Written by: Dr. Khalilah Johnson, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Brain power and strength have everything to do with how you think, act, and behave throughout the day. Without strong brain power, it is difficult to get things done or stay focused on the tasks at hand. If your brain power isn’t up to par, you’ll likely spend more time worrying about what you need to do versus doing it. This can lead to procrastination and distractibility, which can eat away at your productivity and will only make your day harder than it needs to be.
Imagine If you could design your life
What would it look like? What type of career would you have? How would you make money and what kind of work environment do you need in order to thrive? Where would you live and with whom? How might your relationships change? Visualize your life as if it already exists, complete with all its beauty, joys, challenges, and opportunities. The power of positive thought has a direct correlation with energy levels, productivity, and stamina. Studies show that merely envisioning success is enough to increase performance by 10 percent—which means positive thinking can literally speed up how fast we accomplish tasks and reach goals. We won’t attempt to sugarcoat things here. Visualization is not simple work; but results speak for themselves.
You have the power to choose a different direction
In my most recent research, I came across an article published in an American Psychology journal back in 1969, examined college students’ willpower and self-control. The researchers split a group of volunteers into two groups—those with high willpower/self-control and those with low willpower/self-control—and tracked their progress throughout a semester. Those who started out with high willpower/self-control scored lower over time as compared to their peers who began with low willpower/self-control but improved. What does that mean? It means you’re not born with certain traits—they can be developed or changed based on your habits and choices. You have more control than you might think! That should be music to your ears because it means if you want to change something about yourself or change your life for the better, you have some power here! As difficult as it may seem, keep pushing and put up with temporary discomfort (like putting down your phone while writing) in order to achieve what you really want.
If you never try new things, then how will they go wrong? In his book Blink, Malcolm Gladwell popularized a theory called the 10,000 Hour Rule. In summary, he proposes anyone can master anything by just spending 10K hours on it. Seems great, right? Well, what about failure and error? What about all those minutes spent doing something wrong before you finally do it right? No one gets good at something without trying, failing, or messing up along the way. So, stop waiting for your New Year’s resolution and start making changes today! Think of a behavior or habit in your life that needs improving—one that’s been holding you back—and act today. You’ll be so glad you did!
So, what’s the secret to living the life of your dreams?
It’s not as difficult as you might think. It’s not about some cookie-cutter, three-step plan or some fancy success technique. Rather, it involves mastering a few key skills that will lead you on a path toward meaningful goals and lasting happiness. I call these skills brain power. And learning how to wield them is what sets successful people apart from everyone else—and I’m here to teach you how… in five simple steps.
1. Power your brain with sleep
Sleep helps your brain function at full capacity. Not getting enough sleep makes it harder for you to be productive, focus on tasks and learn new information. If you’re not getting enough sleep, do what you can to rest more. Put down your phone or tablet an hour before bedtime and keep screens out of your bedroom as much as possible.
2. Organize your day for maximum focus
Everyone can use a little help from time to time with getting stuff done. It’s in our nature as humans to let life impede what we want and need, whether that’s finishing a project or doing some reading for fun. A big part of boosting your brain power is getting organized and taking charge of your day. Here are a few simple strategies you can use every day that will maximize your focus. How many times have you had an idea or insight while working on something else? Maybe it came to you while brainstorming with a team member or sitting through an extra meeting. There’s no doubt about it—your mind wanders throughout each day (it kind of must, if you think about it). When getting order, there are ways to use technology so that it doesn’t distract. Most phones come with apps that allow users to set timed reminders, control notifications and separate work tasks from play time. Use them!
3. Take a break between tasks
We all know that taking a walk is a great way to improve productivity but sitting at your desk for hours on end can make it harder for you to focus and produce high-quality work. Take five-minute breaks every hour, getting up from your chair and moving around.
4. Know what distracts you
Over time, many of us have developed distracting habits that prevent us from being productive. These habits are insidious because they often aren’t even noticed. Realize what distracts you and how it can be avoided. For example, sometimes, we must identify whether a distraction is internal or external. A racing mind could be due to worry over an upcoming meeting, while receiving an unexpected text might catch our attention from a place of boredom or restlessness.
5. Set smart goals
If you want your New Year’s resolutions to be successful, then you should set smart goals. Smart goals are specific, challenging and achievable. If your resolution is related to fitness, for example, then maybe you could set a goal of running five miles every morning by March 1. This goal is specific because it states exactly what you want to accomplish and when. It’s challenging because it’s difficult—you probably won’t have run five miles before! And it’s achievable because you can make it happen if you work hard. Be sure to create SMART goals for all your resolutions so that they stand a chance at becoming reality.
In conclusion
There are many methods and strategies for boosting brain power. Currently, I’m researching innovative medical alternatives to medication for those who battle cognitive impairments that cause memory loss and difficulty focusing. As well as my own personal journey of why it matters so much. I look forward to sharing more over the upcoming weeks. I’m confident it’ll help many who’ve suffered and felt limited by their lack of options. Until then some valuable sources I recommend are bestselling books ‘Atomic Habits’ by James Clear and ‘7 habits of highly effective people’ by Stephen Covey, where you can learn more about some of these techniques and theories on boosting brain power and my course “21 Days of Mastering Mental Momentum.” If you read this article until the end, you can get it for free by going to
Remember, though: if you really want to boost your brain power, it’s going to require time and effort!
Dr. Khalilah Johnson, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Dr. Khalilah Johnson, is an Executive Coach, Communication Architect, and Trauma & Resilience Expert with a multi-generational trauma history. After years of suffering severe trauma starting as early as adolescence, she struggled with deep depression, sleep deprivation, and detrimental memory loss; leading to her being diagnosed as permanently disabled. She went from being locked inside of her own mind and limited in speech, to today, being an award-winning powerful Inspirational Keynote Speaker, International Best-selling Author.
She is the CEO of Redefined Unlimited Executive Coaching Firm, Brazen Nation Media Digital Marketing Agency, and Power After Trauma LLC. In pursuit of a breakthrough for herself and others, Dr. Johnson, is now a distinguished member of the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress, in collaboration with the National Center for Crisis Management, and a Licensed Interfaith Chaplain. Her professional training includes over 40 specialists’ certifications in the areas of holistic healing, psychology, trauma, marketing, and business.
Dr. Johnson teaches the same methodology she used to break free from a life sentence of a disabling, mental, and emotional prison, through her signature program, UNPACK 2 IMPACT; The 5 E’s of Effective Generational Transformation. In this program, she has taught students that span over 97 countries, how to clear blockages of limiting beliefs, identify, and break intergenerational trauma patterns, turn purpose into profit and go from invisible to influential. Her story has inspired millions globally and has been shared on Fox, NBC, CBS News, Chicago Tribune, Authority Magazine, and Thrive Global. Her mission: breakthrough barriers, build better businesses and become bridges of hope, to future generations.
