From time to time, we all get frustrated when we don’t reach our goals. Whether it is at work, at home or somewhere else. We think what did I do wrong or why can’t I hit my goals that I set for myself or that were set for me at work (or home). When you do not like the results, do not change the goal, instead adjust your thinking and look at how you are approaching the goal and see if there is anything that you can change from the way that you were wired to think and learn.
As I mentioned in my previous blog post about “Lead Yourself First”, I mention that we are programmed from an early age on how to view things, make decisions and perceive the world as we know it. The lens that we view life through was not a choice, but something that was provided to us. It is not until we choose the lens that we want to see our world through that we will truly be able to accomplish what we set out to do.
There have been studies conducted on the types of brains that we have. If you break this down, I mean how we think. How are we programmed to think and what are we teaching ourselves as we move forward with our thinking, viewpoints and with life. Does our past truly define how we process information and think about situations? Absolutely! It is not until we make a conscious effort to make the changes that we need to make that we will see growth. Seth Godin said, “If we keep doing what we are doing, we are going to keep getting what we are getting”.
Caveman brain has been defined as the evolutionary mismatch where modern human brains still utilize ancient, survival-focused neural mechanisms—primarily in the amygdala—that are better suited for the Stone Age than the modern world. These traits include quick “fight-or-flight” stress responses, heightened anxiety, and an ingrained negativity bias, which can cause excessive stress, anxiety, and impulsive behavior in safe environments (Giambrone, 2025).
I know what you are thinking, what does this have to do with me. Well, a lot! If we do not put the work in as individuals to define and create our new lens to look at life, we are going to continue to think like cavemen. We are going to continue to process information in fight or flight mode. We are going to continue to create stress and anxiety in our lives that will in turn create impulsive behaviors at work, at home and potentially with our children. Focusing on reprogramming our brains is the only way that we will evolve. This starts with understanding our thought process and where it comes from and why we think the way that we think.
The second type of brain can be called “robot brain”. This is exactly what you think it means. The robot brain is in charge and our unconscious is driving us. We become accustomed to pre-programmed automatic responses to the world around us. Basically, we are on auto pilot – we are agreeable, we are content, we are present physically but mentally is a completely different animal. Basically, you need to ask yourself, who is driving when you have robot brain.
The third brain type can be called “genius” brain. This means that you are putting the work in on a consistent basis. You pause before you react or speak. You can zoom out in your mind and see the big picture. You ask better questions to understand the situation. You are not looking to “win” in the moment, but you are focused on the overall big picture.
Getting to a genius brain level requires effort and work. It requires dedication and focus to become the person that you want to become. It is hard work to drive the bus instead of riding on it and being consistently driven or consistently being reactive to situations. Genius brain requires you to show down, hear what people are saying, what they mean and to lead and make decisions with insight, thought and understanding. Cavemen lead with aggression, insults, thinking others are idiots and not understanding their point of view.
Getting to a genius brain status requires us to get us out of our comfort zone, interrupt old ways of thinking and patterns and override both the caveman (feel threatened) and robot (ingrained beliefs) brains that we have been born with and programmed with. Getting to a genius brain level is a sign of intelligence.
When you begin to understand how attention works, how awareness can be shaped, and how presence can be developed, not only as a personality trait, but as a skill that you practice every day. When you can understand this, you begin to realize just how much influence you have over your reality and experiences. Letting go of who we think we are supposed to be and embracing who we are (Brene Brown) will be become the best versions of ourselves and become the true authentic versions of ourselves that we strive to become.
The great thing is that with awareness and intention, the change is not only possible, but within our grasp. The patterns of how we think about ourselves, how we feel about others and who we want to become can start immediately. How does the saying go, “there is not better day to start than today”? Mind, emotion and behavior can all be changed in an instant once we stop sabotaging the power of unawareness (self-doubt and negative beliefs).
It personally took a life altering event for me to stop using my robot and caveman brain and start using my genius brain. Once I did, I can tell you the world looked so much different. Full of hope. The lens that I now view life through is so much different. I can tell you that my parents, my children and my friends can all see the difference in my thinking, my attitude and my outlook on life. Was the change easy? Absolutely not! If it was easy, everyone would do it. But I can tell you from personal experience, it is worth the price of admission to get on this ride and this journey. As people, we become so good at being aware that the pain is even there. It is gone from our current view. Getting that new lens and seeing it through a different view changes everything. Remember, we are not reacting to the world around us, not the real world anyways. We are reacting to the stories that we tell ourselves. We are reacting to the meaning that we assign to that specific event. We are using an unspoken rule, judgement and emotion that we have created for ourselves.
We need to learn that we are not our thoughts, our emotions or our reoccurring behaviors. We are not our patterns or our personalities. Those are just learned beliefs, emotional reflexes, and reoccurring behaviors that we have formed from repetition and reinforcement over the course of our lives. To be our true authentic selves, is a gift that each of us have within ourselves. It is a gift to ourselves that we deserve to unwrap. The gift of objective observation through a new lens will blow your mind.
Are you ready to have your mind blown? Reach out to me and learn how to be your true authentic self. You are closer than you think!
Reference
Giambrone, H. (2025, February 17). Caveman Syndrome. Pacific Coast Mental Health.
Mays, K. (2026). Lead Yourself First (1st ed.). Icon Publishing House.
