If You Don't Learn to Play Your Brain, Your Brain Will Play You!

I've been deep in my 'writing cave' working on my upcoming book "CAN Do" for leaders who want to build greater stamina in our turbulent world.

The more I research, the more fascinated I become with how our brains work – especially when it comes to managing our mental states. Did you know that curiosity, excitement, and anxiety all share the same neurochemical signatures in our brain?

It's true!

The difference lies mainly in how we interpret and label these sensations. This understanding opens up fascinating possibilities for managing our mental state. Harvard Business School's Alison Wood Brooks undertook a study on dealing with anxiety. She found that simply saying "I am excited" three times was more effective at reducing anxiety than spending 7 minutes on breathing exercises.

Why? Because it reframes our physiological arousal from a threat response to an opportunity response. When we relabel our anxiety as excitement, we're not fighting our body's natural response – we're channeling it productively. Mindset is NOT just positive thinking; it's strategic thinking about how we interpret our experiences. When facing challenges, our brain's initial response might be anxiety, but we have more control over this than we realize.

Here are some practical strategies for managing anxiety and building mental stamina:

1. Use the "excitement reframe" technique as mentioned above. If you're feeling anxious before a presentation / big meeting, try saying "I am excited" three times.
2. Practice the "curiosity pivot." When facing uncertainty, consciously shift your focus from "This is scary" to "This is interesting." Remember, the neurochemicals are the same – you're just choosing a different lens. For example, instead of dreading a meeting with a challenging stakeholder, approach it with questions like "What can I learn about their perspective?" or "What makes them think this way?" This simple shift can transform an stress-inducing situation into an opportunity for insight.
3. Build your "uncertainty muscle." Start with small challenges that push you slightly out of your comfort zone. Like any muscle, our capacity to handle uncertainty grows stronger with practice. For instance, if you usually stick to your expertise area in meetings, challenge yourself to contribute one idea about a different department's challenges. These small stretches help build confidence in handling bigger uncertainties.

As I continue writing my book, I'm increasingly convinced that our ability to manage our mental state is perhaps the most crucial leadership skill in today's world. It's not about eliminating anxiety – it's about understanding how to work with our brain's natural responses to create better outcomes.

‍#Leadership #MentalStamina #Mindset #PersonalDevelopment

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