Getting Your Brain Onboard With New Ideas

Have you ever gotten really excited about an idea and then an hour later you decide it is a horrible idea so you abandon it? Why do we do this? How can we be so excited about something and then shift to feeling the opposite? How can we be enthusiastic and ready to take bold action one minute and then completely discard it the next? I believe the reason this happens is because the saboteur part of our brain is doing all it can to prevent us from seeing new ideas through. It does this because it's primary job is to conserve energy so that if an emergency should arise, it can use that energy to keep us safe. It knows that if we step outside of our comfort zone to experience something new, like taking action on a good idea, we will expend more energy. So, how do we get our brain on board with new ideas, especially good ones? In this blog post, I will share a few tricks that I have found to work.

Recently I had an opportunity where I was being interviewed for a key role in a potential project. I found it very interesting that initially I was very excited about the project. I knew I had the knowledge, experience and resources to create a successful result. Ironically, as I sat there listening and learning more about the project I began to think it was a horrible idea to submit a proposal. Although I had success with similar projects while working for my family's business, the saboteur part of my brain wouldn't allow me to use that success to see potential in this new opportunity. Instead it hijacked any confidence and optimism I had for the project by telling me that I wasn't qualified for the job!

I see this all of the time with my clients. When they are presented with a new idea, whether that be a self-assigned goal or a new responsibility at work, after the initial excitement, their minds get trapped in searching for what they don't know or what they lack.  They get trapped in a downward spiral of negative thoughts and emotions such as confusion, overwhelm, and doubt. If you've read any of my other blog posts, you know the antidote for this is to take action, even if it is forced action. Action is what gets us out of our head, away from all those negative thoughts and feelings, and onto the path of success. But, who wants to move through the journey to success always under the weight of forced action? Not me! There are ways to get your brain on board with your decision to take action on a new idea so that the journey is much more pleasant. And that is what I want to focus on. How do we get our brains on board so we can get to the point of taking action that feels natural and less evasive?

When people first set a goal or come up with a new idea, the brain goes into problem-solving mode. It ask "How do we do this?" While this may seem like a logical question and a good place to start, it actually causes you to delay taking action and prolongs the length of time to get the results you seek. Because the brain isn't yet on board with the goal or new idea it does all it can to keep you from moving forward and taking action on the goal or idea including making you experience confusion, overwhelm, and doubt. One way you can get your brain on board is by identifying what you do know about the goal or idea and listing the skills, experiences, and the resources that are available to you that will help you as move along on the journey. When you're aware of what you know and what you've got, the things that will help you on your journey, the new goal or idea doesn't seem so big and scary. In fact, when you understand what you're bringing to the table and what the new idea or opportunity can provide you, you're more likely to get your brain in alignment with the reasons why you think this goal or idea is a good one.

When my clients aren't fully on-board with an idea or they feel stuck, one process I  have them do is explore the idea from several perspectives. This is a powerful process because while they are looking at the idea from all angles, they experience it in a different way which leads to new awareness, insights, knowledge, and even a frame of reference they didn't have before. After we've explored the idea to satisfaction, my clients choose the perspective that resonates most with them or which one would be the most helpful in identifying their next step. In an effort to sidestep the brain's self-sabotaging, we list what the client already possesses in regards to knowledge, experience, skills, and beliefs. From there, we identify a variety of actions that the client can take to initiate the journey. Much like crossing a river, we keep our focus on the path that takes us over the river, not the river itself. There are different ways we can cross it and so my clients identify the way that best works for them. Then they commit to taking that action. This simple process of looking at the idea from many angles, getting on board, and then deciding what action to take  is very powerful, especially for those who feel stuck.

Occasionally, I come across someone whose disbelief in themselves is so strong that they have to do a lot of convincing themselves that they have what it takes to achieve the desired outcome. These are the people who are busy telling themselves affirmations, but don't ever see results because they don't believe what they are saying. This prevents them from ever getting fully on board with any new idea and keeps them from taking action. When I address their disbelief, they usually list all the reasons why their idea is a bad idea or why it won't work. Sometimes, just by listening to themselves or having me repeat their words back to them, they realize that the idea isn't as bad as they thought or they become aware of how their saboteur is holding them hostage. At this point we begin to focus on what makes the idea a good one and then identify ways to pursue it. In doing so, we are able to step into a new space of a positive, open, accepting, and creative mindset. It is from this space that my clients are able to identify possible actions steps and move forward on their success journey. Sometimes, it does turns out that the idea is actually a bad one. In that case my client simply makes an informed decision not to pursue it.

Other times when my clients aren't fully on board with an idea they'll take a survey and ask every one of their family members and all of their friends for what they should do. While sometimes it is good to take advice from others, especially subject matter experts, the best way to get to the results you seek is not to look outside of yourself, but to look within. The quicker you get your brain to focus on what you already have, the resources that support the decisions you want to make in order to create the success you're desiring, the better. Unfortunately, without intentional thought and practice, our brains never go there, leaving a great amount of potential untapped.

Here's another thing to consider when surveying people as a method for deciding what to do:  if other people are telling you why something will work, why something is a great idea, or point out to you the knowledge, skills, and resources you already have at your disposal... if someone else is doing all of the thinking and creating for you, it is their brain that gets more valuable. The person who is always thinking outside of the box and coming up with new ideas, new tools, new ways of being, is the one who become more valuable because they are working their brain so that it reaches its full potential.

When I am meeting with a potential client in a consultation  and they don't understand the difference between a consultant and a coach, they'll ask me "What should I do?" My job as a coach is not to tell what you should do because it doesn't have the same impact of you discovering for yourself what you should do. My job as a coach is to guide you through a process so that you can discover it yourself. As a certified coach, I am committed to holding my clients as naturally creative, resourceful and whole. I understand when you come up with your own ideas, you connect with them. When you have a deep belief in them, you take inspired action. Inspired action is what makes you move forward to creating the success you're wanting.

Another point I want to make is that our natural tendency is to fall into default thinking. We are constantly looking for the familiar in every situation so we can use the same thought processes and tools time and again. Instead of creating new neurological pathways by thinking new thoughts, we deepen old ones. When we do this for too long of a period, we stop being creative and therefore lessen our potential. When we're responding to new situations we can't simply show up with our big toolboxes and apply the same tools that have worked in the past. New problems require new tools. We need to tap into the creative part of our brain and apply a newly designed tool, one specifically made for this exact situation. We can only do that by thinking in new and different ways. When we allow ourselves to explore the unknown and use our creative minds to identify next steps, that's when we access our brain's untapped potential. Not only does this increase our brain's power, value, and impact; it is what's needed to create the results we seek!

Please note:  conscious, intentional thinking is not about avoiding default or unintentional thinking. It is not about ignoring or resisting the things that you don't know or aren't in alignment with. It is not saying that you love something when really you hate it. Nor is this about ignoring negative thoughts or pushing through negative emotions. Instead it is about directing your thoughts so your brain becomes receptive and open to new ideas.

Using a variety of coaching processes, I help my clients discover new ways of thinking so they can get their brains onboard with new ideas, show up fully in their lives, and achieve their BIG goals. I help them discover how their brains work against them and then show them how to use conscious, intentional thought so they can achieve their goals in a way that aligns with who they are, the resources they have, and the values they want to honor. Through coaching, they design a success path that is tailor-made just for them. Once they've learned this process, they can use it for the rest of their lives to accomplish everything they want.