
- Make health a priority – here is one place to start
- Explore your faith
- Try new things that take you outside of your comfort zone
Yes, these will help you become a better decision maker. And it takes time, by the way. Start now, and you may sooner than later become the person that makes decisions that are aligned with the success you want to achieve.
What’s Next? Bridging Decisions and Actions
Save this or print it out and keep it where you can see it. Start with one thing and stick with it, I dare you. If you do, hit me up in 2-3 months and let me know of your progress. I’d love to hear about it.
Remember this: That which is worthwhile is often difficult.
Stay tuned… as we become better decision makers, we need to take action on these things. Next, we will cover ideas on bridging the gap from deciding to doing, now that the good decision has been made. There are a few hurdles here that pop up, and in my coaching program we identify strategies that are personal to each individual to overcome these hurdles.
And, if you want to explore a personal growth and development course and community that ties all of this together, learn about our Personal Growth and Development Community and sign up for Founders Club here.