When the Servant Becomes the Master

The liver that you were born with will be essentially the same when you die. Not so for your brain. It's the only organ that evolves throughout your lifetime in ways that are unique to you, based on the thoughts you think.

Your greatest challenge is to figure out how to master it, then use it as a tool for learning, growth and fulfillment. Your success in life depends on your brain, because you can't have experiences without it. Since your brain is the gateway to your future, it makes sense to invest the energy to make your brain as healthy, strong and smart as you can.

We have entered what scientists are calling the golden age of brain research, where they're making new discoveries every month.

But is this the golden age for your brain? It can be, if you choose to use it in a more evolved way. Your brain is endlessly adaptable, and you could be getting far more fulfilling results than you currently are. So why not use it as a tool, to your maximum advantage?

Your brain is a three-pound universe. It contains roughly 100 billion nerve cells forming up to a quadrillion connections that are constantly rewiring in response to your thoughts about the world around you.

Your brain not only interprets the world, it creates the world you see, hear, touch, taste, and smell. Your brain is wired to process these 5 senses in a way that customizes every experience solely for you.

However, without your guidance about what to do now, your brain can only run recordings from the past. And, like a pop radio station, it will keep repeating its own brand of Top 40 hits—even if you don't like them.

So if you think a lot of negative thoughts, it will repeat those negative thoughts. This is because your brain's programming says that the the most important thoughts are the ones you think the most often—not the thoughts that are in your best long-term interest; it can't make that distinction.

If your Top 40 playlist includes unresolved anger, fear, anxiety, stress, depression, negative habits and addictions, now's a great time to do some shuffling.

Your quality of life hinges on how effectively you can take control of your brain and engage it in a higher level of functioning. Your life can get better. Much better. But where to start?

Consider this: There's another difference between your brain and the other organs in your body: your brain can do only what you think it can do. It hears every one of your thoughts. As it listens, it learns. The key question is this: is your brain learning to be more limited, or more expansive?

When you say: I'm having a senior moment, you're actually telling your brain to have more senior moments, and forgetfulness is added to the Top 40 playlist. If you teach it limitation, the lights will slowly go out.

On the other hand, if you encourage your brain to be unlimited, it will grow. It will give you more creativity. More intelligent thoughts will show up in your Top 40. You'll never know what your brain is capable of doing until you test its limits. And keep testing.

Today, your brain is ready to make a quantum leap forward. The next step in your brain's evolution is for you to take control of it. Instead of being overwhelmed by negative thoughts and feelings, you can develop the ability to detach and simply observe what your brain is doing. As the detached observer of your brain's activity, you can shift your thinking to a more powerful direction when needed.

Repetition is the key. Remember, your brain repeats the thoughts you have most often. So keep repeating the kinds of thoughts that will make your life better, and your brain will, in time, have a new Top 40 list to play.

Powerful thoughts are peaceful thoughts. And peaceful thoughts are one of the results of taking control of your brain. In this season of peace on earth, goodwill to all, this is a wonderful time to cultivate powerful, peaceful thoughts with a brain you control.

Today's Coaching Question: What thoughts do you want to remove from your Top 40 playlist?