New Year, New Mindset: Unlock the Secrets of Effective Decision-Making

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Welcome and thank you for tuning in into Lead to Excel podcast, the hub where science meets leadership and transformation begins. I'm your host, maureen Chiana, founder of the Mindsight Academy, a trailblazer in the world of neuroleadership. I'm an executive neuro coach, leadership transformer and a neuroscience enthusiast, dedicated to empowering leaders, entrepreneurs, changemakers and Christians just like you to excel and thrive in every area of your life. This week, we're going to kick off with another high impact episode diving into the topic that is powerful, intriguing and has the potential to shift your leadership journey. So it's time to put on your thinking caps, grab your favorite beverage, get comfortable and let's dive in. Welcome to our first episode on Lead to Excel podcast for 2024.

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I'm so excited to be back with another podcast, and today I'm going to be talking about unleashing your decision making power for a groundbreaking 2024. Today marks a new chapter as we start 2024. And I want us to really explore the immense power of internal narratives and how they shape our decision making and leadership in particular. And this is because at this time of the year, we find that so many people are making new years resolutions, are setting new goals, but if you don't make the right decisions or even set the right goals, you will not end up where you really want to end up or where you should end up, or achieve the goals that you should achieve. So I want us to really dig deep a bit into decision making and you will discover different techniques that will help you harness this power for your professional and personal excellence. So grab your favorite drink, settle in and let's start this journey to make 2024 a year of transformative success.

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Let's start off by exploring our belief system. Think of your mind as a blank canvas. At birth, each experience and interaction you have adds a stroke of color and texture to your life. Childhood environments, family dynamics, cultural influences all these elements paint parts of this intricate picture, and I'll share a story from my own childhood that illustrates how a simple family tradition significantly influenced my approach to challenges and decision making. As a young girl brought up in the UK till about the age of seven and went back to Nigeria and discovering the whole emphasis on having a boy child was so strong. My mom had two girls, so the pressure on my on my dad in particular to get a son, either from marrying a second wife or other ways, really puts a huge I would say impact, or you had a huge impact on my own self esteem because it was almost like I didn't matter. And this really impacted me growing up and affected a lot of things that I did, so you can imagine the wiring that was occurring in my brain.

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Growing up and feeling not worthy, not valued, led to me being bullied as well, and it was my mom that really helped change that situation for me. I would say she helped me understand that I was worthy, that in spite of the culture, I was worthy Because before then and it was a process to get there and I would talk about this more in a different podcast but when I was being bullied, she was the one that kept telling me, asking the questions, what were the bullies saying? Why was I not responding or standing up to them? And it was in that process that I got to believe in myself. It was that process that enabled me to build the confidence that I had. But as I became an adult, I realized that a lot of that was still playing in my mind, or still playing in my subconscious. The things like rejection, self-worth, impacted on decisions I made, but because my mom had already wired it into my brain, I was able to realize when I was making decisions that were coming from a place of low self-worth and I was able to almost like rewire I would say definitely rewire the narrative or stories that my subconscious was coming up with, and this really led to a lot of decisions that I made. For example, when I was in employment and I was working with a man who kept putting me down, I was able to stand up to him, which I wouldn't have been able to do before. I was able to stand up to him and I made the decision at a point when I found that I wasn't getting any support to leave to take myself out of this situation. So, as adults, our belief systems often operate subconsciously, suddenly guiding our perceptions and the actions that we take.

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So let's now explore the role of cognitive biases, the mental shortcuts that can aid and hinder our judgments. Large biases like confirmation biases, where we favor information that confirms our existing beliefs, and the sunk cost fallacy, where past events unduly influence our current decisions. To bring this to life, let's examine some real life scenarios Today business leader who continues investing in a failing project because they've invested so much into it already. That's the sunk cost fallacy in action. Reflect on your life have there been times your decisions were more about past investments rather than the present reality? Now, how do you identify and manage these cognitive biases? The key lies in self-awareness and emotional intelligence.

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So let's look at some tips to help guide you through this process, because as you start making or setting goals this year to enable you achieve them, you've got to be aware of the beliefs that drive your decisions. You've got to be aware of the actions that you're taking to enable you achieve those decisions. One of the key things to do is imagine that you have a special notebook. Let's call it your decision journal. Every time you make a big decision maybe it's buying a new car, choosing a job or even starting a new diet jot it down in this journal or notebook. But here's the key Don't just write down what decision that you've made. Also write down why you made that decision. What were you thinking at that moment? What were your expectations as well? Now fast forward a few weeks, months or even a year. Open your decision journal and take a trip down memory lane. Look at each decision that you wrote about. How did it turn out? Was buying the car the right move at that time? Did the new job meet your expectations.

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This isn't just about judging yourself. It's really about learning. It's about paying attention to the decisions that you make and why you made them at the time, to help you in the decisions you're currently making or even future decisions. Also, it will help you understand if you make decisions based on what other people expect you to make or if you're making it based on your perception of what society, parents, culture wants you to make. And by doing this, you're doing something really powerful. You're becoming more aware of how you make decisions. You might start noticing patterns, like maybe you tend to make impulsive decisions or impulsive choices when you're stressed, or perhaps you overvalue certain things and undervalue others. This is incredibly valuable, because the more you understand how you make decisions, the better your future decisions can be. It's like having a conversation with your past self to help your future self, and that's pretty cool, I would say, and it's so powerful and productive.

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Now let's talk about seeking diverse perspectives. Picture this You're standing in a room surrounded by mirrors. Everywhere you look, you see your own reflection, your own ideas bouncing back at you. Now imagine if each mirror instead showed you a different view, a new perspective. That's what seeking diverse perspectives is all about.

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When you're making decisions or forming opinions, it's really easy to get caught in an echo chamber where the only voices you hear are the ones that agree with yours. But what if you stepped outside the room? What if you actively looked for people who think differently than you do? This could be someone from a different background, a different culture or with a different set of experiences. It could be a coach, it could be a mentor, it could be a friend. Listen to what they have to say. It might challenge your usual way of thinking, and that's a good thing. You don't have to agree with everything they say, but understanding different viewpoints can really broaden your mind and give you a better overview of situations. It's like adding colors to a painting the more you have, the richer the picture becomes. And this is why I created the Mindsite Women's Network, and we're going to be running a 90-day journey using these concepts of making effective decisions, with a framework I've created, and the ladies are going to be working through the framework to ensure that, first and foremost, that you're setting the goals that are right for you at this time, that you're setting goals based on the vision God has given you and not goals based on what you feel society or other people want you to be making, because that's really why, a lot of times, you set goals and don't achieve them. So I invite you to join us. Click the link in the description and you'll find out a lot more about the community itself, the Mindsite Women's Network, but also the 90-day experience that we're going to be starting this January. So I want us to now look at mindfulness practices.

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Minds are like a busy street. Minds and feelings are like cars zooming past, honking loudly, demanding your attention. It's noisy, it's chaotic and sometimes it can be overwhelming. Now what if you could sit on a bench by this street and just watch these cars go by without having to run into traffic? This was something that I did as a young girl growing up in Lagos, nigeria. Our road was quite a busy road and I always found myself on the balcony just sitting down and watching people go by, watching how people behaved, watching how people interacted with each other. This is probably why I became so curious about people's behavior.

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But this is what mindfulness or meditation is like, where you truly get lost in just observing things, as opposed to being in the noise and chaos. It's not about emptying your mind or stopping your thoughts. Instead, it's about learning to observe your thoughts and feelings calmly. It's like watching these cars as they go by you acknowledge them, but you don't have to chase after them or get swept away. When you practice mindfulness regularly, you're training yourself to be more aware of your inner world without getting lost in it. It's like having a superpower, where you notice what you're thinking or feeling, but not let it control you. This can be really helpful in stressful situations or when you're feeling anxious or upset. Imagine you're feeling really frustrated about something. With mindfulness, you can notice this frustration, understand it's just a passing emotion and not let it dictate your actions. It's a way to keep your cool and stay clear-headed. It's about being responsive as opposed to being reactive. By incorporating mindfulness into your daily routine, even just a few minutes a day, you're giving yourself a tool to navigate life with a bit more ease and clarity. It's like having an inner anchor that keeps you grounded, no matter how stormy your thoughts and emotions might be. So now I want you to try a little exercise.

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Think about a decision that you've made recently. It can be anything big or small. Maybe you decided what you're going to have for lunch, choose a movie to watch or even make a big purchase. Now take a step back from that decision. Imagine you're looking at it from outside. Here's a key question Were there any biases influencing the choice you made?

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These are like little shortcuts our brains are taking when making decisions. They're not always bad, but they can sometimes lead us off track without us even realizing it. For example, maybe you chose a familiar movie because it's comfortable, even though there was a new one you were curious about. That's comfort zone bias. Or perhaps you went for a pricey gadget. Thinking more expensive must mean better. That's a common bias, too. Recognizing these patterns in your decisions is super important. It's like being a detective in your own mind. When you spot a bias, you're taking the first step in breaking it free from it. This doesn't mean you always change your decisions, but it does mean that you're making more informed, balanced choices. So next time you're about to make a decision, take a moment to ask yourself am I leaning a certain way because of a bias? Just asking this question can open up new possibilities and help you see things that you might have missed before. It's a simple tool, but it can make a big difference on how you make decisions.

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Let's talk about something really exciting. Have you guessed what that is? Rewiring your brain for success? At the heart of this is a concept called neuroplasticity, which is the brain's amazing ability to change and adapt throughout our lives. Think of your brain as a garden. The pathways in your brain are like paths in this garden the more you walk down a particular path, the more worn and established that path becomes. Similarly, the more you think a certain way, the stronger that pattern of thoughts becomes in your brain. But here's the good news Just as you can choose a new path in a garden, you can also forge new paths in your brain. That's neuroplasticity in action for you. Now how do we actually do this?

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One powerful tool is using positive affirmations. This is about regularly affirming positive truths about yourself and your capabilities. For example, instead of thinking I can't do this, you could say I am capable and strong. And you might even go further by reminding yourself of things that you thought or felt you couldn't do before that you actually did. It's like planting new, healthy seeds in your brain garden. When you do this consistently, you're not just being optimistic, you're actively counteracting negative self-talk and biases that might have taken root in your brain previously. Over time, these positive affirmations will help change how you think and feel about yourself, and your abilities and situations as well. It's like watering and nurturing the good plants in your garden and pulling out the weeds of negativity and doubts.

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Operating positive affirmations into your daily routine can be a game changer. It's a simple yet powerful way to rewire your brain for success. One positive thought at a time. Now to help you achieve this, head over to mindsightstorecom, where we've got a lot of t-shirts, mugs, different accessories, sweatshirts, hoodies and a lot of positive affirmations that you wear, and remind yourself of those positive things that you want to achieve. Also reminding yourself what you're actually truly capable of, because a lot of the negative thoughts are not true. They're limitations. So head over to mindsightstore. Grab yourself something a gift card to even give somebody else and use them to be intentional about what you want to achieve so you can take the actions that you need to take to achieve them.

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I want us now to explore something called scriptural meditation. This is about taking moments to reflect on passages from scripture. Think of it as finding nuggets of wisdom that speak to your life and your experiences. So imagine you're facing a decision or a challenge, instead of rushing through it, you pause and turn to a passage from your chosen scripture. This passage might offer guidance, comfort or a new perspective that you hadn't even noticed before or even considered before. It's like having a wise friend who offers counsel when you need it the most. It's about actually going back to what God says about you, about situations, to empower you to take the right decision or take actions that you would have procrastinated about or run away from.

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The key here is to use the scriptural passages as anchors in your decision-making process. For example, a verse about patience might remind you to take a step back and not make hasty decisions. Or a passage about kindness could inspire you to consider the impact of your decisions on others, which is also empathy in emotional intelligence. So by integrating scriptural meditation into your daily life, you're not just reading words. You're actively applying timeless wisdom to your daily choices. It's a way of aligning your decisions with deeper values and principles. It's about aligning your decisions with God's directions for you. So this practice doesn't have to be time consuming. Even just a few minutes a day can provide a profound sense of clarity and purpose. Over time, you find that these scriptural reflections become powerful, too, in navigating life's complexities with a grounded and thoughtful approach.

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So I want us now to discuss something that is quite crucial for personal and professional growth, and that's learning and adaptability. It's about committing to never stop learning and being open to change. It's like keeping your mental doors and windows open to let fresh ideas and experiences breathe in. Imagine that you're on a lifelong journey. Along the way, there are countless things to learn new skills, fresh ideas, different perspectives. By embracing continuous learning, You're saying I'm ready to grow, no matter where I am in life. It's like being a student of life, always curious, always exploring. But here's another piece of the puzzle adaptability. This means learning new things and being flexible and willing. The key word is willing to adjust your approach based on what life throws at you. It's like being a sufferer riding the waves of change. Sometimes you write smoothly and other times you might fall, but the key is to get back up, learn from the experience and adapt your technique.

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Incorporating learning and adaptability into your life isn't just about building a great resume or keeping up with the times. It's about enriching your life, expanding your horizons and becoming a more well-rounded person, whether it's taking a new course, reading a book outside your comfort zone or simply listening to someone with a different viewpoint. Every new experience is a tool for growth. So, coming to being a lifelong learner, embrace new knowledge and experiences. This mindset won't just help you navigate your professional world. It will enrich every aspect of your life, making you more versatile, more resilient and open to life's endless possibilities.

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So, as we wrap up today's episode, I want to leave you with this thought Mastering your inner narratives is a continuous journey. It's not about a one-time fix or sudden transformation. Instead, it's about the small, conscious efforts that you make every single day. These efforts are aimed at understanding and shaping the way you think, which, in turn, influences your decision-making and leadership. And leadership is self-leadership and leading others as well. So every day offers a new opportunity to examine your thoughts, question your biases and embrace new perspectives. It's like sculpting your mind to become better at handling whatever life throws at you. This process will help you not just be wiser at making decisions, but you will also become a more effective and empathetic leader.

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So, as we move forward into 2024, commit to this journey of personal growth and excellence. Challenge yourself to think deeper, learn more and adapt better. Here's to a year filled with immense growth, remarkable achievements and endless learning. Thank you so much again for joining me today on Lead to Excel Podcast. Let's work together to make 2024 a truly groundbreaking year. Remember, every step you take on this journey counts and I'm excited to see where this path leads us all. Until next time, keep leading, keep learning and keep exceling.

Speaker 1: 27:08

We've gotten to the end of another enlightening episode of Lead to Excel podcast. Thank you for spending your valuable time with us today, diving deep into the intriguing world of neuroscience and leadership. Remember, the journey to personal and professional excellence is not a sprint. It's a marathon and every step, no matter how small, brings you closer to your goals. If you found value in our conversation today and it has sparked insights or questions, I invite you to share your thoughts with us.

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