Your Brain Has an Appetite - Starve It & Feed It
Your Brain Has an Appetite
STARVE IT
In the age of technology, it's hard to escape the reach of information. Try NOT to overload your mind all of the time. Many of us are stuffed with data & information nearly every waking second as it is, so it is important to know when to power down. You know best when it comes to that, so it is up to you to know your limits. Our senses are important; too much stimulation of only one or two senses (of our 5!) is not a good thing.
Just like when a person loses their sight and must rely on all other senses instead. How they manage to navigate on city streets with a stick seemed like superhero abilities to me as a small child. I still find it truly amazing and very intriguing that our brain is capable of great change and even greater achievements. You will be surprised how much you can produce when your mind has time to 'digest' and regain its appetite. When your mind is hungry - it is due to lack of input/ data/ sensory stimulation.
When it is starving - it begins to create and generate its own content (essentially drawing from your experiences and previous input). Would you rather draw from a bank of information that is 'recent', but not necessarily relevant; or would you rather draw from one that is collective of all of your (digested) past experiences?
Starve your brain of media for a day, a week, or a month and see how different your life becomes. Everything you experience plays a part in your life and this is exactly why urban areas are littered with advertising - it is shaping your decisions and so many experiences in your life without you ever really taking notice. We are bombarded constantly with information and stimulation (even subliminally), so much so that we do not have enough time to really digest much of it.
Remember to take some time every so often to rest and process your thoughts, experiences, and all the information that is battling for real estate in your head. You might find yourself reprioritizing and rearranging up there in the 'attic' of your mind. Sometimes, that helps us make new connections and refresh our brain with new thoughts and connections.
FEED IT
Just like our body, the mind needs nourishment! Quality is of the essence and it matters what sort of sensory stimulation you subject yourself to. Like a healthy diet, it is all about "Balance". Feed your mind with sensory information and data that is new or different.
What do I mean? Keep things fresh & learn new things. Your brain will thank you in ways you can't even imagine yet, but you will! I know you will because you're taking initiative to become more creative. You are feeding your brain (I hope that is an accurate statement at this point in your reading). What you touch, smell, see, hear, taste is merely a fraction of the data and input your brain is processing. The amount of activity our brains are generating as you read this (and I proofread this), is truly astounding.
We must consider our needs as natural creators; if wifi is considered one of your basic human needs - see above. If you're relying on mostly visual content like pictures & videos to give your brain what it so desperately needs - your brain is stuffed, but cannot satiate the 'hunger' for input. A picture is worth a thousand words? If that's the case, a 10 minute walk in Time Square should be worth about 20 million words to your brain, right? Although we do not consciously process so much of it, it is subconsciously archived more than you think. I wonder what reading a thousand words is worth?
Reading is wonderful input and can give the brain large amounts of input in a rather short period of time. The speed solely depends upon our own personal ability and capacity. Although, no matter who you are, all types of visual and auditory input can be good for us. Like all things in life, it also relies heavily on balance in order for it to operate to its potential. Once again, it also depends on the utility and quality of the input that we consume.
Try to do more of what you're doing less of. In other words, challenge yourself to do things that are 'less comfortable' or out of your comfort zone. This generates new thought processes, introduces problems, issues & situations that challenge our decision making and problem-solving skills. This sort of 'exploring the 'unknown' exposes you to a state of vulnerability - your defenses are down. It's the best time to hurdle some new data, experiences, ideas, input, or creative seeds over the barriers of your mind. Happy minds are hungry minds and everywhere you go - someone has something to feed you. Try to be aware of what you are feeding that hungry mind of yours.
Read My Full-Length Article Here - Harness Your Creativity: 7 Secrets to Boost Your Creative Energy
My brain simply crave sugar
I used to crave it. Now I avoid it as if it were poison. Table sugar that is.
Hopefully you're not diabetic @slacktivist 😁 We must feed our brain!
This is a great post and great advice, thanks!
I'm listening to Grit as an audio book right now. The author explained how to be successful in the best way I've seen yet, and it is related to your post:
talent x effort = skill
skill x effort = achievement
This is why being passionate about what you do is so important, for it is hard to put a lot of effort in things that you are not passionate about.
I have natural talents related to my two primary passions (Private Investigation and Residential Security). That's the main reason I focus on them. It makes putting effort into them much easier.
We feed our brains therefore by following the same equations. Effort is defined as what we are reading, practicing, and learning. It is the things we spend our days doing instead of playing video games or zoning out in front of an entertainment device (TV or otherwise).
Oh, and being smart about what skills you acquire helps. A person may be passionate about something the market doesn't find very valuable, and they won't make a lot of money doing it. Nothing is stopping them from picking that path, but they should not complain when the achievements do not also equal financial success.
Certainly right! Choosing the 'path less traveled' does not always equate to a lucrative path. It might not be traveled because it is an unsustainable path. We must find things that interest us and build upon that. We must also practice discipline, which often requires doing things we do not really want to do - but have to. Being passionate about what you do is vital in order to succeed.
talent x effort = skill
skill x effort = achievement
Well said!
If we remain passionate about learning new skills and preparing our mind for our intended path, we can do many different things and find success in all of our endeavors. However, like you mentioned, must keep in mind the destination and the value of the achievements we're after. Some are going to pay far greater returns than others.
I also believe that failing and learning harsh lessons can break a person in a way that either guarantees self-destruction OR success. A person that knows what it is to fail or have their dreams crushed is better equipped for success, in my opinion. Many great contributors to our world truly failed their way to success.
Yeah, I was forced to quit airborne school because of illness. I hate quitting. I still wish I could go back and fix that situation after all these years too. It still bothers me. The book "Grit" is awesome. If you have the time to get and read it, I highly recommend it. One of my greatest strengths is grit. I just refuse to give up when I've decided to do something. Part of that is being forced to quit in the past too.