Retrain Your Brain – The Power of Attention

So here is the irrefutable truth: you have a beautiful brain and you can retrain your brain for the success you want to achieve. You are not stuck with any habit you do not want!

The thing that changes your brain is where
you put your attention. When you pay attention to something, it heightens the activity of the neurons
that
process that activity in the brain.

If you are trying to learn a specific golf stroke for example, the more you practice the stroke, the more you strengthen the motor neurons of the hands, arms and movements specific to the swing.

Further, the more you practice, the greater the amount of neural territory or 'real-estate' that is given over to that activity. You might imagine that Tiger Woods has a large amount of neural real estate allocated to golf in his motor cortex.

Studies dating back approximately 35 years ago revealed that mental rehearsal activates the same neuronal circuits as if you were doing the activity in real life. For over 30 years now we at Elan Learning Institute have been using these tried and tested methodologies to
help executives and managers induce the positive behavioral changes they want.

If you discover that you want to change a habit because it no longer works for you, or if your habit has you instead you having it, it might time to make a change! It is not a matter of trying to break the habit. The more attention you put on the old habit, the stronger it gets. Resistance causes persistence!

Leave the old habit alone and simply begin encoding the new behavior into your brain. However, two things are important here.

1. Decide what it is you want. Pick just one thing you want to work on at first. Make sure you get absolutely clear on exactly (to the best of your ability) what it is you want.
2. Write it down. Don't worry if its sketchy at first; just get it onto paper. Then sleep on it and edit it over the next day or two to get it as clear and exact as you can.
3. Then rewrite it in the present tense.

Remember: clarity is power! Get as clear as you can on paper with one item and on Thursday, April 1st we'll take the next step.