NaNoWriMo Brain Science to Keep You Writing...Ambitious Goals Can Backfire “But what most of us don’t realize is that setting ambitious behavior-change goals often backfires, diminishing

NaNoWriMo

Brain Science to Keep You Writing

What’s your experience with NaNoWriMo?

What’s your experience with writer’s resistance?

© 2017 Rosanne Bane, [email protected]

You Don’t Have a Brain!

© 2014 Rosanne Bane [email protected]

You Have a Brain System


Your Brain Is Like Lincoln’s Cabinet


David Eagleman


“Most of what we do and think is not under

our conscious control…

“Your consciousness is like a tiny stowaway

on a transatlantic steamship, taking credit

for the journey without acknowledging the

massive engineering underfoot.”

David Eagleman

Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain

Who’s Driving?

Each “driver” has

it’s own specialties

and priorities

Each “driver” jostles

for position and the

chance to drive the

bus


Brain Stem


Limbic System


Cortex


RAS Toggle Switch

When we are stressed or threatened, the Reticular Activating System (RAS) flips the limbic brain on and the cortex off

When we relax, the RAS flips the limbic brain off and the cortex back on


Limbic System Takeovers

You cannot:

think clearly, logically or creatively

access the prefrontal cortex’s executive functions to:

form goals and devise plans

anticipate outcomes

motivate yourself or monitor your behavior

You can scream and run away!


Limbic System vs. Cortex

Limbic System

Reactive – involuntary

reactions

Essential in physical survival

situations

Faster than Cortex (survival

can’t waste time)

Cortex

Reflective – able to choose

responses

Essential in creativity and

problem-solving

Slower than Limbic System

(deliberation takes time)



Limbic System

Freeze instinct: paralysis to

hide from threat

Fight instinct: physical,

emotional & energetic

lashing out OR deeply

trained fighting

Flight instinct: run/withdraw

Cortex

Conscious pause to assess

situation & consider options

Conscious engagement to

collaborate, cooperate or

compete

Conscious retreat to reflect,

research, create, explore



Limbic System

Goal: survive

spacspspaespace

Constrictive: pull in, avoid

risks, rely on tried-and-true

reactions

Failure is death

Cortex

Goals: mastery, autonomy,

purpose, creativity

Expansive: willing to explore,

take risks, experiment with

possible alternatives

Failure is acceptable, even

desirable


Cortex Doesn’t Know When

It’s Not Driving the Bus


Watch Me Pull 50,000 Words

Out of My Hat!


Ambitious Goals Can Backfire

“But what most of us don’t realize is that

setting ambitious behavior-change goals

often backfires, diminishing our chances of

success in the future.

What I’ve learned as a behavior scientist is

that reaching for certain targets can actually

shut down motivation and suck joy out of our

lives.”

- Dr. Kyra Bobinet


Ambitious Goals Can Backfire

“This useful tool is thought to keep us from

wasting our time (or endangering ourselves)

by repeating unsuccessful behaviors. When

we measure goals in terms of success or

failure, and then don’t ‘succeed,’ the

habenula kills our incentive to give things

another go. This keeps a lot of dieters, would-

be novelists, and aspiring entrepreneurs stuck

at square one.”

- Dr. Kyra Bobinet© 2012 Rosanne Bane, [email protected]

Habenula


Lateral Medial

Habenula Effects Motivation

Lateral Habenula = Brake Pedal

“Don’t go there! Avoid that!”

Dopamine suppressed

Lack of energy, focus and

willingness to try

Depression – chicken or egg?


Habenula Effects Motivation

Medial Habenula = Gas Pedal

“Go! Try it! Do that again!”

Dopamine released

Increased energy, focus and

willingness to try

Pleasure


Avoid Slamming the Brakes

Lateral Habenula is triggered by:

Unrealistic expectations & demands

Perceived or anticipated failure

Rewards that are less than

anticipated

Goals that are too big, too far away or focus on the final result instead of

incremental progress


Commitment: By God, I will…


Target: Something to shoot for


Fabulous! Equally Fabulous!

Brain Savvy NaNoWriMo Strategies


Keep your targets flexible, so your medial

habenula keeps your foot on the gas.

Count words every day if you like and

celebrate the result even if it’s not 1,667

words.

Don’t stress about where you “should be”.



Look at your words-to-date count once a

week to determine if you need to flex

your target.

“I’ve averaged 1,258 words a day, so that means

40,000 words by November 30 is a good stretch

target for me.”

Or “I’ve averaged 1,258 words a day, let’s see if I can increase that to 1,500 words a day.”



But make your commitment to so many

minutes a day, so many days a week.

Evaluate your success by whether or not

you show up for that time.

Visit BaneOfYourResistance.com

Brain Science for NaNoWriMo page

NaNoWriMo Brain Science to Keep You Writing...Ambitious Goals Can Backfire “But what most of us don’t realize is that setting ambitious behavior-change goals often backfires, diminishing

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