Life Improvement

Live EventSelf Improvement Concepts – Life Strategy

Personal Revolutions ™

November 12, 2011

© 2011 Paul Worsham

Agenda● Introduction

● Slides & discussion & breaks

● Wrap-up and after-discussion

Introduction● This is a first-time presentation of this information● The content is for informational purposes – consult a

professional before taking action● Ask questions at any time● This information will be put online after the event●

● Housekeeping notes: If you need to feed a meter, we can help remind you.

● Please put your phones on vibrate/silent/low volume

3 “steps”

● Know yourself●

● Improve yourself●

● Enjoy your life

3 Things● Know yourself – become aware of:

– Your passions/goals/motivation– Your capabilities– How you (really) function

● Improve yourself – once you know yourself: – Map out how to get to where you want to be

● Enjoy your life– Create “flow” in your activities– Happiness – recognize, allow, expand it

How Do We Change, Improve?● Just identifying a problem is half solved. ●

● Identifying your own challenges gets you past denial and blockage.

●

● Sometimes you need to act without believing. ●

mind-body connection

● Somewhat obvious, sometimes not● Vision example:

– Our eyes see “pixels” - not shapes– Our brain filters, for patterns such as “horizontal

motion”. We can even dictate these filters.– Our mind gets this input, and applies “meaning”

to these pixels and patterns– We “see” our world

biology, diet, and environmental interactions

● Exercise changes the brain in beneficial ways– Neurons are created, chemicals are released– Blood flow is increased– Better mood, skin, muscle tone, energy– Confidence

● What you eat affects how your body operates– Complex interactions within our biology– Who you are = in your head (brain/mind)– What you eat = who you are able to be (brain

performance)

enjoy "flow" in life's activities

● Flow – a positive mental state of operation … – “... in which a person in an activity is fully

immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and success in the process of the activity.” (Wikipedia)

● Enjoyment without trying:– “The hallmark of flow is a feeling of

spontaneous joy, even rapture, while performing a task, although flow is also described as a deep focus on nothing but the activity – not even oneself or one's emotions”

focus, willpower, and motivation

● Focus – situations:– Learning– Tasks – completing actions, thoughts– Communication

● Why USA phone numbers were 7 digits?● Biological focus & follow-through (theory)

– When running, we have to focus 1 to 5 steps out– The most important decsions are “near to us”– The better “working memory”, the smarter?

focus, willpower, and motivation

● Willpower – Deciding on goals– Prioritization– Focus – battling internal & external distractions

● Motivation– Expected benefits from an activity (reward)

focus, willpower, and motivation

● Motivation questionsNow: What are you doing now? Think about the activity that you are doing at this moment

Needed: What result are you working towards, but currently not on track towards?

What course of action will move you towards your future happiness – towards your goals and vision of the future?

Nuance: Honestly assess how will you feel later about your current activity-momentum.

Next: Find the very next step… an activity that you can do right now…].

–

Emotional Mathematics?

● Happy + Loving = Positive Support– Happy + Purpose = Motivated

● Anger + Impatience = Revenge– Anger + Understanding = Forgiveness

● Purpose + Energy = Confidence●

● (ingredient 1) + (ingredient 2) = Happiness

brain

● Human brains are the most complex. – Four lobes, folds making each brain unique

● Composed of billions of neurons, each with thousands of synapses (connections to other neurons). 80 to 120 billion neurons.

● We are born with more connections than we need, and lose them as part of becoming who we are

● Belief factor – fiction more powerful than fact?● Multi-tasking – fact or fiction?

brain plasticity

● Neuroplasticity: re-wiring our brains● Refers to “the ability of the brain and nervous

system in all species to change structurally and functionally as a result of input from the environment.” (Wikipedia)

● “Plasticity occurs on a variety of levels, ranging from cellular changes involved in learning, to large-scale changes involved in cortical remapping in response to injury.”

meditation

● Practicing meditation may lead to changes in the neurological process, creating physiological health benefits

– Examples of benefits include: reduction in stress, anxiety, depression, headaches, pain, elevated blood pressure, improved focus, mood.

“limitless” ● being limitless in pursuit of all that inspires us● what limits us?

– * physical - boundaries, energy, – * logical - laws, society– * emotional - confidence, social pressure -

our interpretations●

life planning, blueprinting, setting vision, goals

● Parameters for life planning: – A blueprint is a structural design. – A plan is how builders take the blueprint, and

over time make it a reality.– Plans change, timelines change, flexibility is

always needed. ● A vision precedes a blueprint; not as detailed.

– You have a vision, it is what got you here. – long-term vision – create one, or use "default". – default = dependent on external influences,

training, expectations–

Goals● goals - these are milestones.● a goal must have a deadline, or else it is a

dream?● Really? Must be someone who likes

deadlines. ● A goal must have a feeling associated with

it, which is perhaps the real goal. ● Do you want marriage, or the feelings that

it will bring?● the real goal may be happiness - pleasure.●

Self-Deception

● Understanding how our minds deceive us, and using that constructively

– How do we decide, anyway?● We think we know ourselves, especially our

preferences, but not always.● Marketers continue to study this area. Why?

Because if they know us, it will help them.

Destiny

● You are exactly where you are supposed to be.

Next Thoughts

● Meta-cognition – thinking about thinking– Why are you acting/thinking this way?– Think it through – what do you really want?

● Watch What You Feed Your Brain:– “You will move towards what you think about”

● Everyone wants to influence you● Keep learning, growing

– Happiness “set point” – Become comfortable with what fits in with your

personal sense of destiny & purpose

Wrap-up

● What did you get out of today?● What will you remember tomorrow?● What other topics are you interested in

covering?● Social time is beneficial to our minds & brains...● (continue sharing with each other)