“All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them.” – Galileo
The 2020 theme of identity continues with my exploration of who we are and who we want to be. In this truthiness world it is essential that we ask our self whether truth informs or frames are patterns or whether our patterns and habits determine or form our truths.
In the Kickass Koach podcast episode dropped November 2nd, I speak to how crisis or feelings of overwhelm influence how we frame or interpret truth and the value in learning to slow down our processing systems as a result.
For the newsletter, I examine three sides to the point about examining and challenging our truths.
Finally, in this post I explore how truth manipulates, how it only gets easier in the pursuit of it and the impact of our mindset.
Truth is Easy to Manipulate
Humans have a malleable brain. It serves us well in some ways. However, this malleable brain leaves us susceptible to influence and propaganda. Even, or perhaps mostly, those who think they are immune to this influence are actually more impacted. Truth may be easy to understand, as Galileo states, however, it requires that we first be open to it and secondly that we actively seek it.
It is our malleable brain that makes us easily manipulated. I have been reflecting on the word manipulated lately and realize we typically see manipulation in a negative light. It can simply mean orchestrate or manage but the negative comes in the result created or the intention or motive in the act. Because we deem being manipulated only as a frailty, we resist admitting we can be manipulated. Interestingly, this makes us more prone to it.
Additionally, our inclination to accept what is easy, makes our lazy thinking so powerfully available for manipulation. This is how social media influences and it is what makes advertising so useful. Our malleable brains are the reason we learn new things for our entire lives and they are the reason we are conned by propaganda and conspiracy theories. A little bit of truth that resonates or fits with how we wish to see the world, may take hold of our view of reality and in doing so shape beliefs that are far from truth it self. We MUST be mindful of how much effort is required to focus on truth. Galileo is right, it is easy to understand when we are willing to do the work to seek and find it. Truth is worth the effort.
Truth is Easy only when Thoroughly Sought
It is in the seeking that we find. My 91-year-old mother comes to mind. I often regret helping her purchase her first laptop in 2000. I had no idea the grief it would generate as I set her up on the internet.
As it turns out, it was in the receiving, not sending of email, that the trouble started. Her siblings and friends sent her YouTube videos that started a chain reaction of influence. These slick videos on You Tube slowly but surely started to shape how she viewed the world. I continue to be shocked at how she changed. My mother is an educate, intelligent, thoughtful, and compassionate person. Now, she touts strange conspiracy theories, and her view of the world is very dark. We can be engaged in a very typical conversation and suddenly it shifts. In that shift she isn’t the woman who raised me.
She is no longer seeking the truth. It found her via YouTube. Truth is easy to understand but we need to continually seek it. Perhaps this requires a bit of technical savvy and an appreciation for how algorithms work. My mother was born in the 1920’s. Life and communication were different. She is a critical thinker, in my experience, but then there’s the trick of the human brain.
Kahneman speaks to this in his book Thinking Fast and Slow. Our brains are set up to process things very quickly and put our findings into neat boxes. It is only in the deconstruction of the content, we discern between truth, myth or misleading. This requires we dig into the slow brain. It considers context and experience and deep reflection. A 91-year-old woman has little to no context on which to appreciate how the algorithms are sending her misleading and deeply biased messages.
Truth is Easier when Adversity Informs our Growth Mindset
Galileo never said truth is easy. He said, it is easy to understand. Typically, it is easier to understand when we seek it but it is in the seeking that we find. Moreover, we must be willing to tussle with the truth though. Seeking it is the place to start, no doubt. Challenging what we find with a rigorous approach is required for truth to prevail.
When we welcome adversity and invite it to inform our curiosity, our growth mindset helps us to stay in uncertainty long enough to let truth gain clarity. When we skip the hard work of inquiry, lazy or foggy vision guides us
There are different ways we experience or identify truth. Some of us land on truth and even seek evidence of truth through the gut or intuition. Others through the resonance they experience from their heart. Still others, find it through intellectual rigor.
Inquiry with all Senses Expands Clarity
The Gut – We may confirm truth through our instinct or intuition. We often refer to this as a gut sense. It is true that our gut has many neurons and communicates with our brain at roughly ten times the rate at which our brain sends messages to our gut, so it is no without evidence that the gut is knowledgeable. I appreciate what Malcolm Gladwell says in his book Blink. He points out that foundation of our intuition is the critical factor in whether it is informed enough to provide guidance. The degree to which we have knowledge or experience in a subject matter is a significant factor.
The Heart – Our hearts is the most resonant part of our system. Those who are attuned to this resonance may find truth confirmed by their heart or feeling. However, it is a delicate way to measure truth so there is a lot of value in honing this skill before trusting it. Some would argue our feelings can’t be trusted. I argue they may be a lead indicator warranting further exploration.
The Mind – the mind, differentiated from the brain, is where we reflect and observe our patterns and habits. It is deeply impacted by and impacting how we view, accept and perpetuate truths.
All three data points mentioned above are interacting with each other influenced and influencing how our brain processes message. Essentially, they all play a role in what is deemed truth. As a result we must engage all in our effort to test and seek truth.
Life is one big Experiment
An experimental, iterative, approach to life is a recognition that truth is found in the act of seeking. How rigorously we work to seek truth influences our life experience, preferences and engagement with our fellow humans. Perhaps we benefit from exploring each of these perspectives in our quest for truth. Once again my motto is relevant ; “When we change the way we look at things the things we look at change.” Max Planck, Nobel Prize winning Theoretical Physicist
Continuous learning and fresh insights are the goal of the experimental approach. What will the evidence teach us? Moreover, this approach is generative in addition to being iterative. With an experimental collaborative approach, we may find progress is faster and we go further. In collaboration we can crack this, but only together with a willingness to learn and honour the data and the stories will we arrive where we seek to go.
We may be capable of more closely monitoring and learning from our choices and decisions and build capacity to adjust our actions to meet the current situation. Then, we may influence how things unfold. There’s a difference between wanting something and making something happen. With the mindset necessary to perform under pressure, we’re able to influence results more deeply. Moreover, this mindset that relies on clarity, curiosity and a resilient spirit we accept no excuses, only meaningful results. Furthermore, it’s essential we learn to evaluate the risk of any action, removing the very human emotions that cloud our judgment.
Walk with me.
Together let’s examine options consciously and authentically to make choices that move us strategically toward where we want to be. Therefore, where my client wants to go, is my paramount focus. Strategy is a about choices. Execution on these choices requires masterful performance. Furthermore, a well-developed process allows us to enjoy the journey far more fully
Be part of the journey in 2020.
Start by subscribing to my mailing list . Subscribers receive:
- My interactive exercise to begin reducing the impacts of stress and feelings of overwhelm will be sent.
- My newsletter with the related podcast episode will be sent weekly.
- Special offers will be available to subscribers monthly including: a random offer of a complimentary one hour coaching conversation, access to roundtable engagements and group coaching on identity and related subjects, as well as information on an initiative on which I’m collaborating: #FeMasCon.
We Seek Truth First from Within (BYI)
The System
The Bank Your Impact (BYI) System is about both developing and embedding self-awareness. Furthermore, the benefits of expanded resilience, connections built on understanding the impact of belonging and an ability to bolster a professional and authentic presence are foundational. Perhaps more than the other two, developing a foundational resilience is critical to with standing that which moves us into burnout.
The current system incorporates 1:1 coaching, roundtable conversations; eventually I’ll add a neuro-social learning experience (currently only available in organizational contracts but will be added to the system for individual engagement in 2021). My approach is based on the ICF (International Coaching Federation) standards. I’m meeting you (my clients) where you are, both as the coaching agreement begins, and in the moment that exists at the time of each conversation. Progress or growth is not a straight line. The ICA model is the framework for every conversation: Issue/Insight, Choice/Commitment, Action/Accountability. Over the past year I’ve been tightening the model to meet the needs of my clients.
Holding space to support my clients in:
- Developing meaningful insights
- Expanding/deepening perspective on those insights
- Building/designing a practice to try on new ways of being/seeing OR experiment for discovery
- Assessing progress, becoming agile in transfer of learning and application before developing additional insights
An organic experience
The experience is tailored around what you bring to each conversation, in my experience, there are common themes that arise including: self-awareness, mindfulness, mindset, communication, connections, and attitude. Self-awareness stands alone but is also a foundational theme. I have registered upwards of 40 sub-concepts that fit under each of these categories. Furthermore, I bring tools, skills and techniques to respond and guide our work together, informed by positive psychology, neuroscience, and management/leadership research.
Walk With Me, to Where You Want to Be
In all my blog posts in 2019, you will find this section outlines what brought me to this area of focus: supporting people in the early to middle part of their career as a #performance #coach.
Feel like you’re living someone else’s destiny?
If that’s working for you, great. If it isn’t or it starts to be a problem, reach out. I welcome a conversation.
Willing to do the work to find more meaning?
With the skills to unpack the emotions and barriers and triggers and mindset challenges with the skills in my BYI system, participants begin to see the impact in their career and finally begin to discover what matters most to them. The bonus: they begin to see a path to get there. Join me… My system is intended to be meaningful, relevant, accessible and affordable. With that in mind, there are many ways to engage with me. Below are TWO ways to start, without spending a dime.
Walk with Me!
- BOOK a complimentary exploratory 1:1 conversation 20-30 minutes.
- SUBSCRIBE to my mailing list. You’ll receive an interactive exercise that you may use to reduce and manage stress or feelings of overwhelm. PLUS each week you’ll receive my podcast and reflections in your inbox AND you’ll be invited to monthly webinars and roundtable conversations.
In closing, I love bringing learning experiences to workplaces that are interested in raising their performance and encouraging their people.
- Book me to speak at your conference or to a group in your organization. My workshops on building resilience, improving workplace outcomes through relationships, and increasing performance are big hits! In 2020 I’ve added a few workshops on gender engagement – how, by knocking off the boxes that limit us by gender we all find our capacity expands.