Dictionary Definition “A reason or reasons for acting or behaving in a particular way”

Human beings are complex individuals, and the brain is a very clever computer that helps us navigate our way in this world. Our choices and decisions inform our behaviours and what we do and what we don’t do is down to our motivation to do something. Over the years some of our behaviours are learned and then become automatic to help you brain process things. Initially you have to consciously learn a new behaviour then over time this can become subconscious. For example like driving a car, think of learning to drive your brain was being over loaded and you had to consciously think what to do, now after years of driving many responses are sub conscious and automated. To consciously learn a new behaviour we have to have a reason to do this – our motivation.

Maslow developed a hierarchy of needs that drives our motivation. We are first motivated to fulfil our basic needs, then our psychological needs and then our self-fulfilment needs. I like to compare this to the development of a baby. First a baby needs food and water, then it needs to feel safe, then it needs to feel loved, then it needs to achieve things and gain feedback to learn – the final stage of achieving ones full potential can be achieved later on in life. The “Needs” lower down in the hierarchy must be satisfied before individuals can attend to “needs” higher up. Most behaviour is multi-motivated, that is, simultaneously determined by more than one basic need. Think about your career, why do you do the job you do? You need to provide food and home for you and your family? This will provide safety, providing this provides a better environment for a loving relationship etc etc.

• Some behaviours are learned and some are then automated

• Our behaviours are motivated by our needs

So why do some people achieve more than others?

“We all have 24 hours in a day – what we do in the 24 hours is up to us”

What is the difference between Alan Sugar, Richard Branson and you?

What is the difference between someone who exercises and someone who doesn’t?

What is the difference between someone who is healthy and someone who is unhealthy?

What is the difference between someone who obeys the law and someone that commits a crime?

From the moment we are born we are taking in information and this helps us to learn, then the relationships that we develop form our beliefs and our values- what is important to us and what is right (in our view of the world).

Parents, teachers, friends, mentors – teach us what is important and help guide us to make decisions. Everyone has the ability to achieve whatever they want – the decisions you make, the behaviours you do determine how well you achieve something or if you achieve anything at all.

The Neurological Levels of Change model help us to understand why we are who we are and what makes us different to others.

The levels start at the Environment level – what do you have around you that can help you? Then there is our Behaviour – what do we do?

Then Skills and Capabilities- what do we need to learn? Then Beliefs and values – what do we think?

Then Identity- who are you?

Then Purpose – your why Let’s look at performing a new task e.g. start running.

Whether you become a successful runner and how often you do it and for how long will be determined by your logical levels. First you will start to think about running because of people around you, you will need trainers, running shorts (Environment) Then you need to actually go running (Behaviour) Then you gain feedback and you need to train and develop your body to get better (skills/capability) Then after running for a while – what you believe about running determines whether you continue – it’s fun, it hurts, it’s hard, I am not getting any fitter.

Does being a runner sit well with who you are? Do you feel comfortable? (Identity) Why do you run? Is it to compete? Is it to lose weight? Is it to be healthy? (Purpose)

Successful people achieve at each Neurological Level. You will be successful at somethings, take the learnings from these and apply them to other parts of your life. For example, you are successful at work – look at your Neurological Levels in terms of work, this is why you are successful. Now apply these same principles to something you want to be better at, maybe exercising more?