THE BRAIN
The subconscious part of the human brain is amazing. If it has an agenda it pushes that agenda no matter what. This agenda can be simplified to "optimal survival." I will breakdown each word as they both have important meanings. This understanding of how the human brain works is key to solving some of the toughest people problems such as addiction and homelessness.
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"Optimal" part of optimal survival is no more apparent when we look at living conditions. Women, if I built you an igloo, would you want to live in it? No, you want to at least live in a studio or 1 bedroom that’s comfortable. If the Jones have a bathtub you can soak in, then you’d want one too. We don’t just want to live comfortably, we want to live optimally (especially women lol). That’s why people pay millions of dollars for houses with 10+ rooms even though there are only 2 people living in the house. The subconscious likes space and isn’t always practical. The subconscious also doesn’t care about your budget. Once the subconscious has an idea, it doesn’t forget it. The subconscious is very powerful and if you use it optimally it can take you wherever you want to go.
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The subconscious can be optimal in the short term but incredibly un-optimal in the long term. An easy example of this is a drug attic. The addict generally knows they shouldn't take drugs. They know the drugs are bad for them. They know they shouldn't spend their last dollar on them. But the truth is the drug attic can't help it. The reason the drug attic can't help themselves is because their brain has a subconscious that plays out "optimal" survival. The subconscious will do anything to make the brain feel optimal. If drugs make the brain feel optimal in the short term the subconscious will ensure that that happens. Even though in the long term, the person is getting fucked. This is why people who are addicted spiral out of control. It's because they have no control. Whatever is optimal for the subconscious brain in the short term is in control. This is because every human has neurotransmitters called dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin that of which levels are influenced by the drugs. Every human has the potential to be an addict. All you can do is be aware of this information and live by the rule too much of anything is a bad thing.
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Survival means endless energy, focus, and thought is available for us to ensure we find food, water, and shelter. You would never see a lion that’s on the hunt stop, and say fuck this, I’m bored or tired. No, that lion sees the food and knows it’s gonna get the food no matter what. It might take 1 minute or 24 hours. Since humans only go on short jaunts to the grocery store an adequate analogy is sports. Micheal Jordan or Roger Federer are not busting their ass on the court because it’s just, fun. They-like the lion-see the end goal, wether it's eating or winning. They train their whole life for this moment. If the lion can’t find food, it's family will starve. The lion will have failed. The consequences aren’t as dire for the highest paid athletes, but similar to the failing lion, they would be extremely dissatisfied. Their brain would not stop thinking about all the reasons why they lost. What they could have done different, and what they would need to do to win their next game or match.
Now we see why the subconscious can be our greatest gift or it can be our worst nightmare. It’s what creates billionaires and drug attics. When the subconscious is trained, honed, understood, and congruent, our subconscious can give us endless energy, thought, and focus used for amazing things. Work to understand your subconscious and how it works to bring good things into your life. Below there is more literature to explain further how the subconscious, human body, and addictions exist.
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The Human Brain
Our brain is incredible. It consists of two parts. The conscious part with which we do our thinking with head voice. The subconscious part of the brain with which our brain does the majority of it's thinking that control our heart beat, breathing ect.
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The boat analogy is perfect explaining how the brain works. The ship captain is our conscious brain we control. It's in charge of the subconscious or ship that consists of the engine, sail, deckhands.
Human Physiology
Understanding how the human body works can be complex. That is why I created this diagram to show how a human body and a computer work similarly.
Subconscious x Addiction
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The front pin is short term and when hit is selects for things that cause addictions like drugs which just activate hormones that cause us to feel good.
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When we can move past the short term addiction pin, we can hit the long term pins like being inquisitive, having focus, identifying our personal, professional, and relational realms of life. By knocking down the long term pins we can build a life that is meaningful and fulfilling!
Optimal Survival
As we can see the subconscious is the bowling ball in the bowling lane. The pins are either short term pins or long term pins. Short term pins have immediate effects. Long term pins have long term effects. Each pin is it's own unique descriptor.
This diagram shows us all the different types of addictions we can get trapped into because our bodies desire "optimal survival." This is why we crave feeling good and will do anything to achieve it, no matter the consequences.