It’s also why you respond in ways you wish you hadn’t
(like that last tough encounter with a colleague, perhaps?).
🧠A quick neuroscience explainer:
Your brain is a prediction machine. 🎰
Based upon its understanding of the PAST you in PRIOR experiences
it predicts what needs to happen NOW.
Based on that prediction
it creates chemicals (dopamine! cortisol!), emotions, and more…
to guide what you do NEXT.
Using the past as a blueprint helps the brain work efficiently
(It takes less energy than processing everything anew, after all),
BUT
it also can trip you up (Doh!)—
because your current situation is NOT necessarily a replica of the past.
And YOU, certainly, are not exactly who you were then.
And, you might prefer to react DIFFERENTLY this time.
💡Knowing this, you can PAUSE + ASSESS:
Are my feelings, interpretation, and instinctive response in this moment
based on the data in front of me–or past experiences?
⚡And voila! Your brain is no longer running the ship on autopilot; YOU are.
🚀Now, take this nugget of wisdom into your leadership practice:
When you plan your week, look for a high-stakes situation where you want to be sure you are not operating from past models. Set an intention to be open to new data in that situation and to pause to check in on your brain before you respond.
Let me know how it goes!