When The Brain Worries

When Brain Worries, It Goes Slower

I had a couple of thoughts that stemmed from the seed of a recent study I read and I wanted to share them with you as they relate to leadership.

Takeaways:

When brain worries, it goes slower.

When we keep thinking negative thoughts, we can’t progress.

Worry is like a turtle on a treadmill—no matter how hard it tries, it’s not getting anywhere fast!  When your brain is stuck in ‘worry mode,’ it slows down to a crawl. And let’s be real, when we keep feeding it negative thoughts, it’s like giving that turtle a snack break.  So, let’s switch gears, think positive, and let our brains sprint towards progress!

Remember the term “Negative Nellie”?

The phrase “Negative Nellie” is often used to describe a person who is consistently pessimistic, critical, or who tends to focus on the negative aspects of situations.  The phrase is often used lightheartedly, though it can also be a gentle reminder to someone to try and adopt a more positive outlook.

Think about it

Think of those around you who are negative, do they progress?

Do you see a negative successful person?  (Elon Musk, Richard Branson, Mother Theresa, Ghandi)

Data behind it

A recent study found that the probability of achieving a particular goal was associated with the statements a person made about the goal. 

• People who said “That’s a good idea” had a 10% chance. 
• Those who said “I’ll do it,” had a 25% chance of reaching their goal.             
• Those who put a date by which they planned to achieve their goal had a 40% chance of doing so.
• Those who developed a specific plan for reaching their goal had a 50% chance getting there
• Those who committed to someone else that they would accomplish their goal had a 60% chance of making it.   
• But those people who committed to someone else and also committed to share their progress at regular intervals had a 95% chance of reaching their goal!

Summary

The study shows that the more specific and accountable people are about their goals, the higher their chances of success, with those who commit to sharing regular progress updates having a 95% chance of achieving their goal, compared to just 10% for those who merely think it’s a good idea.