Research continues to tell us what some of you may already know. We are on auto-pilot. The advancements in neuroscience shows that we, as self-aware primates, have very little control over our thoughts, actions and behaviours.
But that little, means a lot.
It is accepted that over 90% of our thoughts, actions and behaviours happen to us automatically. Our remote control kicks in and we go on auto-pilot.
Some research tells us this this could be as high as 97% of our everyday actions. Wow!
The advances in brain infrared thermal imagery, indicate that the decision to purchase happens mili-seconds before we become consciously aware of that decision. What! Are you serious? We have decided to buy, before we consciously decide to buy. As I say, we are on AUTO-PILOT.
Think about the people who do unspeakable acts who defend their action by stating the voices in their head told them to do it. Does that mean, the voices happened prior to them being consciously aware of them. If we are truly creatures of hard-wired auto-pilot, can anyone actually be held responsible for their own actions, thoughts and behaviours. We are hard-wired. Surely that absolves us of blame and responsibility. Or does it?
We have little control, but that little means a lot.
We are blessed with conscious thought. If our brain triggers decisions prior to us becoming conscious of it, the fact remains, we soon become conscious of it and that is when we choose to either do it or not to do it.
The conscious choice we make helps us make a good auto-pilot. We may be hard-wired but we can choose to rewire. By consciously choosing to do better actions, we can rewrite our neural pathways and create new habits and actions. We never erase our previous pathways, but we can strengthen the new ones, so that they do become part of our auto-pilot. So we do have a choice.
Instead of being slaves to our impulses, emotions and desires we can choose to be the masters of our own destiny.
What was that Tony, instead of being slaves to our impulses, emotions and desires we can choose to be the masters of our own destiny?
So why do I still feel a slave to my impulses, emotions and desires?
Because many are. Controlled by drugs, self-induced or prescribed: reacting their way through life, becoming the victim of the first thing that comes out of their mouth, becoming the victim of remorse after an action or behaviour they seemingly had no control over. The sad fact is, many are slaves to their impulses, emotions and desires.
We have the tools. Simply, we have to make the choice. The tools are free and within you now. It is the power of conscious thought. Imagine your life and how it could be better if you used the power of conscious thought effectively?
Because we have the tools, sometimes I just want to shake people. People in that robotic, drone-like state, walking the earth with no set mission other than to survive another day. Missing the glory of the day, missing the potential for beauty and magic that each moment brings. Missing the gift of life, to walk in the footsteps of the mundane. To walk life unseeing, undoing, unloving.
And you see them to. You may even feel like one at times, waking to the alarm clock, leaving your dreams to your sleep, heading off to a job you don’t like, bravely working with people you detest, all to be doing what you perceive your life is.
There is more to life. There is more to you. And the choice of a good auto-pilot is critical. It instills in us the habits of success, the continual quest for growth, and the desire to chase our goals. Our auto-pilot is one of our own choosing, and it understands that sometimes temporary pain of earning a living in a job you don’t like, is often what you need to do to put a roof over your head and food on the table. But it shouldn’t derail you from the life you desire.
What life can you create when those activities spent “killing” or “wasting” time were put into the quest for a better you? What would your life be like if instead of chilling and net flicks, you devoted time to wellness and thinking? A much better life awaits you with some simple choices, backed by intentional actions.
Consciously choose to build better actions, better behaviours. That is within our control. When better choices are backed with intentional action, we build the neural pathways needed to improve your auto-pilot. When we build a better auto-pilot, we build a better life. And it starts with a choice and it’s backed up by action.
The choice is simple. Slave or master?
What is your choice? We live on auto-pilot. Isn’t it time you made it a good one?
