By Eleanor Shakiba POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 0 Comments

What’s going on in a narcissist’s brain: a new study reveals intriguing patterns

Are you curious about what goes on inside the mind of a narcissist? A recent research study has shed light on the intriguing neurological patterns that underlie narcissistic personality traits. It provides valuable insights into the complex interplay between brain circuits and personality traits.

It turns out that a specific brain circuit serves as a powerful predictor of narcissistic traits. This circuit involves regions such as the lateral and middle frontal gyri, angular gyrus, Rolandic operculum and Heschl’s gyrus. But the discoveries didn’t stop there. The research also uncovered an intriguing combination of normal and abnormal personality traits that can be used to forecast narcissism.

 

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On one hand, traits like openness, agreeableness and conscientiousness appeared to be linked to narcissistic tendencies. On the other hand, traits such as borderline, antisocial, insecure, addicted, negativistic and Machiavellianism also played a role.

The significance of these research findings cannot be understated. They provide a scientific basis for understanding narcissistic behaviour and offer hope for improved approaches to dealing with narcissists at work and home. As the study’s lead researcher says, “This research opens up new avenues for exploring narcissism and provides a foundation for further investigations into personality disorders.”

You can read the original article here.

This article summary was created by Eleanor Shakiba

Eleanor is a leadership trainer, success coach and people skills expert. She helps managers and business owners build thriving teams and organisations, using tools from Positive Psychology. She's trained more than 60,000 people during her career as a corporate trainer and professional development consultant. Her mission is inspiring talented people to become leaders who make a difference. 

 

 

By Eleanor Shakiba Confidence tips 0 Comments

Thinking habits that drive high confidence

Are you ready to take your professional success to the next level? Look no further!  The way to get there is by harnessing the power of complete confidence. And there’s a simple formula for doing that: program your brain’s confidence circuits; swap self-defeating behaviour for success regimes and use breakthrough thinking to unearth great solutions every time you hit problems. These are the thinking habits that hardwire your brain for confidence. Now let’s look at each step in more detail. Remember, the key is to practice, practice and practice until each thinking habits become second nature. My favourite way to master new thinking habits is to choose ONE to focus on each week. Whenever opportunities arise to use the thinking tool, try it out. Soon, using it will be automatic and you can move onto mastering the next skill.

Program your brain’s confidence circuits

It’s sad but true. Your brain is built to keep you alive, not make you confident. This is why is seems easier to focus on where you went wrong, rather than what you did right. But thankfully, the brain is a bit like plastic – it can be moulded and reshaped to support new habits. To make confidence your default state, you need to do two things.

First, you must strengthen your self-belief circuits. Then you must weaken your self-sabotage circuits. Use the power of mental rehearsal to achieve both outcomes. First, imagine a fully confident version of yourself. Then imagine that New You thriving in situations where the old you struggled. Do this every day to activate the neural pathways support confident states.

 

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Swap self-sabotaging behaviours for success regimes

From avoiding conflict to zealous over-working, there are a thousand ways to sabotage yourself every day. To be truly confident swap your self-limiting habits for success regimes. For example, instead of putting off difficult tasks, make a habit of doing them first thing. Or learn to raise issues assertively instead of avoiding tough conversations. Think about the behaviours that are holding you back and replace them with actions that drive success.

Use breakthrough thinking to solve problems

News flash: confident people encounter as many problems as you do.  But they tackle them differently. They don’t dwell on what the problem is or how bad it feels. Instead, they focus on finding solutions. This is where breakthrough thinking comes in. It’s a skill I teach in my free masterclass, Hardwired for Confidence. So, if you haven’t learned how to do it, sign up and learn today!

Remember that confidence isn’t a personality trait. It’s a skill that can be learned at any age. By programming your brain’s confidence circuits, swapping self-sabotaging behaviours for success regimes, and using breakthrough thinking to overcome problems, you can boost your confidence and achieve greater success in all aspects of your life. So what are you waiting for? Start using these thinking habits today and watch as your confidence soars!

This article was created by Eleanor Shakiba

Eleanor is a leadership trainer and success coach. Her mission is inspiring talented people to become leaders who make a difference.  Since discovering her passion for training and development, Eleanor has trained more than 60,000 people. She delivers face-to-face workshops for corporates, online masterclasses for leaders and Positive Psychology retreats for trainers, HR practitioners and leaders. 

By Eleanor Shakiba Impact Interesting Articles 0 Comments

How daydreaming recharges creativity

As a professional, you’re constantly juggling dozens of tasks and responsibilities. But it turns out it might be better to spend time doing nothing.  I recently read a fascinating article about why this is. It  all comes down to the ‘default network’ in your brain, which becomes active each time you’re at rest.

Picture this: you’re lost in thought, not focused on any specific task. That’s when the default network comes to life. It helps you make sense of your experiences, consolidate memories and even come up with brilliant ideas. Throughout the day, when you engage in activities that don’t require your full attention your default network comes to life. It facilitates communication between different brain regions, helping them to work harmoniously together.

Recent research  has shown the default network plays a crucial role in creative thinking, problem-solving and synthesising complex information. But it only works when you’re not working! So, here are some tips for making the most of this little-known network in your brain.

 

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  1. Embrace downtime: schedule regular breaks throughout your workday to give your brain a chance to rest and activate the default network.
  2. Engage in mindful activities: try mindfulness practises like meditation or journaling during your downtime to promote self-reflection and boost creativity.
  3. Go somewhere quiet: find somewhere that allows you to have moments of solitude and uninterrupted thinking. This will give your brain the freedom to explore new ideas.
  4. Balance focus and rest: recognise that periods of rest are not wasted time. They’re essential for brain rejuvenation. Alternate between focused work sessions and intentional breaks.

In a world that celebrates constant busyness, it’s essential to recognise the value of rest and tap into the power of your default network. By understanding how our brain operates during periods of rest, we can unlock untapped potential and improve our professional performance. So, take a moment to embrace the power of doing nothing and let your default network work its magic.

You can read the original article here.

This article summary was created by Eleanor Shakiba

Eleanor is a leadership trainer, success coach and people skills expert. She helps managers and business owners build thriving teams and organisations, using tools from Positive Psychology. She's trained more than 60,000 people during her career as a corporate trainer and professional development consultant. Her mission is inspiring talented people to become leaders who make a difference. 

 

By Eleanor Shakiba Confidence interesting articles 0 Comments

Harness the power of sleep mode to optimise your morning routine

Imagine waking up feeling energized and fully prepared to conquer your day. But then you mess everything up by reaching for your phone. You’re bombarded with notifications and distractions. Yep. According to sleep expert Dr. Nerina Shearman, checking your phone first thing sets you up for a stress-filled day. It also dims your optimism and creativity. That’s not just her opinion. It’s what some interesting brain research has shown.

You see, focusing intently on anything (including your phone) makes your brain skip out of theta and alpha brainwave mode. You go straight into a beta wave state.  Now beta wave activity happens when your brain is fully engaged – and when you are stressed. Theta waves, on the other hand, occur when you are in a state of mental relaxation. They’re associated with a free flow of ideas and creative thinking.

 

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So don’t activate your brain’s stress mode as soon as you get up. It’s time to stop reaching for your phone before you do anything else.  If you use the clock on your phone to wake you up, don’t let that tempt you. Start putting your phone on plane mode before you go to bed. Then you can still use it as an alarm, but you won’t be tempted to start scrolling through notifications the moment you wake up.

After all, the way you begin your day can significantly impact your mental state and productivity. Take control of your mornings and unleash your full potential. And if you want to find out more about Dr Shearman’s research, read the original article about it.

You can read the original article here.

This article summary was created by Eleanor Shakiba

Eleanor is a leadership trainer, success coach and people skills expert. She helps managers and business owners build thriving teams and organisations, using tools from Positive Psychology. She's trained more than 60,000 people during her career as a corporate trainer and professional development consultant. Her mission is inspiring talented people to become leaders who make a difference. 

 

 

By Eleanor Shakiba POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 0 Comments

What neuroscientists say about motivation

Do you ever wonder why some days you’re bursting with energy and ready to seize the day, while others you struggle just to get out of bed? No, it’s not just a lack of self-discipline or  willpower. It turns out, your brain might have something to do with it. For example, sometimes motivation is fuelled by a neurotransmitter named dopamine. This is often referred to as the ‘reward chemical’ because when your brain releases it, you feel good!

It turns out that dopamine levels are closely linked to motivation levels. Higher amounts of dopamine can increase motivation while lower levels can decrease it. This is because dopamine acts as a signal for your brain to seek out rewards and motivates you to take action towards achieving them.

 

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However, not all motivation is linked to dopamine. Goal-oriented motivation is associated with adrenaline and norepinephrine.  And intrinsic motivation is linked to endorphins (or ‘feel-good’ hormones) and serotonin. So what does this all mean? Essentially, different types of motivation are influenced by different brain chemicals.

So why is all this important? Understanding the neuroscience behind motivation can help you fuel states of  high motivation, maintain them for longer and even recover from a dip in motivation. For example, if you’re struggling to find the drive to complete a task or reach a goal, knowing which neurotransmitter is involved can help you find ways to increase its levels and boost your motivation.

For example, if you’re low in dopamine and feeling unmotivated, doing something you enjoy will help change your mood. Or if you’re feeling stressed,  which can lower dopamine levels, doing some physical exercise can help increase it. So the next time you’re feeling unmotivated, remember that your brain chemistry is playing a role.  Most importantly, you can take steps to fuel it and reach your full potential.

Four steps to try today

  1. Focus on your One Big Goal. This is a goal that matters to you, so focusing on it will increase your dopamine levels and keep you motivated.
  2. Talk to people who inspire you. Positive social interactions can increase serotonin levels, leading to increased motivation.
  3. Break tasks into smaller chunks: This creates multiple moments of achievement, which can trigger dopamine release.
  4. Savour some chocolate. This is my favourite, so I had to include it in this list. Just don’t overdo it! Dark chocolate contains flavonoids that can boost dopamine levels.

You can read the original article here.

This article summary was created by Eleanor Shakiba

Eleanor is a leadership trainer, success coach and people skills expert. She helps managers and business owners build thriving teams and organisations, using tools from Positive Psychology. She's trained more than 60,000 people during her career as a corporate trainer and professional development consultant. Her mission is inspiring talented people to become leaders who make a difference. 

 

By Eleanor Shakiba Confidence interesting articles 0 Comments

Leaders! It’s time to make a difference. Here’s how.

If you’re a leader who can relate to having a bit of imposter syndrome, here’s some good news. This is not unusual and there are ways to develop your confidence without extensive therapy or coaching. A interesting article from Weforum summarises five of these. All of which you can immediately.

  • Identify your fears and address them.
  • Focus on your strengths and use them to your advantage.
  • Surround yourself with supportive people.
  • Take small steps towards your goal.
  • Remember that mistakes is a natural part of the learning process.

If you want to make an impact as a leader, you need to accept yourself and develop deep confidence. This means being positive, proactive and focused on your goals. With the right attitude, you can inspire others and achieve great things. Remember, leadership starts from within.

 

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Don’t be afraid to ask questions and express your willingness to learn more. You can also join a group of like-minded people so that you’re surrounded by positive energy and those who share the same values as you. By connecting with others, you’ll gain knowledge and resources that can help you take action and lead with confidence.

Confidence is a critical component of leadership. By cultivating a growth mindset, developing your strengths, building a support system, taking calculated risks and communicating effectively, you can become a more confident leader and make a positive impact on those around you. Remember that leadership is not just about being in charge; it’s about inspiring and influencing others to achieve their full potential.

You can read the original article here.

This article summary was created by Eleanor Shakiba

Eleanor is a leadership trainer, success coach and people skills expert. She helps managers and business owners build thriving teams and organisations, using tools from Positive Psychology. She's trained more than 60,000 people during her career as a corporate trainer and professional development consultant. Her mission is inspiring talented people to become leaders who make a difference.