Written by: Sara Hegy, 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.
Dear overworked ambitious leader who is hungry for development, In this enthralling journey through the corridors of your own mind, we continue our exploration of the astounding science behind decision-making. Our aim? To empower you, the driven and ambitious leader, with the knowledge that unveils the immense potential residing within your brain.
Illustration of the person’s chakras being aligned and experiencing a living state of intent and peace. When you become intentional, your thoughts become aligned with the future you want to create and this is what unlocks your potential.
What makes this series unique is how we examine leadership. As we've been uncovering in this series, leadership isn't just about job titles and managerial roles. It's about how you navigate your life daily, how you mold each thought, action, and emotion into a strategic masterpiece that shapes your world.
You see, leadership isn't as we have been taught, confined to the boardroom or the forefront of a team; it's the continuous process that unfolds in every decision you take, from the moment you rise to greet the day until you lay down to rest, including all the moments that you interact with others around you and with your environment.
Previously, In part 1, we talked about the simplest process of the brain: sensing information > processing > output. In part 2, we examined our brain’s elements that help us sense information, then in parts 3 and 4 we discovered the main players in the decision-making process. We gave 2 practical situations in an individual and collective context regarding how the brain incorporates beliefs in the decision-making process, we shed light on the trio of mental frames in our brain and we learned about the brain’s strategy of prioritization. In part 5, we opened our minds to engage with a new hypothesis that bad decisions only come from bad perceptions, not an error in our mental processing. We also delved into the world of drama and how critical it is for us to foster powerful dramas to live in. In part 6, we revealed the critical role of listening and speaking to shape our decisions, actions, and the effectiveness of our leadership.
Today we reveal the scientific underpinnings of setting intentions, goals, and visions and their role in decision-making and leadership, offering practical strategies for ambitious leaders aiming to harness this power for personal and team development.
Intention setting is more than a motivational tool; it's a cognitive process deeply connected to our decision-making faculties. Neuroscientific research reveals that when we set an intention, we activate specific neural pathways associated with goal-oriented behavior1. This activation not only primes our brain to identify opportunities aligned with our goals but also enhances our ability to make decisions that steer us toward them.
This chapter starts to delve into the scientific underpinnings of setting intentions and their role in decision-making and leadership, offering practical strategies for ambitious leaders aiming to harness this power for personal and team development. Instead of filling your mind with complicated terms, we’ll take you on a driving journey in your ordinary everyday life. So, let’s buckle up and dive straight in.
Driving the car: An exercise to reveal the power of the decision-making wheel
On a normal day, you approach the car, typically carrying personal items such as a bag, phone, or coffee. You use a key, a remote fob, or a smart system to unlock the car. You open the door and get into the driver’s seat. Before starting the car, you adjust the driver's seat for comfort and optimal control access. You also adjust the rearview mirror and side mirrors for the best visibility. You fasten your seatbelt and ensure that any other safety measures, like child locks or car seats for children, are in place. You insert the key into the ignition and turn it to start the car or push a start button in keyless cars. Depending on personal preference and weather conditions, you might adjust the air conditioning or heating. You also set up your entertainment or information system, which could involve choosing a radio station, or podcast, or connecting your phone for music or navigation. You check the fuel gauge, and may also glance at other indicators like the engine temperature, oil level, or any warning lights on the dashboard. Then you start engaging the transmission: for an automatic transmission, you shift from ‘park’ to ‘drive’. In a manual transmission car, you press the clutch and shift to first gear. Before moving, you look around for other cars, pedestrians, or obstacles. This includes checking mirrors and possibly looking over your shoulder for blind spots. You gradually release the brake and gently press the accelerator to start moving. You navigate out of your parking spot, driveway, or garage, being mindful of your surroundings. As you drive, you follow traffic signals and signs, navigate through traffic, and possibly use a GPS or memory to reach your workplace. Upon arrival, you find a suitable parking spot, maneuver the car into it, shift to park (or engage the handbrake in a manual car), and turn off the engine. You unfasten your seatbelt, gather your personal items, and lock the car after exiting.
Wow, so many actions that you do daily to drive from point A to point D. Did you stop to think about how many actions were there in this seemingly automatic process to you? Did you ever notice that there are that many? Possibly, the last time you exerted effort to think about this was when you were learning how to drive, right?
The question is: what if we drive from point A aimlessly without a destination or a direction, we just randomly drive and keep driving. In 24 hours, where will we reach? In 24 years, where will we reach?
I hope you agree with me, that we need a destination to arrive at. Without a destination, we will burn out our energy, effort, and our resources (the car). Let’s name that decision: Setting the vision.
I hope you also agree with me that without the decision to stand up and approach the car, we’re not able to start the trip. Let's name that initial decision: Taking the activation or motivation decision. We make that decision based on what’s in it for us, and here our mind is usually assessing the pain versus the pleasure associated with the action.
To make this activation decision, the outcome has to be very clear in our head what’s waiting for us at the end of the trip. There’s usually an anticipation or an expectation set at point B. Any disappointments or previous failure attempts will reduce the clarity of the outcome in our heads.
By the time you get into the driver’s seat, you’re clear that you’re at A and you’re going to D. Let’s name that decision: Setting a general process intention. (ie. I’m looking to create a trip at ease, in flow with all the challenges, or rushed and in a hurry)
In your head, there is a concrete plan with a set of goals or milestones to reach on your way to point D. That decision is called: Goal setting decision.
Next, after you push the start button, you adjust the mirrors, your entertainment system, and other car resources to enable you to drive to your destination B with the best possible experience. Let’s name that decision: Creating an enabling system or environment.
As you gradually release the brake and gently press the accelerator to start moving, you’re on the go. Let’s name that decision: Call to action/ Execution decision.
Your driving trip starts with you dealing with the road signs, traffic, roadblocks, and detours. You also start dealing with your feelings, thoughts, phone notifications, and memories. You successfully navigating through all that requires several decisions: Focus decisions, Problem-solving decisions, Prioritization decisions, and setting a specific process intention decisions (ie. specific in dealing with particular steps of the process as they come such as: I’m looking to navigate the traffic with focus, and speed or I’m looking to distract my brain from the traffic by playing my favorite playlist). The sum of all work in harmony to ensure you are up to speed by the minute whilst having a great experience.
Then, you use the signs as milestones to help you discover how far away you are from A and closer to D. Following the milestones, your brain needs to ensure that you are progressing. So, you need two decisions: Progress decision and goal fulfillment decision.
The decision-making wheel is the set of decisions being made for us to move from point A to point B. When those decisions are clear and intentional, we experience the outcome which is arriving at point B.
The sum of these decisions orchestrate your arrival to the desired destination.
Now picture a driver getting into their car in an ordinary routine. They start the engine, and off they go. On their way to milestone B, suddenly, an animal ran onto the road, or a driver ahead abruptly changed lanes, or the driver got distracted by bad news they received on a phone call, or they saw 2 exit signs but were confused about which one to take.
For whatever reason, the driver loses their focus and hence their control over the vehicle leads to shock, confusion, personal injury, or hazard and hence, the accident.
Did you ever think about where the driver’s focus was when they had the accident? They may have been looking straight at the object they are trying to avoid yet they still hit.
Why?
Because they looked straight at it and not in the clear space next to it. See, the revelation that our brains are perfect processors is back here again!
Whatever you focus on, you go for! The question is: where are you focused?
Revealing the phenomenon: Target fixation
Focusing directly on an object before an accident, commonly known as "target fixation," is a phenomenon often observed in stressful or dangerous situations like a car crash. This reaction is rooted in both psychological and physiological factors:
Psychological response: In moments of high stress or panic, the brain sends off signals to the nervous system to narrow its focus. This is part of the 'fight or flight' response. When confronted with an imminent threat, such as the possibility of a collision, the brain prioritizes that threat above all else in an attempt to deal with it. This intense focus can inadvertently lead to steering directly towards the threat, as your actions align with where your attention is focused.
Physiological factors: The human visual system plays a role in this phenomenon. We tend to move in the direction of our gaze because of the way our eyes and hand-eye coordination are wired. In high-pressure situations, the instinct to look directly at a potential danger is strong.
However, this can lead to driving towards rather than away from the object, as our motor responses align with our visual attention.
Inexperience or lack of training: Experienced drivers or those trained in defensive driving are often taught to keep their eyes on the path of travel rather than on obstacles they wish to avoid. Inexperienced drivers, however, might not have developed this habit. Hence, in a sudden and unexpected situation, they might fixate on the object they are trying to avoid, leading to an increased risk of collision.
Freezing under pressure: In some cases, target fixation occurs because the driver 'freezes' and fixates on the object out of fear or uncertainty. This can happen when the driver is overwhelmed and unable to quickly process and react to the rapidly changing situation.
If you want to read more about the reactive responses of the nervous system at times of stress and connect their role in physiology, anxiety, and leadership, refer to this article.
That is everything you need to get about the science of decision-making and car crashes for now. The question is how does that connect to your life?
Remember that leadership is the process through which the person directs their thoughts, words, and actions toward a desired outcome.
So where do people get stuck on their pathway to fulfill their visions and goals? And more importantly, what are the practices to get unstuck?
That’s what we’ll figure out together in the next chapter so stay tuned and take this opportunity to discover and become aware of the distinct decisions that you take within every process, from brushing your teeth to meeting a deadline. Invite yourself to study what you’re doing to discover your own performance gaps. And remember: whatever you focus on, you go for! The question is: where are you focused?
Key learnings and takeaways
Intention as a cognitive process: We shed light on how setting intentions is critical for processes to happen even if it’s done through unconscious awareness or effort. Setting intention is directing energy towards experiencing a certain process and it’s deeply connected to our decision-making faculties.
Practical application in daily life: Just like the numerous actions involved in driving from point A to point B, our daily life requires a series of decisions that are guided by intentions. When we are unclear, our energy and resources become depleted.
Stages of decision-making: The chapter outlines various stages of decision-making, from the initial activation or motivation decision to goal setting, creating an enabling environment, and making a call to action. It also includes dealing with challenges, focusing, problem-solving, prioritizing, and setting specific intentions of process-specific tasks that all work in synchrony to create an outcome.
Target fixation: When stressed and inexperienced to deal with it, our nervous system and brain cross talk to pour our energy into avoiding the danger, so it prioritizes dealing with the stress but looks straight into it instead of looking right next to it.
If you’re eager to transform your leadership style, foster personal growth, and craft a brighter future—one proactive decision at a time, one great proactive decision will be to try out our services to accelerate your path to success, book your coaching call with us today here and if you're interested to join our growing facebook community for leadership development, join here.
Until next time, embrace your journey with kindness and curiosity. With warmth and wisdom.
Sara Hegy, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Sara Hegy is an award-winning scientist and a leadership coach who is dedicated to helping other leaders achieve their full potential while being fulfilled. She grew up in an environment where producing results is a measure of self-worth. Hence, she always struggled to apply self-development teachings until coaching helped her gain clarity on her struggles and gave her tools to overcome them. Through harnessing the power of her mind and taking effective action, she graduated with honors, won a scientific prize, and her findings raised a$2.7 million research grant. She's the founder of her coaching business that globally serves. Her mission: Passionate leaders who create massively and live a life that they love.
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