The marathon runner who continues to the finish and then ends up vomiting because he wants to win.
The boxer who, when he has had 8 seconds, simply gets up again and seeks out his opponent again. Is that crazy?
The Formula 1 driver who caught fire after crashing. Want to get back into a racing car that same day.
We are guided by countless thoughts. Weigh everything against each other.
Your reptilian brain is the smallest and oldest part of your brain. It is focused on only one thing: survival.
1) The human brain (the neocortex)
This is the youngest part of your brain. It is mainly responsible for all rationality and sobriety. In this part of your brain you make informed decisions, gain knowledge, think logically and analyze problems. This part of your brain is best described as your common sense.
2) The emotional brain/mammal brain
The mammalian brain is the domain of your emotions. This part of your brain screens all sensory information for emotional relevance and compares it with stored memories and behavior based on positive and negative experiences. The mammalian brain helps you to repeat behavior that makes you happy (sex, good food, laughing, cuddling) and to avoid unpleasant experiences (pain, sadness and fear). This part of the brain also rewards social behavior
by releasing the neurotransmitter dopamine that makes you feel good.
3)The reptilian brain is the smallest and oldest part of your brain
The reptilian brain is focused on only one thing and that is survival. This part of your brain is responsible for survival and reproduction. The reptilian brain controls vital body functions such as breathing, heart rate and circulation. Instincts dominate in this part of your brain: reproductive instincts and survival instincts. The reptilian brain does not think or remember anything, it reacts instinctively and automatically. As such, this brain functions outside
your conscious control. Here reigns the wild beast that has only one mission: to survive.
The interplay of forces between the 3 parts of your brain also explains why it is so difficult to change your behavior. As a human being you develop a certain way of life that fits within your comfort zone.
Without being aware of it, you constantly repeat the same pattern. Your reptilian brain will also do everything it can behind the scenes to get you to walk in the same circle. The fixed pattern you follow may result in a few extra kilos, but it is predictable and therefore safe. And safety is top of mind for your reptilian brain. Everything that is new or different feels unsafe and your reptilian brain will initially want to reject it. Even though you know rationally that eating less and exercising more is better for you.
Maybe I'm going on a strange trip now and your reptilian brain is already in full resistance. And you will not save the following. But read on.
One of the most beautiful features of a Staffordshire Bull Terrier and the Pit Bull. (Don't shoot yourself in the head now). It's called Gameness. For me personally, a source of inspiration to show the commitment necessary to achieve my Goal.
It is the ability to “renounce” (the marathon runner) in order to receive (the boxer). Often for people to unimaginable depths. It is a trance-like state in which the dog excites itself to keep going no matter what.
Accepting every painful stimulus as motivation (the F1 driver) and ALWAYS with his tail wagging. When he does something with full conviction, he will NEVER stop on his own.
They work themselves up to a certain level of enthusiasm and will only stop when they literally can no longer see out of their eyes due to fatigue. And we as bosses have to intervene. Or drop dead.
They do NOT need motivation to do anything. They don't look for EXCUSES for not doing something. They do what they have to do and that with 200% commitment.
They have a clear goal. Go from A to B in 1 straight line. They are very fanatical about their games with ball, frisbee or jumping pole. With agility or obedience. It's all or nothing. They only have 2 modes in their brain, ON or OFF. Yes or no. No middle ground.
We are constantly looking for excuses to explain to ourselves why we do what we do. To justify to ourselves that we are content with inferiority. We have a conversation with ourselves 24 hours a day.
They say YES TO and GO. No conversation in their heads, no excuses, no weighing up. Just ON and GO. No play of forces between the 3 brains.
By the way, they can also be set to NO OFF for 200%. And then just get them off the couch. That is the choice they make and you can literally go up the tree.
For me, this characteristic has been an inspiration to challenge my 3 brains.
Above all, to show the reptilian brain that I am in charge of my life and simply make the choice. And with 200% deployment. This helped me get where I am now.
At Enforce we can help you challenge your three brains.
Daniëlle de Jong-Roet
Enforce Franchisee & Master Trainer
danielle@enforce.nl
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