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I’m writing this blog post from Dubai, where I’m celebrating my 70th birthday. This trip has been absolutely incredible! Reaching the age of 70 marks a significant milestone in my life. Little did I know all those years ago that I would be so active in running a business I love at 70?
It seems incomprehensible that I would turn from someone whose life was, in effect, over, aged sixty to someone who has so much to live for. I love writing these blogs weekly, hoping to encourage someone or help them with techniques and inspiration from my personal story.
I love delivering Masterclasses to companies across the country and the world. I love coaching people to become better versions of themselves. I love speaking at conferences and team away days. I love meeting so many amazing people who I get to know on a personal level. I simply love what I do.
A dream come true
The fact that I am in Dubai celebrating my 70th birthday is a dream come true in more ways than one, as the hotel I have just enjoyed my birthday meal at is the Burj Al Arab, one of the finest hotels in the world, and has been on my Dream Board for around seven years.
Seven years ago, Julie and I sat opposite the 7-star Burj Al Arab in the Beach Jumeirah Hotel, sharing a drink because we couldn’t afford one each. We looked in awe at the Al Arab and wondered what it would be like to enjoy a meal in that hotel.
Fast-forward seven years and many hours spent visualising eating inside the hotel, the dream has come true. The experience was surreal because repeatedly visualising where I would enjoy the meal in my mind became so real that I could taste the food. I saw Julie sitting opposite me in my mind, enjoying this meal with the view of the Jumeirah Beach Hotel in the background.
A dream became a reality
Then, yesterday, we fulfilled that dream and enjoyed the meal, which was amazing. Sometimes, the simplest of things mean the most, and eating my Birthday meal with the most important person in my life means everything and is one of the best moments of my life.
This holiday has been truly incredible, filled with daily adventures. Being away from work has been a refreshing change, allowing us to prioritise fun and exploration, while also taking the time to rest and rejuvenate for the upcoming chapter in our lives. Anticipating the future, I’m eager to discover what the next ten years have in store for us.
The Reticular Activating System
The term “reticular activating system” (RAS) refers to a network of neurons located in the brainstem, specifically in the reticular formation. The reticular formation is a complex network of nuclei and fibres that spans the brainstem and plays a crucial role in regulating arousal, attention, and consciousness.
The reticular activating system is responsible for filtering and modulating sensory information, helping to determine what stimuli should be attended to and what can be ignored. In essence, this system alerts you to things that are really important to you and makes you consciously aware of them.
Your conscious mind has limited capacity, and the reticular activating system (RAS) serves as a filter, monitoring your mind. It selectively permits only those things deemed important to enter your conscious awareness. By visualising and imagining the attainment of a specific goal, you essentially trick the RAS into recognising its significance, enabling the goal or dream to enter your conscious mind.
You become aware of connections which will help you
This then changes what you are consciously aware of and makes you very aware of the few things allowed into your conscious mind. This happened to me as I visualised the images on my Dream Board, and I found myself connecting with people or being aware of helpful connections to fulfil my dreams.
You have probably experienced this when you bought a new car or something new that is important to you. For a few days, you will see these everywhere you go, and then after a few days, you don’t notice them anymore because your enthusiasm for these has reduced, so the RAS filters them out.
Visualisation holds genuine power, and the more you visualise a desired outcome, the more the reticular activating system (RAS) perceives its importance to you. Consequently, the RAS permits this visualisation into your conscious mind, acting as a beacon that actively seeks connections related to this mental imagery.
Thoughts for the week.
- Do you have any big dreams or goals?
- Do you have them written down or, better still, represented as images on a dream board?
- This week, think about creating a dream board to help you achieve your dreams.
- The more you focus on something, the better the chance of achieving it.
Well, that’s it for this week. Have a wonderful weekend and keep believing.
Warm regards
John
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