Neuro-Forecasting
Keep your eyes out for the prefix “neuro” which is rapidly coming into modern day business conversations. You’re going to see words like neurobusiness and neuropolitics. Just last week a past client from Ameriprise invited me to hear a speaker share about neuroeconomics.
What’s up with all the neurology?
By studying brain chemistry, business and political agendas will get a competitive edge on understanding the physical, mental, and, yes, biological reactions of their target market otherwise known as you and me.
Now this is not new information. Advertising firms have spent billions of dollars in an attempt to understand how they might tap into the emotional control centers of the public brain. For decades, they have followed the scientific research and employed scientists of their own in an effort to understand how you and I react and what is going to make us choose their product, whether it be pain pills or presidents.
Research money is being spent, not only to study the emotional impact of our decision making, but also, specifically, to learn what neurologically occurs inside our body while making these decisions.
Now just like the Force in Star Wars this information can be used for good or evil.
However if it is used at all, I don’t want to be played in that manner; I want to know as much about my decision making as the next neuro specialist selling me something. Don’t you?
One of the ways that we begin to understand our own reactions, is through the study of Mindfulness. We take a look at the contents of our consciousness without judging ourselves. This can give us some spaciousness to notice our reactions without thinking or making any automatic decisions. This gives us some time to notice where we have automatic urges and has us choose powerfully out of fullness rather than fear.
A teacher of mine, Alan Cohen, often says, “Use Your Mind or Someone Else Will.” And I now see how true this statement is.
Monday Mindfulness
This week bring awareness to your physical and emotional states when making any decisions regarding money. Slow down your automatic urges just long enough to make powerful choices.
Offering
Do you want to know how you can use your mind so other people don't?
Love this minute or hate it? Share your comments in the reply box below.
February 19th, 2007 at 10:48 am
Hey Jason,
Great piece. I really enjoy hearing these every Monday.
All the Best,
Barry
February 19th, 2007 at 11:28 am
Thank you! Mindfulness will help me and several of my clients in making the right decision to each of us.
As I coach my mortgage clients “I’m not here to sell you. I believe it’s important for you to be well educated so you can make a choose powerfully out of fullness rather than fear.”
Charlie
February 19th, 2007 at 12:34 pm
Quality insights Jason. Brainwashing is definitely not a new thing, especially in Advertising. And Mindfulness is one of our only defences! Besides turning off the TV…
February 19th, 2007 at 1:33 pm
i’m (trying) to read this book right now called “stumbling on happyness” that is about mind science and such. its pretty good.
if you want to check it out go to this link:
http://www.amazon.com/Stumbling-Happiness-Daniel-Gilbert/dp/1400077427/sr=8-1/qid=1171916872/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-5253893-0830405?ie=UTF8&s=books
anybody out there read this one?
February 20th, 2007 at 6:15 am
I agree that the “neuro” prefix is getting more popular - how about Neuromarketing? I see this trend increasing even more as fMRI and other evolving tools help us understand the neuroscience behind activities that have been taken for granted or explained in other ways.