~Abraham Maslow
Following on last month’s article on the Change Formula, let’s look at how we can measure change in our selves when we exercise new thoughts and actions. The human learning curve is not a straight line, rather it is an upward slope made of hundreds of jagged ups and downs. The important focus is to watch the slope. Learning and growth will flourish with attention paid to the reduction of old, unhealthy behaviors, and the increase of new, healthier ones. Below is a tool to help mark and encourage that change: the 3-D’s times Two.
Our current understanding of neuro-biology is that decreasing behavior reduces the flow in associated neuron paths, while increasing behavior enhances new neuron paths. So, attention to and affirmation of behavior change actually alters our brain structure and performance. By replacing old thoughts and actions with new ones, we shrink connected neuron paths, thus decreasing their repetition in the future. Simultaneously we strengthen the new neutron paths, increasing the likelihood, force and range of future options.
To measure the progress of reducing negative actions, we attend to changes in Depth, Duration and Distribution of those actions (the 3D’s). When an action occurs, we make note that the associated feelings bother us less than before. We are not disturbed to the same level as before we started changing. We also mark that when disturbed, the period of disturbance lasts for shorter and shorter periods of time. The third “D”, distribution, relates to frequency. The old behaviors are occurring less and less often. Human growth is incremental and happens over time, therefore paying attention to the Depth, Duration and Distribution of old behaviors will reinforce and encourage our change process.
Most important to personal change is introducing new thoughts and behaviors into our daily life. The new neuron paths thus created will strengthen and enhance our options and positive feelings. These changes also occur on the jagged, upward slope of learning and growth. To encourage and sustain this growth we can employ the same “3-D’s” in the other direction. We want to note that new thoughts and actions, and eventually new feelings, are happening in a new pattern: 1) Depth - repetition creates a deeper, warmer, positive sense of self; 2) Duration- this new sense of self last for longer and longer periods of time after each incident of new action; and 3) Distribution - these changes are happening more and more often. Depth, Duration and Distribution- old thoughts, actions and feelings will be reduced (NB: never, however to extinction, just to reduction); new thoughts, actions and feelings will be increased (NB: never, however, to perfection). Confucius supports our growth process, reminding us that speed is of little importance on the journey of life. Fast or slow, the important thing is to just keep going, and growing.