Some years ago, after decades of driving a small car, I said “Oh what the heck” and bought a big Tahoe SUV. I had never had an SUV before, thought they were too expensive. And this one was no exception! (It cost 3 times my first house!) But, in the throws of mid-life crisis I said what-the-heck and got it!

Man was I proud of that thing. Big Black Tahoe with fancy wheels and heated leather seats! What a deal! But as soon as I got that thing home, I got very upset. I thought I had the only one like it, but now it seemed like everyone in Florida that had a black Tahoe moved into my neighborhood, ’cause I saw them everywhere! On the highway, the interstate, on the way to the grocery…it seemed like everyone had one just like mine!

Have you experienced this? You got a new car and as soon as you did you started seeing them everywhere. Well don’t let that bother you. In fact it is the basis for one of the most powerful functions of your brain. Yes it was your brain that made you start seeing cars like yours everywhere! Why? How? What makes this work? Well, as soon as you understand this about your brain, and how to apply what you learn, you are on your way to achievements at the highest levels!

What makes you notice cars like yours? Even when you’re not looking for them? Shhhh! Its a secret (Or should I say THE Secret) Its your RAS. Rhymes with jazz, and man can it make sweet music for you.

In the brain we all have an interconnected pattern of neurons near the back of the brain called the Reticular Activating System (RAS for short) that AUTOMATICALLY performs an extremely important function for us 24/7. Any time an impulse comes into your brain, it first passes through the RAS. One of the immediate and automatic functions of the RAS, is to notice what type of impulse it is and what information it is carrying.

If the impulse is carrying information that is important to you (I call it info on your brain’s “Important List”) your RAS will AUTOMATICALLY send that impulse to your conscious brain level. Any impulse that goes into your conscious brain, cannot be ignored! You must notice it and you must respond to it with an action or reaction. You have no choice! It is AUTOMATIC! [If it is something not on your "Important List" your RAS sends the info to your nonconscious brain for storage and possible later recall.]

This brain mechanism is the function that acts as the neuroscientific basis for the “Law of Attraction” and “The Secret” You do not send messages out into the Universe, and wait for the Universe to send you your wishes.

What really happens (scientifically) is you get your goals on your RAS “Important List” and your brain will then start AUTOMATICALLY noticing and calling to your attention everything related to your goals. These things didn’t magically appear out of the universe. They were there all along.

You just never noticed them before as they were not yet on your “Important List”! And remember, when this happens, you must pay attention to the stimulus, you have no choice, its automatic; you must either take action or react.

Procrastination for your goals then would be a thing of the past. Automatically! Fantastic! Well then, how the heck to you get things put on your brain’s “Important List”? Aha! That’s a topic for our next post! But send me your ideas and comments and post them here! Let’s see what you think!

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Filed under: Blog • Byte-Sized Brain APPLES • Long Term Memory

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