May 26, 2010
 AMYGDALA (uh mig’ dull uh) Code name: “The Lizard Brain.” This little almond nugget, that sits on top of our brain stem, is the location where the perception of ourselves and others is built. Here, emotional learning and affective behavior (e.g. fear, anger) compel our given actions.
You’re probably wondering, just what the heck this “Lizard Brain” has to do with the life of an entrepreneur? Well, just about everything! I was introduced to it in this great book Making Ideas Happen by Scott Belsky, the founder and CEO of Behance (a leading platform for creative professionals). Belsky describes a lecture Seth Godin (yes that one) gave discussing how this tiny little organ keeps 97% of the population from the completion of projects and the realization of our goals. Our amygdala (don’t ask me to pronounce this by the way) is what keeps us fearful. Fearful of the acceptance of our ideas, change and new challenges. It sabotages our confidence and compels us to play it safe. Then what do we do? We end up perpetually second guessing ourselves and remain stagnant in the pursuit of our ambitions.
“what creative people need, is to quiet down that lizard brain.”- Seth Godin
Biological tendencies are tough to conquer sometimes. We all probably have one or two things we just can’t seem to stop doing. However, being fearful is not one of them. Fear is invariably conquerable. The truth of the situation is; most of the obstacles to our success are self-inflicted. We worry about acceptance, looming failure or public ridicule. Let me tell you, as a person who definitely has experienced my fair share of disappointment, the last thing that matters is what other people think! Sure we all have occasional missteps, but it is the very acceptance of risk, and failure for that matter, that empowers us to achieve.
The next time you’re feeling your confidence shaken, or that annoying tinge of fear; embrace your intellect, your creativity and your passion. Shut that lizard up. After all you can’t hit a homerun if you don’t swing.
“the motivation for me, was them telling me what I could not be” -Pharrell Williams
All my best,
Jay Kubassek
Don't be stingy, share with your friends!
Posted: May 26, 2010
Filed under: Jays' Letters
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Yet another pearl of wisdom via JK! Feel the fear and do it anyway. Stand beyond your emotions, then life becomes more enjoyable. Say it as it is. Get moving, don’t stop, take big, huge, action, never mind the nuget! Kick the tyres, light the fires and go!!
Thanks Jay. Keep em coming Boss.
Mike the UK bucky new snip.
DEAR MR. KUBASSCK.
THANKS FOR THAT INFORMATION,I FEEL YOU ARE RITE ON TARGET WITH THAT ONE.
READING MANY BOOKS ON THE WORKINGS OF THE MIND,I REALLY APPRECIATED THAT ARTICLE.
HAVE A GREAT DAY++++ ROSE
Hello Jay
This a great post.
Thanks
Byron Skjerdal
My lizard brain must be quite large!! Another great post!!
I think that lizard has bit me too many times!
Thanks, Jay
WOW J.K, I WAS ONLY LAST EVENING DISCUSSING THIS EXACT TOPIC WITH MY WONDERFUL OTHER MENTOR.I KNOW WHILE CLIMBING THE LADDER TO BEWARE OF THE SNAKES BUT WE ALSO MUST GIVE THE LIZARD THE FLICK.
THANKS JAY
Jay,
Thanks for the understanding on how to conquer that Lizard.
I feel Seth’s quote hit the nail on the head in terms of the practical experience
to conquering the lizard, when the mind settles down
it becomes more orderly and coherent and the lizard starts working with and cooperating
with us rather than against us. Second law of thermodynamics, as temperature
decreases orderliness and coherence increases.
So how do you settle the monkey in the mind that pisses of the lizard who
reacts to defends it’s status quo?
I say transcend, get centered, pull back the arrow (the mind) and let it fly!
Peace
Raamon
Jay,
thanks for the great post.
Alison Bova
Live Beyond Nine to Five
Good one! God has not given us a spirit of fear.
As a cat who’s fascination, passion, and specialty is the psychological influences on behavior, success, failure, and especially persuasion, this post is right up my alley Jay. Another great one as usual.
Particularly dig the Pharrell quote, by way of Hova’s Blueprint III. I see we also share the appreciation of the power and wisdom buried in Jay-Z’s work. How ’bout the “1 percenter” messages in “Already Home?” Sick right?!
Keep spittin’ the deep game Jay. That’s why I read you. Still first in line to get 99% bruh!
As always… Live Luxe Or Die!
- Harkon Ajala
Hi Jay,
I think remembering and focusing on our passions and goals can really assist in quieten the Lizard Brain. I don’t just mean the things we like to do – I mean the gut wrenching thrill and shiver of excitement you get when you truly love what you are doing , where you are going and what you are achieving.
Thanks again for a thought provoking post. Have a great day
Sad but true, majority of the population are dominated by the lizard brain. 97% of entrepreneurs fail, but 3% prevails. These 3% mostly left their lizard brain behind.
Keep fighting guys!
Dear Mr. Kubassek – I mean Jay,
Day 11, very AM on the 11 day since BIB purchase. All is well. This is the first time in a long time I have worked all nite and felt soooooooooooo good. That “Lizard” crawled out yesterday morning, but JJ took it away. Best quote from JJ so far for me is: “work is creation” spoken like a true inventor and entrepreneur. You and Aaron did it – you have captured “The Perfect Storm”/”Perfect Wave” all at the same time – bravo!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you guys for creating this opportunity.
Successfully,
William W. Levy
Thanks Jay,
I really think that for a lot of new people in this business it is all about putting up obstacles to making progress.
It is so interesting to observe the many different reasons why people find the need to quit to save themselves from failure…
Nice post
Mike
It always does help to control our fears by externalizing them, unfortunately we do need the amygdala to survive. On the other hand, do you know where the procrastination organ is, I’d like to remove that one completely.
Jay,
I love this little post on the amygdala. I think it is because I remember studying it a few times back in college. Funny they never said a thing about it being linked to feelings like fear. Honestly I think you should teach a class or two in colleges so that students get some real application out of their education!
Live Great!
Mary Thayer
Brilliant content,
Yes how the mind works in incredible.
This is great information to have and understand.
Ed
Dear Jay,
You are Elite as usual…!
My best.
Dear Jay,
How did you know this was what I needed this morning? My wife is very ill and incapacitated. I am attempting to work a J-O-B as an RN while taking care of her while I am at home and by phone when I am at work. I just got a call from the CEO/Owner of the company telling me that she is in the hospital with her husband and that I would have to step up and be in that position today. The FEAR factor just went too high! You reminded me that F-E-A-R means False Evidence Appearing Real! Thank you. BTW, you are right, that little almond shaped appendage on our brain “lizard brain” must be and can be controlled!
Thank you for being who you are,
Jacob
In the last couple of weeks I was haunted by fear. Each time I went to work, I was very fearful of being supervised by my boss. The more I came closer, the more fearful I became. I made a lot of mistakes in her presence and this caused me to lose confidence in what ever task I was given. The situation became so serious that I was even referred to see a counselor.
She advised me to to leave the fear behind and accept challenges,focus on the task and not on the boss. Her advise helped to think differently.
This is exactly what you have revealed here, leaving that Lizard brain behind.Today I am a different person, ready to face even bigger challenges that lie ahead!
Thanks for the wise knowledge.