Minds that Win

The Science and Art of Success

c. 2005 Deborah Wasserman, Ph.D.

Successful People need what animals have

Animals know how to use their muscles

They know how to be still and balance

Some know where they are in relation to others

Successful people also need …

to plan, think, remember and control their emotions.

Which of these animals plan, think, remember, or control their emotions?

What animals can do depends on what’s in their brains

• This is a human brain.

Brains of other animals

A fish

A frog

And a bird

All backbone animals have a brain stem

• It controls heart rate and breathing

All backbone animals have a cerebellum

• It controls balance, posture, and movement

They all have a part that thinks, remembers, makes choices and controls emotions

• The Cerebral Cortex is VERY well developed in humans;

• less so in fish, frogs and birds.

Deep in the thinking part they have an almond shaped amygdala

• All animals with backbones have an amygdala

The amygdala doesn’t think…it feels

• freeze

•fight

• or take flight

When there’s danger, part of your amygdala causes you to:

• freeze

•fight

• or take flight

The part that gets scared and mad turns on the part of your brain that is like a lizard. You need it to defend yourself.

Another part of your amygdala causes you to feel good about winning

It turns on when the fear part is resting

You feel less worried, scared, or angry.

The part that feels reward turns on the part of your brain that is like a mammal (like a kitten or a puppy).

You need it to play.

. . . And cuddle and feel love

When your fear part rests, your human (ARTIST)

part of your brain works better too.

You feel like you are:• Free to make your

own choices• Smart and skilled• Connected to friends

Play with switching feelings in your amygdala

• Put your fingers on each side of your head, halfway between your eyes and your ears.

• About one inch inside your skull are your amygdalae. You have one on each side.

• Imagine your nose in this garbage ….

• Now imagine smelling your favorite flower

• Imagine a heavy weight attached to the back side of your amygdala.

•Now imagine a feather tickling the front side.

When the FEAR part of your amygdala is working too hard, your mammal brain stops

• Fight

• Flight

• FreezeSo does your human ARTIST brain.

When the FEAR part of your amygdala is working less . . .

All of your brain works together

When the fear part of the amygdala shuts down completely,

You don’t feel worried, scared, or angry.

You feel completely :• Competent• In charge• Connected

you’re “in the zone.”

To be “in the zone,” successful people need to exercise their bodies…

They also need to exercise their brains.

Art making is an exercise for shutting down the fear part of the amygdala

When you make the art you choose

• You feel less worried, scared, and angry.

• You feel more :– Competent

– In charge and

– Connected

Art making is mind exercise for being “in the zone”.

Art making is mind exercise for winning.

Winning bodies have winning minds

Links to References

• The Amygdala: Fun exploration and serious theory– http://www.neilslade.com/

• Self-determination theory and basic psychological need satisfaction– http://www.psych.rochester.edu/SDT/measures/needs.html

• Graphics in this presentation– http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/flash/comic.html

– http://health.howstuffworks.com/brain3.htm

ContactDeborah Wasserman, Ph.D.

Columbus Children’s Research Institute

Office of Clinical Science

wassermd@ccri.net