Our Lizard Brain Robs Us of a Great Life

What the heck is our lizard brain?

We all have a lizard brain.  It is part metaphor and part science.  Scientifically speaking, it is two almond-shaped amygdala located deep in our heads that form a sort of mini-brain.

This mini-brain seems to take over when we are afraid, mad, aroused, hungry or out to get someone.  It is very primitive.  It has served to keep us alive as a species for a long time, but our lizard brain can also work against us.

It creates what Seth Godin calls the Resistance in his latest book, Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?  Our Resistance is a combination of fear, procrastination, anxiety and rationalization generated by our lizard brains to protect us, but these responses also often rob us of a great life.

How Our Lizard Brain Controls Us

Have you ever had a really great idea, but failed to act on it?  That’s the lizard brain doing its thang.  It holds us back.  It wants to keep us hidden, still, undetected and safe.  The lizard brain talks us into staying where life is comfortable.

Of course, as I’ve written before, comfort is not an option when you want to live life to the fullest.  You cannot live a great life hiding under a rock where it is safe.  You’ve got to get out and see what the world has to offer.  You’ve got to beat the lizard brain at its game.

Don’t get me wrong.  If you are in a real survival situation, the lizard brain can be your best friend.  It is programmed to keep you alive.  It is the part of your brain responsible for the actions you take without thinking during a true crisis.

The lizard brain is very good at what it does.  It has had years to perfect its technique.  Also, because it has been around for a long time, it is very powerful.  Don’t let its size fool you.  The lizard brain will take over if it feels threatened.  It has that kind of power.  It can virtually shutdown the rest of your brain and run the whole show itself if it thinks high stakes are in play.

This was a good thing when every day was a fight for survival, but in modern society, the lizard brain has a tendency to get in the way.

It doesn’t usually take over, but it whispers to us all the time.  You’ve got to recognize and call out the lizard brain when it tries to hold you back.

How to Start Recognizing the Lizard Brain

Recognizing the lizard brain when it starts speaking is the beginning of defeating it so you can obtain the really great life you desire.

When you have an idea, the lizard brain will tell you things like:

• People will laugh at you if you pursue that.
• This could get you fired.
• Nobody is going to pay you to do that.
• This is simply not good enough for other people.
• You don’t have the money to do it.
• You don’t have the experience to make it work.
• Let’s think about it for awhile to see how it looks next month.
• You are going to screw this up just like last time.
• You have it pretty good right where you are at so be careful.
• Other people are already doing this and they are probably better than you.

Have you ever heard any of these doubts in your head before?  That’s your lizard brain.  It can even push you to do some pretty bizarre things like Seth points out inThe doormat, the jerk and the lizard brain.

Again, the lizard brain’s mission is to keep you hidden where you aren’t likely to get eaten, but it tends to go a little overboard in playing it safe.  The lizard brain is paranoid.

Listening to the lizard brain will kill the genius inside you.  Shut it up so you can start being remarkable and living the life you really want.

The next time you hear your lizard brain holding you back, say it out loud.  Verbally state, “This is my lizard brain speaking and I’m not going to listen to it.”  Repeat, if necessary.  It might seem a little foolish, but it works.  This technique tends to make the lizard brain retreat which then gives you a window of opportunity to take a step toward a better life.

Don’t Let Your Lizard Brain Steal Another Minute

Why are you working so hard to bury your natural-born instincts?  I’ve never met someone who had no art in them, though it’s buried sometimes.  Markets are crying out.  We need you to stand up and be remarkable.  Be human.  Contribute.  Interact.  Take the risk that you might make someone upset with your initiative, innovation, and insight – it turns out that you’ll probably delight them instead.
~ Seth Godin, Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?

What if your lizard brain is wrong?  What if it really is paranoid?  What if you really do have genius ideas that people really need and that can make the world a better place?  I believe we all have this inside of us.  We can all become indispensable.  Yes, even regular people can be remarkable.

Your lizard brain does its best to keep you quiet, trudging along and doing your part as a cog in the machine.  It wants you to be average.  Mediocre.  That’s where thingsseem safe.  But are they really? 

A lot of people have lost “safe” jobs lately.  A lot of “safe” businesses have gone under.  A lot of people that were following the status quo have seen their lives turned completely upside down. 

Yet, there are others that are thriving.  They are the indispensable ones.  You may know or at least know of one or two of these people.  They have pushed on despitethe screaming lizard brain in their head.

The resistance tried to hold them back, but they didn’t let it.  They took the chance and it has paid off.

What will you do?