Are you always looking for the magic app, planner, or tool to get you through the day? Stop looking for that magical app, you’re wasting your time when you don’t have to.
After hours of research and too much money spent, you find it really doesn’t work like you thought it would. It indeed is NOT magic. So you decide to keep giving it the good ol’ college try, but ultimately you get bored and you move on to the next shiny tool.
Seriously, how many planners have you tried and tossed over the years? Too many to count.
You’re trapped in a research, test, fail cycle. It’s become a habit.
You know how you break a habit? You do something different (DSD).
What can that be?
Well, you already have the perfect app in your head… your brain.
Your brain is your hardware. You can’t make upgrades to your software on a machine that isn’t working efficiently.
If you spent even a fraction of the time figuring out how to optimize your unique brain as you do researching external apps and tools, you would be on fire. 🔥
First, apps are made by people who don’t understand YOUR unique brain.
But YOU do understand your brain. You may not like what you see, but you understand. You know that you are creative. You also know that your memory kind of sucks. It’s okay we all have things we’re innately good at and others not so much.
Your brain is capable of change. It is in fact, designed to change. You do this through repetition and consistency.
Charge your brain’s battery with these 4 habits.
Each of these 4 habits are like plugging in your phone to charge.
1️⃣ Nourish your brain
- Keep learning
- Omega 3 & Creatine Supplements
- Prioritize your sleep
- Eat lots of protein
- Drink lots of water (not sugar water)
- Challenge yourself – puzzles, word searches, crossword puzzles, other brain games.
- Movement – walk, run, stroll, weight training – just move
- Get regular sunlight
2️⃣ Set your focus
Your brain has a filter called the Reticular Activating System, or RAS.Your RAS has a big job. It has to decide in real-time what information is allowed to enter your conscious mind. Picture it like an electric hairnet over your brain that’s constantly changing its shape.
How does the RAS decide what to let in what to block out?
There are only 4 things that automatically get past the RAS into your conscious brain.
- The sound of your name being called.
- Anything that threatens your safety.
- Signals that your partner is interested in having sex.
- Whatever your RAS thinks is important. (This last one is the REALLY important one.)
You can train your brain to focus on what is important to YOU.
This is EVERYTHING because if you know what’s important to you, you can TRAIN your brain to filter the world so that you can see more of what you want to see. This will help you achieve your goals.
Here’s how to use this to your advantage.
As soon as you think something is important, your RAS will let it into your conscious mind. For example, if you’ve ever shopped for a car, you’ve experienced this. The second you decide you’re interested in a red truck you suddenly see them EVERYWHERE.
Here’s the thing – those red trucks were always there. Your RAS was just blocking them because they weren’t important to you. Pretty cool, huh?
Right now you’re missing opportunities because you haven’t trained your brain to help you.
There’s an entire world that you walk by every day that your mind is blocking; opportunities, coincidences, signs and evidence that helps guide you.
When your RAS is trained to look for those, the more you see those things, the more encouraged and confident you feel.
Your mind is designed to help you get what you want in life. Once you understand how your RAS works, you can start training it to help you achieve the goals most important to you.
And one of the fastest ways to do that is to write down 5 things that you want every single day. That simple habit will keep your RAS focused on what’s important to you.
3️⃣ Change the soundtracks playing in your head.
Your mind will believe what you continuously tell it. So tell it that you’re smart, talented, fearless and you have what it takes.
Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.
Henry Ford
4️⃣ Habits before apps
Create new habits to support areas of challenge.
- Poor memory? Take notes during important conversations.
- Not organized? Do a clean sweep every night.
- Highly reactionary? Pause before responding.
Of course, you can use external tools to support you, but they aren’t the star of the show, your brain is. Your brain is the main character and other external apps and tools are the supporting cast.
The more you nourish your brain, take charge of your focus (RAS), create empowering soundtracks, implement supporting habits, the fewer external supports you’ll need.
Stop wasting time finding the next magical tool and use that time to work on things that matter most to you.
When you forget to implement your new habit or behavior, it’s because your brain is working efficiently to try and save energy for more demanding tasks. It is reverting to what it knows best and what has been previously ingrained. It won’t take the path less traveled unless you’re consistent.
Don’t be so hard on yourself.