The Reticular Activating System
Jack Crabtree
Helping others be their best - Consultant - Writer - Project Manager - Human
The Filter of the Mind
Have you ever been heard your name said from across a crowded room?
Despite the background noise, commotion, and conversation you were in the middle of, the sound of your name immediately caught your attention
If you’ve ever purchased a car, did you suddenly start to see that same model everywhere?
Has it ever felt like your phone vibrated in your pocket, but when you look for the notification, you find that you must have imagined the feeling?
Each of these reactions can be attributed to our RAS – the Reticular Activating System
It is a part of our brain that acts like a filter, like a funnel, helping us focus in on certain aspects of our environment
What is fascinates me is that the RAS is working whether we realize it or not
Our subconscious and conscious are constantly determining what we see as meaningful ?
While we may not even be aware of it, it is affecting how we perceive reality
The RAS is a significant component of how you see the world
It is a major force in shaping your Personal Matrix, and how you see yourself in it
Think of the phrase, “You see what you are looking for”
That is how the RAS functions
It creates a heightened sense of awareness for what is important
And it helps us reduce the attention our brains allocate to that which is non-important
I believe there is a direct connection between this and Giving Kindness
When we begin to look for opportunities to compliment others, we start noticing different things
The situation may be exactly the same, but how we perceive it, and what the RAS brings into focus changes
Instead of immediately finding a reason to judge someone, we look for something nice about them
And we begin to notice all sorts of aspects that were previously invisible to us
Sure our eyes could see them, but our brains didn’t deem that information important
We can SEE the same SITUATION differently as a result of how our RAS functions
Most of the time our RAS continues to run on auto-pilot
What was previously important, remains important
What is unimportant, stays unimportant
Until we decide that we’d like to Rewire our Matrix, it will continue as is
But it can be Rewired, the RAS does change…
?
Let’s return to the example of your new car
All of a sudden, it seems like the same make and model is everywhere
But that car didn’t suddenly just start showing up
You gave yourself a reason to look for it
The make and model of your new car created meaning, it now has significance
Without realizing it, you restructured what your brain saw as important
You adjusted your Reticular Activating System
领英推荐
You Rewired Your Matrix
I talk a lot about previous scripting
The subconscious habits, reactions, and tendencies we’ve picked up externally
90% of the time, we find ourselves on auto-pilot,
Living out these scripts without even realizing it
This is where you can use your RAS to your advantage
Start to look for your auto-pilot habits
Which ones do you have that serve you?
Start slowly if you need to
Maybe it’s just brushing your teeth before bed, or putting your keys in the same place each night
But when you start to examine yourself, you’ll find a lot of beneficial things you do daily without even thinking about
Some of them may be from positive scripts we learned growing up
And some of them may be intentional habits you scripted yourself
You are capable of scripting yourself in positive ways
Now let’s examine the other side of the coin
What are some subconscious habits that may not serve you?
Maybe it’s looking at your phone first thing in the morning
Or turning on the TV each time you sit down to eat?
Perhaps your-self talk is far more negative than you realized
Are you multitasking without even noticing it?
No one is perfect, and we all have areas for improvement
Identifying our opportunities for growth isn’t easy, but it allows us to unlock our potential
By understanding the power of your RAS, you can begin to change what you look for
And by changing what you look for, you’ll begin to change what you see
When we intentionally take control of what we see, we put ourselves in the best position for success
As you go about the rest of your week, as yourself:
“What is my Reticular Activating System focused on?”
If you’ve found this perspective helpful, please share it with a friend
PS: This is the 30th edition of the Thought of the Day to hit LinkedIn!
I want to say thank you to all those who have read, supported, and encouraged my work
Hearing about the impact it has made brings me great joy
I look forward to sharing continued thoughts, writing, and perspectives
Sincerely yours,
Jack Crabtree