A Small Step to Change Your Life - A Classic Life Management Method of the 21st Century

Author: Robert Moller (USA) / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: Change can be frightening, whether it's seemingly insignificant changes (like going to a new restaurant) or changes that significantly impact life (such as having a child). This fact about human nature is unchangeable because this fear is deeply rooted in the functioning of the human brain. When this fear takes over, it can hinder our creativity, prevent us from making changes, and even block us from achieving success. From an evolutionary perspective, the brain is an unusual organ in the human body. Other organs, such as the heart, liver, and intestines, have developed very perfectly and have remained stable throughout the long process of human evolution. However, over the past four to five billion years, the development and evolution of the human brain have never stopped. Every one to two billion years, the brain undergoes changes, and today, it consists of three parts. One of the major challenges humans face is coordinating these three parts to prevent physical or mental illnesses from harming us.
The bottom part of the brain is the brainstem, also known as the "reptilian brain" (it indeed looks like the entire brain of a crocodile). It appeared five billion years ago. The "reptilian brain" wakes you up in the morning, urges you to sleep at night, and constantly reminds your heart to keep beating. Above the brainstem is the midbrain, also called the "mammalian brain," which formed about three billion years ago and is a component shared by all mammals, though perhaps with slight variations in form. The midbrain monitors body temperature, hides our emotions, and manages our survival responses when facing danger. The third part of the brain is the cerebral cortex, which formed about one billion years ago. The cerebral cortex surrounds the other parts of the brain and is the primary contributor to human achievements. Art, science, and other accomplishments are created by it, as well as our ability to think rationally and innovate. When we seek change or begin an innovation, we cannot do without the cerebral cortex.
The three parts of the brain do not always work in harmony. Our rational brain tells us to lose weight—but we might end up eating an entire bag of chips while sitting around; or when we are struggling to come up with an innovative solution for a new project—our brain goes blank.