The Chimp Paradox by Prof Steve Peters ??

??Week 26: The Chimp Paradox by Prof Steve Peters ??

If you need to understand your emotions better and how you respond to adversity this book is a great resource.

Simple terminology for how Steve explains the main parts of our brain:

Frontal Cortex- Human

Limbic - The Chimp

Parietal - The Computer

The Chimp is an emotional machine that thinks independently from us. It’s not good or bad, it is just a Chimp.

You are not responsible for the nature of your Chimp, but you are responsible for managing it.

Human Vs Chimp

Traits of Emotional Thinking:

• Jumps to an opinion
• Thinks in black and white
• Paranoid
• Catastrophic
• Irrational
• Emotive judgement

Traits of Logical Thinking:

• Evidence-based
• Rational
• In context with perspective
• Shades of grey
• Balanced judgement

Typical Chimp Drivers:

Troop, Ego, Dominance, Territory, Inquisitiveness, Security, Parental instinct, Sex, Power, Food.

Typical Humanity Centre Drivers:

Honesty, Compassion, Conscience, Law-abiding, Self-Control, Sense of Purpose, Achievement and Satisfaction.

Whenever you have feelings, thoughts or behaviours that you do not want or welcome, then you are being hijacked by the Chimp.

All information we process goes to the Chimp first.

Most people don’t realise that the Chimp is making an “offer” and not a “command.” You don’t have to follow your emotions. You have a choice.

The two aspects of working with the Chimp. Nurturing the Chimp and managing the Chimp - in that order.

How to understand the Computer in your mind:

The computer in your mind has two functions:

• It can think and act automatically for you using programmed thoughts and behaviours.
• It is a reference source for information, beliefs and values.

The 4 aspects of the Computer Mind are:

Autopilots, Goblins, Gremlins & Stone of Life:

Autopilots: positive, constructive beliefs, behaviours and automatic functioning that helps us be happy and successful.

Goblins: are unhelpful or destructive belief or behaviour that is firmly fixed or hardwired and difficult to remove.

Gremlins: are unhelpful or destructive beliefs or behaviour but are soft-wired and can be removed.?

Stone of Life: Ultimate reference point where your truth of life, values and life force are all inscribed. How you believe the world works and can “prove” it’s true by examples and experiences.

Truths vs Values:

“Truths” are evidence-based whereas “values” are personal judgement calls.

Mindset is based on a perception of self, others and the world.

By replacing “should” with “could” you will have a truth that you find easier to live by.

True friends like us for our values and personalities, not for our achievements, position and possessions.

The person that you want to be is the person that you really are.

Changing and Developing Your Personality:

Develop Yourself? Manage Your Chimp and Removing Gremlins.

Communicating effectively.

Having the right people around you.

Creating a world for yourself to live in.

Looking after yourself.

Getting quality in your life.

Successful people don’t make demands on others but set the scene so that the Human in others can respond rather than the Chimp.

Square of Communication

Never assume that because you have told someone something that they have heard or understood.

Start from where you are and what you’ve got, not where you want to be and what you want to have.

The main factor between successful and unsuccessful people is the ability to recognise where they need help and then get it from the best source.

When you decide to do something it’s commitment not motivation that matters.

The 4 Elements of Who You Are (Your “being”)

• Self-image - the way? you see your personality and presence?
• Self-worth - the value you put on yourself as a person
• Self-esteem - how you compare yourself to others
• Self-confidence - what you believe you are capable of doing

Commitment Screen:

1. What I need to do the job
2. Solutions ready for any difficulty?

What’s needed:

• Essential
• Significant?
• Desirable

Challenges you might face:

• Hurdles?
• Barriers
• Pitfalls

Anything in life is only as important as you want it to be.?

Dichotomous Thinking - seeing everything as all or nothing - just two options.?

CONFIDENCE:

What is it I want to do?

How am I able to achieve this?

My confidence is now measured by how I rate my ability to achieve my goal.

SECURITY & RISK:

Security is relative. We are never fully secure in life. We live in a world that is in a constant state of change.

Risk - is attached to everything we do. We have to accept risk is part of everyday life. We can’t control all risks, only some.

Summary: Excellent way of explaining how our brains work. Using the analogy of Chimp and computer to understand we are often hostage to our emotions (Chimp) who can hijack our rational thinking.

1 Key Takeaway/Insight: Anything in life is only as important as you want it to be.?

Rating: 8 out of 10 ??

Author: Professor Steve Peters

Link to purchase:?https://www.amazon.com/Chimp-Paradox-Management-Program-Confidence/dp/039916359X

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