You know the old story: the pessimist sees the glass half empty and the optimist sees it half full. (The engineer sees a glass that is made twice as big as it needs to be.)
Now here is the thing: the pessimist and the optimist are seeing the glass from different parts of their brains.
The pessimist is seeing the glass from the point of view of the brainstem, the oldest part of our brain, sometimes called the reptilian brain. This part of our brain is in charge of survival, and takes over when we are in danger and don’t have time to think. The reptilian brain is concerned with getting food and keeping us from becoming food. It is fear driven and can’t tell the difference between a little problem and a big problem. To the reptilian brain, every stressful event is life threatening.
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When we are worrying about the future, we are engaging our reptilian brain, and it creates fear and elevated levels of adrenalin. Long-term worry can cause depression, anger and a limited ability to see hope or options. But the worry is about a possible future event. It hasn’t happened yet and research shows that 80 percent of the things we worry about never come to pass.
As Mark Twain once said: “I lived through a lot of terrible things in my life … and some of them actually happened.”
The optimist sees the glass from the point of view of the neocortex, which is the newest and most advanced part of the brain. It governs our ability to speak, think and solve problems. The neocortex houses our creativity and ability to learn.
Now, suppose an unforeseen change comes suddenly. The BSE
crisis is a good example. The reptilian brain automatically takes over and creates the worst possible outcome in our mind: we lose money, which means we lose the farm, and maybe that causes our spouse to leave.
If we really let it get carried away, this part of our brain will have us living on the street in no time.
But wait. Rather than give in to the reptilian brain’s scenario, which after all is just one of many possible future outcomes, why not give the neocortex a shot? The way to do this is to use the optimist’s question: “what is the best possible outcome in resolving the current dilemma?”
Asking that question will launch us into the neocortex, which helps us picture the kind of future we would like to have. It sees possibilities and creates optimism.
When we talk with each other about the kind of future we would like and share possibilities with each other, our minds begin to see new options. Instead of depression, anger and hopelessness, we feel optimistic.
Here are questions to ask yourself when faced with a change. Write the answers out; don’t justÊthink about them.
I learned these questions during consensus building training I took with Oregon-based Bob Chadwick a number of years ago and have used them in goal-setting and management workshops.
Notice the order of the questions: it works best to look at the worst outcomes first (don’t skip them, because they are possible future events) before considering the best outcomes, which are equally possible future events.
- What is the current situation regarding ___________ and how do I feel about it?
- What are the obstacles to change?
- What are the worst possible outcomes of not changing?
- What are the worst possible outcomes if we do change?
- What is the evidence of the need for change?
- What are the best possible outcomes of making a change?
- What beliefs and behaviours need to be discarded to foster the best possible outcomes?
- What new beliefs and behaviours need to be adopted to foster the best possible outcomes?
- What strategies and actions will foster the best possible outcomes?
- What are you, or your organization, willing to do to foster the best possible outcomes?
The next time you face a sudden change, sit down with your wife, partners, beef club members or whoever and go through these questions. You will find yourself operating out of your new brain; it has a way better outlook on life.
Edmonton-based Noel McNaughton speaks at conventions and for corporations on Farming/Ranching at Midlife Ñ Strategies for a Successful Second Age. He can be reached at 780-432-5492, e-mail noel@midlife-men.com or visit www.midlife-men.com.
