Page 141 - The Power to Change Anything

130 INFLUENCER

us survive. We stumble upon something threatening—say a
tiger—and as our “go” system takes over, our brain sends blood
to our arms and legs, our heart rate and blood pressure increase,
and, like it or not, we start producing cholesterol—just in case
we face blunt trauma.
More intriguing still, as our “go” system kicks in and blood
flows out of the brain and toward our arms and legs, we start
relying on a much smaller part of our brain (the amygdala) to
take over the job of “thinking.” When the amygdala takes con-
trol, we no longer process information in a cool, calm, and col-
lected way. Rather than cogitating, ruminating, and completing
other high-level cognitive tasks, the amygdala or “reptilian
brain” is made for speed. It’s wired for quick, emotional pro-
cessing that, when activated, triggers reflexive responses includ-
ing fight and flight. The amygdala instinctively moves us to
action. We see a tiger and bang, we’re off and running. This
hot/go system develops very early and is most dominant in the
young infant.
The second system, known as the “cool” or “know” system,
serves us well during more stable times. It’s emotionally neutral,
runs off the frontal lobe, and is designed for higher-level cogni-
tive processing. Consequently, it helps us thrive, rather than sur-
vive. It’s the part of the brain we’re using as we’re calmly picking
blackberries while chatting with a friend. This system is very ill
suited to dealing with the tiger that is just about to appear
around the corner. Our “know” system is slow and contempla-
tive and begins to develop at around age four—just about the
time children are first able to delay gratification.
As terrific as it is to have two very different operating sys-
tems, each perfectly suited to its own unique tasks, when you
have two of anything, you always run the risk of employing the
wrong one given your circumstances. For instance, a tiger
appears, and you remain emotionally neutral, marveling at the
cat’s amazing speed, while you carefully contemplate your
options. “Let’s see, if I climb that tree, there’s a chance . . .”