#59: The Motivational Triad and What it Means to be Human
“The great advantage of being human is that we can employ rational thought and resolve to change our circumstances.” Mariella Frostrup, British journalist
What does it mean to be human?
I recently saw an amazing documentary called Free Solo and was fascinated by the the example of the human spirit presented in the film. It got me thinking about what makes humans, human and how we can use the power of our brain to reach our goals.
In this episode, I discuss the two parts of our brain - the primitive part that strives to keep us safe and comfortable to ensure survival and our higher brain, the pre-frontal cortex, that allows us to “think about our thinking”, plan, and regulate complex emotions and behaviors.
We are composed of two parts and both of those matter in the choices we make.
The motivational triad leads us to avoid pain, seek pleasure and conserve energy. Although it kept us safe and increased our chances of survival and passing down our genes in a pre-historic time, in the modern world it can keep us stuck in patterns that don’t serve us.
However, as humans, we can use our pre-frontal cortex to move beyond our primitive urges and choose something different.
Take a listen to this episode and tell me what you think!
Mentions:
Call to Action —> Become aware of the motivational triad and find one way each day to use your higher brain to choose what is best for your future self.
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