|
Text Links
at bottom
| |
Attention Please -
May I Have Your Attention?
Here is a brief synopsis of the following article
(1088 words): "Attention Please - May I Have Your
Attention?" by Gary Lockwood
Did you ever wonder why some things catch your attention and others don't? By
taking advantage of how your brain works, you can increase your creativity,
reduce boredom, boost recognition of opportunities and accelerate achievement of
your goals.
Attention Please - May
I Have Your Attention?
Why do some things catch your attention and others don't?
Remember the last time you decided to buy a car? Once you decided what kind of
car you wanted, all of a sudden, you started seeing more
of that kind of car on the streets. Were they there before and you just didn't
pay attention to them? A pregnant woman will start noticing other pregnant
women. Your new house is close to railroad tracks, yet after a few days, you
don't hear the trains anymore.
What is it that provokes your attention? At the base of the brain where it
connects to the spinal chord is a region known as the Reticular Activating
System (RAS). The RAS acts as a newspaper editor. Editors make decisions
regarding which stories get big headlines, page one treatment, and which items
wind up buried with the ads on page sixteen.
The RAS receives thousands of messages each second. Everything you see, hear,
smell, feel and touch is a message entering your brain. The Reticular Activating
System filters through all these messages and decides which ones will get page
one treatment - that is, arouse the brain.
The largest portion of the brain is the cerebrum. This is the center for
cognition or thought. Deep within the central portion of the brain are the
subsystems that are triggered by emotions. When a signal gets through the
"editor" ( Reticular Activating System ) and arrives at the cerebrum,
the brain turns on thoughts, emotions or both.
Even though the cerebrum is the center for high level thought, it is
unresponsive unless the reticular formation sends a signal to begin the data
processing. Here's the hard part. What causes some messages to get through the
filter and others to be blocked out?
One of the things we've learned from working with entrepreneurs is that we tend
to pay attention to the things which are important to us at the time. If our
currently dominant thoughts are about creating a new brochure, we'll start
seeing other brochures. We'll hear conversations about brochures. We'll pick up
ideas relating to brochures and even notice colors that would be attractive for
the new brochure.
In other words, the Reticular Activating System will pass through anything even
remotely related to the important issue - the brochure. From a practical point
of view, this means that, if we want to solve a problem or achieve a goal, keep
it at the top of your mind. Think about it, talk about it, write about it and
imagine it completed. This is one of the reasons why affirmations work so well
and why it is important to review your goals frequently.
Some people will keep an idea at "top of mind" by creating a notebook
of pictures, cut from magazines, that reflect their idea or their desired end
result. This "image book" helps the visualization process, keeps the
brain focused on the important issue and triggers the RAS.
If it's possible to turn on the brain, is it also possible to turn it off?
There are three common situations where the brain is more than likely to shut
down. Conflict... One of the ways to turn off the brain involves the use of
conceptual conflicts. Ironically, conceptual conflict can also turn on your
brain and stimulate creative thought, but only if you have been successful in
resolving small amounts of conflict in similar situations. Such a background
will have provided you with a reservoir of confidence you can tap regarding the
new question.
However, the insecure person may look at the difference between the expected
outcome and the real result and sigh: "I'm wrong again. I can't do
this." If the problem appears unsolvable or out of reach, we may just give
up before we ever get started.
Overstimulation... Have you ever decided to clean the garage, but after
inspecting the area, decided to take a nap? Have you ever committed yourself to
a night of preparation for a big presentation, but once you scanned the material
and noticed how overwhelmingly difficult it seems, decided to do other tasks
that were long overdue?
These are classic examples of flight behavior. Despite your good intentions of
cleaning or preparing, you gave up before you started. The tasks were so large
that you didn't know where to begin. Was your brain stimulated? Yes, but it was
so over-stimulated that it shut down, and the outward behavior may have been
physical. You find yourself very tired: "I'll clean the garage after I take
a nap." You might even get sick: "I was so nervous about the
presentation that I got nauseous."
To avoid shutting down your brain from overstimulation, break a large or
difficult into several steps, then tackle the project a step at a time.
Understimulation... The more popular term for this condition is boredom.
Whenever a behavior is repeated to the extent that it is habitual, the brain
shuts down. Shouting at a child to "Sit down and shut up" will grab
their attention and they will respond for a while, but if you choose to begin
every day with that command, the child will suddenly "go deaf" and not
even hear you.
Closely allied with the repetition of behavior is the familiarity of the subject
matter. When you announce to your team that the next day will be devoted to
smile training for customer service, they greet you with a moan, "smile
training again!"
The familiar is usually not a great motivator. Perhaps the key to interest is
making the familiar seem strange. For example, setting up role play situations
where your team members get to act out the part of customer and service
representative in a variety of situations. Try something new. Don't fall asleep
in your comfort zone.
As we have seen, there is a thin line between the actions that turn the brain on
and off. By taking advantage of how your brain works, you can increase your
creativity, reduce boredom, boost recognition of opportunities and accelerate
achievement of your goals.
Where do you start? Write down the five most important outcomes you want to
achieve in the coming year. Put this paper in a convenient place where you can
read it every day. This affirmation of your preferred future will keep your
Reticular Activating System working for you, filtering in the sights, sounds,
ideas and people to help you get there.
In other words, it will get your attention.
© 1997 - 2005 BizSuccess All rights
reserved. No duplication
About the Author...(for online pubs)
Gary Lockwood is Increasing the Effectiveness and Enhancing the
Lives of CEOs, business owners and professionals. (951) 739-7444
Email: mailto:Gary@BizSuccess.com Web: http://www.BizSuccess.com
About the Author...(for print pubs)
Gary Lockwood is Your Business Coach. Contact Gary for a FREE report
on "Getting Breakthroughs in your business".
(951) 739-7444 * Fax: (509) 695-1017
Email: Gary@BizSuccess.com * Web: www.BizSuccess.com
|
