Tweet

What You Think is What You Do (and Who You Are)

Written by: Karla Robertson

Article Overview: Most people when they want to figure things out or change what is going on in their lives tend to focus on the external…the doing. They say to themselves, “What do I need to be doing differently?” When the question should be, “How am I thinking about this situation?” Anything we do in the ‘external’ has its genesis in our brains…the internal. Whatever is happening outside of us in our lives is a reflection of what is going on inside of us…specifically, inside our brains. So if we want to change, we need to focus first on how we think about it…whatever it is. How are we connecting the dots and how can we build new hardwiring so that we can travel a different road to where we actually want to go instead of the old road that keeps dumping us off in the same place that isn’t working for us.

What You Think is What You Do (and Who You Are)

Isn't it interesting that when things are going wrong, we look externally for the fix-it solution or for the cause of the malfunction? Even when things are going well and we want them to work better we reach for our mouse and engage in the cyber-driven pursuit of seeking answers from resources and experts "out there". Why is it that we overlook one of the best sources for our answers: our own brains? When we want change, rarely is our first action to go internal to ask ourselves questions that will reveal not just knowledge but new ways of thinking. What keeps us from spending time inside our own brains to find solutions and higher awareness?

Neuroscience, as discussed in David Rock’s book, Quiet Leadership, reveals exciting information about our brain and specific studies which show that what we think directly influences what we do. In his book, David shares how this applies to leadership and management effectiveness. Our patterns of thinking (which combine emotional responses as well as logical analysis) inform our decisions and drive our choices and actions. How we repeatedly respond to certain people, for example, is due to how we repeatedly think of them which may be based on previous experience with that person. We already begin an internal dialogue about them… sometimes before they've even opened their mouths! Our brains have set the stage for what is about to transpire. This is why it's hard for people who have made a bad impression over time (and it doesn’t’ take much time) to ever get out of the "box" our brains put them in. We become hardwired with our thinking toward that person. It’s the same for how we think about theories, problems, relationships, challenges, politics, etc.

It is this hardwiring that informs our thinking which we use to make sense out of what is being presented to us every day. Our hardwiring also is what is behind our decisions inside our heads and moves us to make specific choices and then take certain actions externally. Think of it as a flow that looks like this:

Thinking (internal) → Decision (internal) → Choice (internal) → Action (external)™

So this begs the question: Can we change our hardwiring? Right now science says mostly, no. But the good news is our brains can build new wiring! And it doesn't take as long as we previously thought to construct new wiring to new highways that our brain can construct. The more we use these new roadways and continue to build upon them, the more hardwired they become. What happens, then, is that we begin to shift our thinking, decisions, choices and actions in a direction that will bring us (and perhaps our business, results, team, family, or society) to a new level. New thinking takes over which sparks the opportunity to make better decisions and create new and better outcomes. What happens to our old hardwiring? Well, like a formerly used road that is now bypassed for the newly constructed superhighway, it becomes weaker and is less utilized.
What are you thinking? When you are looking to drive innovation, solve a problem, create a solution, or resolve a conflict begin by asking yourself a few questions:

1. How often do I think about this?
2. On a scale of 1-5 how important is this to me? To my team?
3. How else can I think about this?
4. What assumptions am I making?
5. What am I not thinking about in this situation? (or giving little thought to?)
6. How do I feel when I think about this?*

*Feel. Oh, that word! What does feeling have to do with good, solid decision-making? We've been talked into thinking (hardwired) that emotions and feeling have no place in business and yet the lack of them or presence of them plays out in some of the most disastrous and fabulous outcomes every day. Learn to harness their power. Remember, humans are emotional beings. The limbic (emotion) and neo-cortex (reasoning) parts of our brains are inextricably tied. They are both part of our thinking and no amount of denial (or corporate directives) is going to change that. Learn to listen, understand and use what your emotions are telling you! As my colleague, Dr. Emina Karamanovski explains in her book. Emotions Simplified, “Emotions are your allies not your foes. Emotions are messengers that are trying to tell you something important.” Value and integrate your logic and your emotions. You will be a better leader and decision-maker. Find people who can challenge your thinking and help you through the process such as a coach, colleague, mentor, supervisor, friend, etc. Remember, too, that when you ask someone to change their thinking you are actually asking them to change who they are. Be patient with others and yourself.

As an executive, a rising star or a veteran leader, the ability to look inward along the way is critical. Our world is not static and change has become the norm…and it comes fast. Technology has driven this to a large extent. Therefore, it is imperative that our thinking and being as humans must be revised and revisited just as our technology is. It is my belief that we have put significant money and effort into perfecting and advancing our technology and yet our thinking as humans has not evolved or advanced as deeply and significantly. We need to effectively find solutions for emerging concerns as well as historic issues that continue to challenge each new generation. How we think about what is before us, what is and what could be, will determine what happens next.

Where has your thinking been taking you?

Related Articles

Article Tags: brain, brains, challenges, choices, david shares, decisions, emotional responses, internal dialogue, leadership and management, logical analysis, management effectiveness, mouths, new ways, relationships, spending time



Related Forum Posts


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Tweet

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

Local Marketing: 3 Simple Low-Cost Strategies

What is an Adaptive Organization

Effective Leadership

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.