The Unbelievable Power of YOUR Brain
By Dr Jill Ammon-Wexler
Pioneer Brain/Mind Researcher
© 2005 All rights reserved
www.quantumbraingym.com

Sometimes it is easy to overlook how truly amazing our human brains are. The truth is, your brain is an awesome organ -- and the brain’s capacity is nearly impossible to grasp.

In terms of its power and intricacy, even the least developed human brain leaves the greatest computer of our times in the dust. Your brain is capable of processing an estimated 30 billion bits of information each second.

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You have about 30 billion neurons -- the nerve cells responsible for conducting information throughout your brain. And if you were to stretch those tiny neurons end to end, they would actually stretch about 6000 miles. This is approximately the distance from the surface of the Earth to the moon and back, and it is all packed into the 3+ pounds of your physical brain.

And think about this: Each of those neurons is actually a tiny self-contained computer with the capability of processing an estimated one million bits of information.

This gets even more amazing when you consider that although each of your neurons can act independently, then also communicate with other neurons.

And here is yet another amazing fact -- it is estimated that your brain contains up to 100,000 MILES of neural fibers created as your neurons reach out to communicate with each other. Yes, I did say miles.

Now remember – we are just talking about the average human brain. When you consider a highly refined human brain like that created through focused mental exercise -- that “neural fiber mileage” could easily quadruple.

Your Brain’s Processing Power

If you are not already totally amazed, consider this: Each of your neurons takes an estimated million times longer to send a signal to the next neuron that today’s super fast computers. Yet your brain’s ability to process information makes even the fastest computer look like a slug.

How can that be so?

Computers basically make connections one at a time. But a single neuron, on the other hand, can simultaneously send a signal to hundreds of thousands of other neurons in less than 20 milliseconds – one tenth of the time it takes for you to blink.

The Behavior Issue

So here’s the big question. With all this miraculous mental processing power, why aren’t we all be happy, successful peak performers with everything we want in life? And why can’t we just immediately shake off any disappointment or sadness or discouragement and just be happy and accomplished?

And why can’t we just change any behavior we wish to change, accomplish every goal we set our to accomplish – or at least overcome our tendency to procrastinate, think limiting thoughts, or buy into negativity?

Why can’t we?

There really is one reason: Most people have no idea of how their brains really work. They struggle to make changes by using the rational, thinking portion of their brain. But this leads only to frustration and disappointment – not lasting change.

Why is that? Because your behavior is deeply set into actual physical neural connections. Habits and behavior patterns cannot be reasoned with.

How Your Brain Works

All of your beliefs, your habits, everything making up your mental reality, is contained in physical neural-pathways. Each time you think a thought, it is communicated among your neurons via tiny electro-chemical messages.

The first time you have an experience or learn something new, chances are a new pathway is created. Then the next time you have that experience, your brain will search to see if your have experienced it before. If you have, it will follow the same pathway.

The more often your have that experience or think that thought, the most physically complex and durable the neural pathway holding that thought will become. This is how a thought or action becomes a habit – and a habit is best thought of as more of a cemented highway than a footpath.

You cannot rationally “think” these physical networks away. That’s why it is so hard to break a habit. Your habit is wired into your brain as actual physical connections.

These neural pathways can only be altered in two ways:

(1) You can gradually force over a period of time to weaken and atrophy by not using indulging in the associated behavior, thought or emotion; OR

(2) You can override the old pathway by wiring a new behavior, thought pattern or emotion over the old.

Changing Your Brain

If you have aspects of yourself you would like to change (and who doesn’t), you will do well to start by recognizing the fact that you cannot just think or rationalize them away. Logic does NOT reach where you need to go.

You’re going to have to create something more powerful. Something that overrides what you wish to change. And you are going to have to create neural pathways that are stronger that the one you wish to change.

Two things create strong neural pathways: Repetition, and intense emotion.

So the basic secret of change is this: (1) Stir up and allow yourself to truly “feel” intense negative emotion about what you wish to change, (2) select an alternate positive behavior or thought pattern, (3) associate your new pattern with even stronger positive emotion, (4) reward yourself with praise each time you replace the old pattern with the new one, and (5) make it a point to repeat this as often as possible.

Does this seem too simple? What you are doing is actually creating physical changes in your brain – rewiring your neural pathways.

The fastest way to rewire your neural pathways is brainwave training. Click here to learn more!

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