“The secret of living a life of excellence is merely a matter of thinking thoughts of excellence. Really, it’s a matter of programming our minds with the kind of information that will set us free.”—Charles R. Swindoll
We have all heard the phase “garbage in, garbage out” with regards to computer programming. In other words, a software is only as good as the operating code written by the programmer. Our brain is much the same way.
While computer programming is purposeful and intentional, the human brain is more incidental. The brain is constantly being bombarded with information—programming input, so to speak. Most of this is filtered or stored subconsciously out of necessity. (Imagine what life would be like if we had to consciously process every bit of sensory information the brain is fed—sight, sound, smell, touch, etc.) Some of the information being input to the brain, however, is conscious and intentional—e.g., books we read, television we watch, etc. Whether intentional or incidental, we have control over what we allow to be programmed.
The incidental stuff is largely affected by the environment. The atmosphere in which we allow ourselves to reside. Of course, some aspects of our environment are outside of our control, but, largely, we have a choice. We decide where and with whom we will spend the bulk of our time. We also have a choice in how we will receive the environmental factors that our outside of our control—e.g., we choose how we respond to people with whom we find ourselves in conflict.
There are several steps we can take to program the mind to be positive and successful. We have more control than we tend to believe.
Avoid the clutter. Clutter can take many forms. It may we physical clutter—messy office, messy house, disorganization, distractions, etc. Clutter can be more mental—worry, anxiety, stress, etc. We must structure our environment for productivity and efficiency.
Focus. Similar to avoiding clutter, we have to be purposeful and intentional with our actions. This is where having a morning routine and growth plan are important. Having a plan and agenda for the day. Knowing what your Purpose is. Knowing what you value and having a mission statement. Having goals (and reviewing these goals regularly—daily). As Stephen R. Covey wrote in his 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, we must begin with the end in mind. Focus allows us to be selective with the information we allow to enter our brain.
Emphasize opportunity. We have three choices in how we interact with the circumstances confronting us. We can see these as: 1) burdens, 2) challenges, or 3) opportunities. The distinction between options 2 and 3 is subtle, but nonetheless important. Viewed as challenges, we as still inclined toward a more negative attitude. We are more likely to have periods of frustration and doubt. When viewed as opportunities, our circumstances align with our sense of Purpose. Opportunities lead us to greater things. Moving from challenges to opportunities is a matter of shifting one’s mindset. The difference between a challenging circumstance and an opportunity is perception.
Recognizing the opportunity in a situation is often a matter of the Spiritual dimension of our well-centeredness. Remember that the Spiritual dimension pertains to our recognition of something greater than self. There will be times when the opportunity in a situation is not for our benefit, but for the benefit of another. One could, perhaps, put a bit of a twist on Nietzsche and say “that which does not kill me makes another stronger”? Our Spiritual well-centeredness is often a reflection of one’s selflessness.
Cultivate positive emotional well-centeredness. Cultivate what is referred to in the Bible as the “fruit of the Holy Spirit”. These are: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Focusing on these characteristics of Emotional well-centeredness, we create an atmosphere that welcomes positive programming and dispels the garbage code. In essence, we code the brain to be positive and delete negativity. We program the brain to prolong the decision made in the fraction of a second between a stimulus and a response. This is often just enough—in my personal experience—to avoid cursing at the driver who just cut you off!
Get up on the right side of the bed! One of the most important steps one can take in programming the brain is taking control of the morning routine. If your morning routine involves hitting the snooze repeatedly and then rushing to shower, get dressed, consume a poor breakfast, and hustle anxiously out the door, you are pretty much loading your brain with garbage code. Take the time (wake up a few minutes earlier, if necessary) to prepare—to reboot, so to speak. Allow yourself time to visit your goals, to reflect on your mission and core values, and to set your mind on opportunities. Fill your commute time with productive input—podcasts, audio books, inspirational music, or quiet thought. Leave earlier rather than later. Allow yourself time for inevitable delays and relax! Exercise (if it can fit into your morning) and eat a healthy breakfast. Consider a SIDCHA (self-imposed daily challenging healthy activity) to start your morning. Carpe diem! Start the day well.
As you go through your day, consider each moment as a programmed decision tree— an if…, then… statement. Determine the available decisions ahead of time. Don’t react to situations. Respond decisively to conditions as they are presented. Control your output.
Carpe momento!