Have you ever noticed something for the first time and then all of a sudden you start to see it everywhere?
Like maybe you buy a new car and all of a sudden you start noticing your model of car all over the place. It’s not that everyone else recently bought the same car. It’s the search function in your brain bringing it to your attention.
This is a function of your Reticular Activating System (RAS).
Long before we had the search function in internet browsers, you’ve had a search function in your brain.
The RAS sits in the base of your brain and is an information filter that sorts through all of the data inputs you are receiving constantly, day in and day out.
Things like images, sounds, the people you see in a crowd, voices you hear in a crowd, etc.
There are literally hundreds of thousands of inputs that your brain has to sort through. It’s really amazing when you think about it.
Your brain can only process so much at a time so it chooses what it thinks is most important to allow you to see, hear, smell, etc.
So the big question is, how does your brain decide what is most important? And what if your brain chooses the wrong things to show you?
Your RAS decides what is most important based on whatever you think about the most.
So if you’re always thinking, why am I so stupid, your brain will literally search for ways that prove you are stupid. Or if you say, I’ll always be heavy, your brain will search for ways to prove you will always be heavy.
Your brain filters out all the information you come across day in and day out and you see the information that confirms what you say and think on a consistent basis.
The good news is you are in control of what your RAS brings to your attention.
I’m sure you know people that have it all and things always seem to go right for them. That’s not because they’re lucky. It’s because they’re focused on the positive things they have in their life and they think about what they want to attract in their life.
A simple practice to get your RAS looking at the right things is the practice of GRATITUDE.
Start each day asking yourself what you are grateful for and do this with 3 – 5 things. Start a journal and write them down and spend a few seconds thinking about each thing you are grateful for and feeling the positive emotions associated with those things.
This teaches your RAS to look for all the amazing things in your life and before you know it you’ll discover more and more things to be grateful for.
You can do this with other things that you want in your life as well. If there’s something you want, think about it more, and think about what you could do to make it so, and take action.
Pay attention to your language and thoughts. When they are not on something that you want, change them to something that you do want.
Take control of your RAS, let it know what you want, take the appropriate actions, and you will start to realize more of the things you want, strengthening your belief and confidence, and moving you in the direction you want to go.
Want to take this to the next level? Then sign up for my free, Hacking Focus & Attention video course.