How to Boost Your Mental Preparedness and Performance
- kmccoy240
- Sep 9
- 2 min read
In a recent workshop, Tom and Laura from Next Jump's New York office shared their insights on mental preparedness, a crucial skill for navigating today's unpredictable world. They define it as the ability to "situationally adjust" – to be mentally light, flexible, and open-minded in the face of unexpected challenges.
The Illusion of the Perfect Plan
Laura kicked off the discussion by highlighting the fallacy of "perfect planning." In a world where we're constantly "punched in the face," as the famous Mike Tyson quote goes, rigidity is a recipe for disaster. Just like a tree in a storm, those who can't bend will break. This mental lightness is essential for creative work, which is becoming increasingly prevalent as technology automates routine tasks.
Tom added that anxiety and negative feelings hinder creativity. The old-school approach of "shoving that stuff down" no longer works. To produce work that resonates with others, we need to be in a positive mental state.
The 95/5 Brain
The workshop delved into the workings of the human brain, explaining that 95% of our behaviors are driven by our non-conscious, automatic systems, while only 5% are governed by our conscious, self-regulated minds. This means that traditional training programs that focus on logical skills only address a fraction of what drives our actions.
The key to unlocking our full potential lies in understanding and training this 95%. This involves identifying and updating our "automatics" – the default behaviors and mental patterns that shape our responses to situations.
The Mental Scan: A Tool for Self-Awareness
To help participants become more aware of their mental state, Tom and Laura introduced the "mental scan." This simple practice involves rating your mental state on a scale of 1 to 10, with 0 being "pumped" and 10 being "triggered." The goal is to identify when you're not in the optimal zone for creative work (the green zone, 0-4) and take steps to address it.
The Power of AI in Self-Awareness
The workshop also highlighted the role of technology in enhancing self-awareness. Next Jump has developed an AI coach that helps users identify their "automatics" by analyzing their written thoughts and feelings. By providing a "mirror" to our internal state, the AI can help us see blind spots and patterns that we might otherwise miss.
Practical Tips for Mental Preparedness
The workshop concluded with a few key takeaways:
Practice the mental scan:Â Regularly check in with yourself to assess your mental state.
Slow down and expose:Â When you're feeling overwhelmed, take a moment to identify and articulate what's going on in your head.
Fact-check your thoughts:Â Challenge the accuracy of your predictions and narratives.
Embrace consistency over intensity:Â Small, consistent efforts to rewire your brain are more effective than sporadic, intense ones.
By incorporating these practices into our daily lives, we can cultivate the mental preparedness needed to thrive in an ever-changing world.