Neural Pathways
“Growth Chart – Resistance vs Certainty”.
Quick Overview
Baseline → No Resistance / No Change
Tier 1 → 25% change/growth, Low Resistance
Tier 2→ 50% change/growth, Med Resistance
Tier 3 → 75% change/growth, High Resistance
Tier 4 → 100% change/growth, Full Resistance
Quick Strategies
Create goals from Resistance Level 1. It’s makes them realistic!
If you feel certainty reduce to “Low” (Resistance Level 3), then it’s time to move back to Resistance Level 1.
Increase your tolerance for change, by increasing your certainty!
Certainty Chart Explained
Certainty is a concept that i’ve been considering for a while now.
When I began looking to maximise my performance and success, I started to form concepts that seemed to be contributing to an action taking state.
Two areas that stood out; certainty and momentum.
I noticed that as certainty decreased, resistance seems to build.
I knew I had to conceptualise this relationship to really comprehend it, and the Growth Chart was created.
It describes the relationship between:
★ Certainty
★ Resistance
★ Change
★ Neural Pathways
Key Elements to Consider
(Disclaimer: I’m going to state matter of factly my perspective on these subjects, these are based on my logic not on proven science).
→ As Change and Growth increases, Certainty decreases.
The more unfamiliar something is, the more uncertain we are.
Change = New Path
When we understand the path, we have high certainty.
Growth = Further on the Path
When we are exploring new territory, our certainty is lower
→ As Certainty decreases, Resistance increases.
The less certain we are, the more difficult things feel.
As we push our limits, we feel the resistance of nearing our edge.
This can come from having limited supporting neural pathways, low energy or uncertainty.
→ More neural pathways, more Certainty
The more we have taken a path, the more certain we are.
The more developed our neural pathways, the less resistance, the less energy required and the more certain we can be.
Understanding Neural Pathways
Neural pathways are either being developed, maintained, or unsupported and weakened.
Here’s a way we can think of neural pathways… as literal paths:
Comfort Zone (Developed Neural Pathways) → An established Road
Resistance Level 1 → A footpath
Resistance Level 2 → An unpaved trail
Resistance Level 3 → Faded narrow path
Full Resistance (No Neural Pathway) → A dense rainforest
The more unfamiliar and challenging, the more resistance we feel.
The road less travelled, the less certain, the more resistance.
The challenge increases as we move further into resistance where there is less framework to support our journey.
The further away from our comfort zone, the less certain we are.
Path Certainty
Think about taking an established road vs going via a dense rainforest.
Thats how a developed neural pathway vs one waiting to be forged feels like.
Clearly the established road is much more certain.
This is how growth works.
The established road will get you there quicker, but it won’t feel like as much of an achievement.
On a philosophical note: “If you’re going somewhere special, you might have to venture the road less travelled which doesn’t have supporting roads. The rainforest might be challenging but will have it’s own rewards the main stream can’t offer.”
A Venture Down The Path
So let’s imagine you make your way the rainforest for the first time. It’s going to:
→ require a lot of energy as you push past obstacles
→ be low in certainty and you try work out which way to stay on direction
→ be high in resistance as you work through
The next time you take this route you will be a little more certain and experience less resistance.
…That is if you do it soon enough to remember the way and the path hasn’t overgrown.
This is you literally creating a new neural pathway.
The Takeaway
That’s the key to developing neural pathways.
Retracing the path before it fades and venturing the path frequently.
The more frequently you take the path the more established it will become.
This is why if we stay in our comfort zone, it begins to shrink…we aren’t maintaining our neural pathways and they begin to fade.
This is why I think self expansion is critical to enjoying life…take more action, understand more, experience more!
This is why borrowing someone else’s knowledge of a path is a way to give us certainty and work through the resistance.