
Confidence Is Not Inherent - The Chimp Brain vs. The Human Brain
We highly recommend listening to the podcast interviews of Steve Peters, a psychiatrist who emphasizes the importance of confidence and its impact on performance.
He suggests that confidence is not an inherent trait but rather a skill that can be developed and improved upon because it is directly influenced by our thoughts, self-beliefs, and the way we interpret events and situations.
According to Dr. Peters, confidence is very much linked to our perception of our own competence. This is of course obvious. We know that when we believe in our abilities and have a positive self-image, our confidence grows. On the other hand, negative self-talk, self-doubt, and focusing on past failures can negatively affect our confidence.
Peters states we should challenge and reframe our negative thoughts and beliefs. First we do this by identifying and replacing unhelpful thinking patterns. We will explain this in more detail later on. By challenging our negative believe we can cultivate a more confident mindset. Consider it this way: If a stranger is rude to us without any apparent reason, does that person genuinely have an issue with us, or are they simply having a bad day?
He also emphasizes the importance of setting realistic goals and celebrating small achievements along the way because these can also contribute to building confidence. Did you finally make it to the gym today? Celebrate that!
Furthermore, Peters highlights the role of visualization techniques in enhancing confidence. By vividly imagining successful outcomes and mentally rehearsing desired performances, we can bolster our belief in our abilities. Athletes do this all the time.
The Chimp Brain vs. The Human Brain
The Chimp Paradox is a book written by Dr. Steve Peters and in this book, published in 2012, he presents a model for understanding and managing the human mind, particularly the emotional and irrational aspects.
In The Chimp Paradox, Dr. Peters introduces the idea that within each of our mind, there are two metaphorical entities: the human and the chimp.
The human represents the logical, rational, and conscious part of our mind, while the chimp represents the emotional, impulsive, and irrational part. The chimp is associated with instinctive behaviors, strong emotions, and primal reactions.
The book explores how the chimp and human interact and influence decision-making, behavior, and emotional well-being within us.
Dr. Peters provides strategies and techniques for individuals to better understand and manage their inner chimp, enabling them to make more rational choices, control their emotions, and achieve greater psychological balance.
The Chimp
Some of us can be more emotional than others. This means our Chimp Brain is more active. It is the emotional part of your mind that makes decisions. It can be beneficial for us when it accurately picks up on subtle cues that our rational mind may miss. Think about that "gut" feeling. However, it can also lead us astray when its decisions are driven by negative, defensive, or paranoid thoughts. The Chimp operates based on two primary goals: self-survival, which makes it sensitive to danger, and perpetuating the species, which influences its instinctual reactions.
The first objective, self-preservation, means that our Chimp brain's decision-making is focused on protecting ourself from harm. The Chimp is highly attuned to potential dangers in its environment and reacts instinctively to avoid threats.
The second objective, the perpetuation of the species, refers to our Chimp brain's inherent drive to ensure the survival and reproduction of our species. This goal influences the Chimp's instinctual responses. This means we are wired to prioritize behaviors and reactions that contribute to the continuation of our genetic lineage.
In summary, this Chimp brain metaphor is the part of our brain that governs our instincts and desires. We can't change it but we can manage it.
The Human
Do you have friends that are more rational than you? They are operating with their "human" brain. In contrast to the Chimp, the inner Human within you makes decisions in a rational manner, relying on facts and logical thinking.
Its primary responsibility is to maintain a balance between the Chimp's emotional instincts and sensible thoughts.
When confronted with situations, ideally the Human part of us should respond by examining evidence, considering context, and seeking to understand the motives behind others' actions.
Similar to the Chimp, the Human is guided by two goals but these goals differ significantly from the Chimp's instinctual focus on survival.
The first objective is self-fulfillment. We possess a desire to maximize our personal potential and achieve meaningful success in our lives. This is why we are usually working toward a promotion or a higher salary.
The second objective is societal harmony. We are inherently social creatures and have an innate drive to establish communities that enable peaceful coexistence with one another through the implementation of rules and laws.
The Computer - Ways To Improve Confidence
Lastly, in The Chimp Paradox, he explores techniques for addressing negative beliefs and habits.
The Computer is described as the command center for automatic reactions, comprising beliefs, habits, and knowledge that drive our decision-making.
The Computer operates much faster than the Chimp and Human minds. Think of it as the automatic, habitual parts of our mind,
It consists of four elements:
- Autopilots - positive beliefs that guide you to act
- Goblins - deeply ingrained negative beliefs such as "I'm not good enough"
- Gremlins (replaceable negative beliefs)
- The Stone of Life (core values and beliefs)
To manage the Computer effectively, he advises us to replace Gremlins with Autopilots and to be mindful of interpreting experiences to prevent unnecessary negative thoughts.
The idea basically means to replace thoughts and habits that don't serve you with better thoughts and habits.
Have you ever struggled with self-doubt? How did you overcome it?