2020.02.08; SaFeb8th: Six brain-rewiring principles that lead to career enlightenment
Published by DB,
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Six brain-rewiring principles that lead to career enlightenment
February 8, 2020
We are living in an age where it seems almost as if someone moves the goalposts with every new day. It’s like the reverse of Groundhog Day. You wake up and everything feels exactly the same but out there, in the digiverse, things have somehow changed. There’s smart this, smart that, smart something we haven’t even thought of yet. And somehow our brains are supposed to instantly process this exponential mayhem. It’s mind-boggling. Literally. And everything is wireless — and brain-rewiring can happen and lead to many things, including career enlightenment.
And yet, there’s one thing that isn’t wireless. And it’s still the smartest thing on the planet. Our brains. Our brains contain some 100 billion neurons according to Medical News Today. That is some serious wiring. Those neurons are connected to every single aspect of our bodies. They make us work.
Like any system, overuse, new information, can get those wires crossed. So, how do we get ourselves refocused? Well, some very smart, untangled brains, have come up with a plan based on Neuroplasticity. In its simplest terms, it’s about utilizing the brain’s natural ability to evolve by getting back to "the source." And when we decide to explore this, we can achieve career enlightenment.
Changing your brain to be better
Dr. Tara Swart, a world-renowned neuroscientist, medical doctor, and executive coach has published two books that enlighten us as to the possibilities of re-wiring our brains. Neuroscience for Leadership was her first book and details scientific analyses. Her more recent book The Source suggests that the things we all want in life; health, happiness, wealth, love – are governed by our ability to think, feel and act. And if we can train our brains, and master our minds, we can be successful at whatever we want.
Some of the re-wiring steps at first seem incredibly simple. But if they work for you, you could find your life and career immeasurably enhanced with relatively little effort.
"The Source", in essence, is your brain working as a whole. Your emotions, your creativity, your intuition all working together towards one objective, (or several). It’s knowing how to make the most of things. Dr. Swart has suggested that unlocking the brain’s potential makes use of the "law of attraction" whereby positive thinking inspires positive results.
Abundance
In Dr. Swart’s thinking, a belief in abundance is a mindset that can shape our lives. We can choose to believe those good outcomes are probable or choose instead to fear the negative possibilities. Tailoring our mindset to the optimistic outcomes has the potential to attract greater success and happiness. A belief in "abundance", can be infectious and regenerating.
Manifestation
This step is basically about wiring the brain to almost believe or accept that the dream or goal that you have in your life has, at least in your own head, already happened. In simple terms, by constantly, affirming to yourself that you have already succeeded, you are more likely to succeed.
Magnetic desire
We all understand the potential power of "positive thinking" but Dr. Swart takes this a step further with the idea that positive nurturing of our ambitions builds up our self-confidence and therefore makes the fruition of those goals more likely.
Patience
We live in a world of instant gratification. If we don’t see instant results in terms of our success goals, we fume and get disheartened. Instead, we should keep re-visualizing our dreams and have faith in their eventual success. In a sense its simply accepting setbacks in life and not allowing them to turn us from our path.
Harmony
We can re-wire our brains to the extent that we are able to align our rational desires with our emotional wants. Rationally, we want a job promotion, recognition, more money. We want career enlightenment. But what are the emotional goals here that work together; stability, protection of the family, safeguarding the future? When we "feel" the rational desire for more money, how much greater is our focus when we link that "more money" to daughters education fees, for example.
Universal Connection
We all have the ability to better understand that we are not singular beings but are affected by the thoughts and feelings and behaviors of others, whether they are friends of family or work colleagues.
The above six re-wiring principles are based loosely on Dr. Swart’s book The Source which goes into much more in-depth analyses of how we can start making those 100 billion neurons start working for us in a different way. It’s worth remembering though, that, training our brains isn’t limited to career enlightenment but can enhance our health, relationships, and moods in a very beneficial way.
Graduates with these majors land jobs the quickest
February 7, 2020
With student debt at all-time high, landing a job has never been more urgent for recent graduates. Most industry experts recommend applying for non-program positions roughly one to two months before graduation. Of course, being prudent and qualified doesn’t guarantee anything — some industries are simply more competitive than others.
With these considerations in mind, Grand Canyon University conducted a poll of more than 1,000 graduates to establish a new standard for young Americans fearful of a lengthy job hunt. The data locates success somewhere between timing and choosing the right collegiate field of study.
A major problem
Ninety percent of graduates who found jobs in their respective fields did so within six months. Conversely, less than 30% of graduates who landed work that did not pertain to their major didn’t begin their careers until two years or more after graduating from college.
The success rate of landing a job was considerably different for graduates depending on their degrees.
Eighty-eight percent of graduates with degrees in engineering and technology landed a job quickly after graduation, while 60% of grads with either journalism or communications degrees were able to find work soon after receiving their diplomas.
But for graduates with a focus in liberal arts, their success rate after the pomp and circumstance was significantly lower, with just 37% of respondents with that focus landing collegiate-related positions.
Gender proved to be another reliable predictor. Male graduates were 13% more likely to land a job in their respective fields after graduation and were also 12% more likely to receive offers while still enrolled compared to female attendees.
"No matter how well-educated someone is in their chosen field, jobs, especially those that require a college education, are never guaranteed. Timing, location, the economy, and so many other factors impact job availability and hiring standards, all of which can make the process of starting a career an imposing prospect," the authors wrote in the report.
In general, more than half of graduates (53%) received a job offer before they graduated, even if it took a few years for them to settle into their careers.
For graduates who had to adjust career paths, business (20.46%), engineering (17.82%), medical and life sciences (9.24%), retail (5.61%), and education (4.95%) were the most popular secondary options.
Students are beginning to anticipate the looming workforce earlier and earlier, which is a by-product of the Great Recession instilling pragmatism into Generation Z.
This is maybe why more than 60% of participants surveyed in the poll who graduated in 2018 or 2019 said they had a job or a job offer before they received their diploma. Even still, the markers are notoriously hard to predict. When accounting for majors, gender, the state of the economy, and degree of preparation, you still have to adjust for other predictors like region.
The northeast, particularly Connecticut, is the top region as far as job rates are concerned. Eighty-two percent of graduates who live in Connecticut found their first job in the same field they studied in school. Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Georgia, round out the top five in this respect. There are some instructive elements to consider from the report, but even the authors concede that there are simply too many factors to reliably predict any outcome.
"The stereotypical life plan for young adults in America has essentially stayed the same for the last several decades: graduate high school, go to college, start a career," the report said. "While the first two steps of that plan are easy enough to carry out, thanks to the wide range of public and private high schools and colleges in this country, the final step of the traditional life plan brings much more uncertainty."
7 psychological superpowers few people have (that you can use to set yourself apart)
February 7, 2020
"Tell me where I’m going to die so I never go there."
The sentence above describes a superpower few people have. It’s one I’ve only been able to exercise ten percent of the time, but that ten percent creates most of the positive results I get in my life.
What’s the superpower? Restraint.
Success, happiness, or whatever word you use to articulate what you want, often involves what you don’t do.
Also, restraint from one action can be a springboard to a more useful one, e.g., talking to listening.
We live in an unrestrained world. It’s getting louder, angrier, more chaotic and pretentious.
This is why it’s the perfect time for you to behave in the exact opposite fashion and wield these superpowers few people have.
Hide Your Intelligence
"A know-it-all is a person who knows everything except for how annoying he is." — Demitri Martin
If you’re a smart person, you might have the tendency to want to show it off.
You want people to know you’re smart. While there’s nothing wrong with displaying your intelligence, the costs for showing it off too much are high. People don’t like being corrected. Also, they don’t want a mirror reflected on their own inadequacy.
If you’re in a work setting, follow one of Robert Greene’s 48 laws of power — never outshine the master. Showing up your boss is a surefire way to make the relationship contentious (even if only subtly).
Showing people up in general means you lack an important type of intelligence — social intelligence.
If you had social intelligence, you’d know that letting other people take the spotlight makes them feel important. And they’d connect that feeling of importance with being around you.
Also, paraphrasing Greene again, it’s much more clever to resist the urge to display your cleverness (move in silence…let people think you’re less intelligent than you are).
It’s difficult for me. I’m tempted to correct people when I hear them say something incorrect. I love talking about all the things I know. But, at times, I’ll catch myself and realize that nobody really wants to know how smart I am. They want to know how I can play a role in their life that benefits them.
It’s almost always better to understate your intelligence than overstate it.
Resist Group Think
Madness is rare in individuals — but in groups, parties, nations, and ages it is the rule. — Friedrich Nietzsche
We lie to ourselves a lot. One of the main lies we tell ourselves? We think we’re open-minded. On the whole, we’re not.
You’ve cobbled together an identity based on narratives. You tell yourself stories constantly and the ones you repeat often become part of your personality. You’re also prone to adopt narratives based on groups you belong to. You do this because human beings are naturally tribal animals.
The problem with this occurs when you’re unable to even hold views that deviate from your group’s list of stances. This is what you see in the political sphere right now — no one’s budging.
If you’re able to form your own worldview — a legitimate one should contain elements of contradictory philosophies — you’ll have the benefit of not being a crazy person participating in mud slinging contests.
It’s pretty much impossible to form an original worldview because you have to form it by picking up established narratives (unless you’re a truly original thinker, which you’re not). Just knowing how difficult it is to form untainted beliefs gives you the humility to second guess your own opinions.
The end goal? Be able to say that you’ve put thought into which components of group narratives you decided to adopt. And then, stay out of the herd altogether.
You’re going to have to sit on the sidelines while everyone else bickers. Don’t even participate in the discourse. Improve your life.
At the end of the day, most of what happens in your life can be seen and shaped through the lens of your individuality. No matter what group you belong to, the experiences, memories, and emotions you have are unique to you. And, you can only genuinely look to yourself to reshape any of the above.
Stop Caring What People Think About You
"You want praise from people who kick themselves every fifteen minutes, the approval of people who despise themselves." — Marcus Aurelius
You want to know a great trick for letting go of other people’s opinions? Read a book about space or watch a Youtube video about it. Right now, I’m reading Stephen Hawking’s A Brief History of Time.
Here’s a passage from it:
"Our sun is just one of the one hundred thousand million stars that make up our galaxy the Milky Way. The Milky Way is only one of the many galaxies in the local group. The local group, in turn, is just one of the thousands of groups and clusters of galaxies which form the largest known structures of our universe."
Now think of your place in that universe. Why so preoccupied about ‘what will happen’ or ‘what others’ will think when you’re already essentially dead? Because human beings are the only known species arrogant enough to place themselves at the center of the universe.
I do it. You do it. The less it’s done, though, the freer you are. That’s the thing about freedom — it’s often a consequence of what you don’t do. Once you decide to stop caring so much, it’ll allow you to do what you want.
Are you going to let other people — infinitesimal pieces of existence in the expanse of the universe — stop you from living your life the way you want to live it?
Stop Placing Blame Altogether
"If it’s in your control, why do you do it? If it’s in someone else’s control, then who are you blaming? Atoms? The gods? Stupid either way. Blame no one." — Marcus Aurelius
This is about taking ownership of your mind.
If you don’t own your mind, someone else or circumstance will. Owning your reactions to what happens to you gives you a source of power no one can corrupt.
Like most of us, I get angry when someone slights me or treats me unfairly. When situations don’t go the way I want them to, I begin feeling sorry for myself. If I’m lucky, I catch myself and focus on the role I played in the situation.
You’ve heard this before. It’s so cliche. Why add personal responsibility to this list?
Because it’s really really hard and goes against our nature.
Also, there are times where the blame should be placed somewhere other than on yourself, but it’s often fruitless.
Sure, you might be able to convince the person you blamed they’re wrong, but at what cost? To what degree did each of you play in the situation (your apt to take more percentage of the victim category than you should)?
You might be able to bend the universe to your will and make the circumstances around you better — as opposed to just being better — but, again at what cost?
In my life, at least, I’ve seen that forgoing the blame game is a net positive ninety-nine percent of the time. Does that mean I always accept responsibility instantly? Hell no, but being able to do it even some of the time goes a long way.
Stop "Waiting to Talk"
"Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply." — Stephen Covey
Have you ever been in a conversation where it’s clear no one is listening? Each person talks and the others are waiting for a millisecond of silence to jump in.
This entire post has been about dialing back your tendencies. Why is that important? When you’re a little more restrained in your actions and your thoughts, you become a better observer.
When you become a better observer, you realize that you can get further ahead by doing less. It’s not easy to put that idea together at first — less outward activity equaling better results — but it’s true.
If you let other people talk, listen to them, and give up your need to jump into the conversation right away, everyone will love you. People love to talk. Let them.
While they talk, listen. If you really listen, they’ll give you all the information you want to know — their hopes, fears, desires, needs, likes, dislikes. Just sit there while they ‘spill the tea.’
Then, you can do little things that make them feel like you’re a great conversationalist and someone they can trust, even if you barely talk — repeat what they said back to them, ask them a question that makes them continue to talk, genuinely highlight when they bring something up you have in common.
You can use this technique in a real conversation or the conversation — the zeitgeist, blogs, and social media. Don’t jump in the debate. Watch it while everyone reveals their cards.
Stop Letting Your Desires Pull You in Every Direction
"Those who act with few desires are calm, without worry or fear." — Buddha
Books like Think and Grow Rich teach you to have an ultimate desire for wealth to get it.
If you like to read about business and self-improvement like me, you see Facebook ads on "how to start a six-figure business in real estate" or whatever.
Ambition can be good and necessary. It can also be poisonous. When I focus too much on results — output — writing becomes less fun. It starts to feel like work. When I write what I think you want to read and start to pander because of a desire for clicks, the work suffers.
Every time I do something I don’t really want to do because I think it will help me get something I desire, I feel bad, misaligned, incongruent.
The only times I’ve ever succeeded and felt good were bi-products of doing the work I enjoyed doing.
How about you? What status games are you playing right now? What objects and circumstances are you lusting over? Are you being controlled by a desire for the output or the need to do the input?
I have to remind myself constantly that I can be happy with what I have this second. And, even if my life gets better outwardly, I’ll adjust to it quickly and begin running on the hamster wheel all over again. Better to just do the things I love, right now, and forget about the future.
Stop Taking Everything So Seriously
"Outrage is like a lot of other things that feel good but over time devour us from the inside out. And it’s even more insidious than most vices because we don’t even consciously acknowledge that it’s a pleasure." — Tim Kreider
Imagine a society where everyone tended to their own well-being first before shouting into the sky about the government or what’s on the news?
What if we stopped watching the news altogether? If we did that, we’d realize — while things are nowhere near perfect — the sky isn’t falling. It isn’t. It isn’t.
You can probably see this in your own life. The things we tend to take seriously at a high level, e.g., will we go to war with ‘x’ (there’s always an x), have little to do with what’s going on at the ground level, otherwise known as our actual life.
I stopped reading the news and going on Twitter all the time. It’s not real life. I realized I was getting riled up over nothing. Also, even if the situations were as dire as I thought, my tweets weren’t going to fix the situation.
All the while there were plenty of things in my own life that needed tending to.
Get out of the outrage, ‘if it bleeds it leads’, machine right now. It’s not worth your sanity.
Then, even in your own life, try to stop taking everything so seriously. Focus on your career, but don’t make your career your life. Be prudent, save, budget, but don’t become a worry wart.
Spend time with your friends and family without worrying much about anything beyond them.
I’ve said this many times. From the perspective of the universe, you’re dead. Clutching on the steering wheel of life gives you the illusion you have control. You don’t, really.
Just live.
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Ayodeji is the author of You 2.0 — Stop Feeling Stuck, Reinvent Yourself, and Become a Brand New You.