When I say that your thought patterns actually change your brain, will you invest 8 minutes to explore this claim—instead of rolling your eyes? And what if my claim is more than just pop psychology … Are you willing to risk the consequences of dismissing it?
In This Article:
You can change the physical structure of your brain by thinking a specific, intentional way
Your mind controls your brain (unless you give up control)
Your mind has to operate within the limitations of its physical container: your brain
Key Application:
A simple but powerful way to practice neuroplasticity
Recently, I’d made a number of attempts with friends and colleagues to explain the reality of neuroplasticity: the brain's ability to reorganize itself and change its structure and connections based solely on the content and patterns of our thinking. I received a spectrum of reactions, from skeptical eye rolls on one end to disengaged acknowledgment on the other.
It was as if people didn’t believe me … or couldn’t believe me.
I was frustrated until I remembered the first time I heard the idea, and recalled that I’d responded much the same way: with sort of a optimistic disbelief. I wanted it to be true, because it fed my optimism in human potential. But honestly I had no confidence that it could be realistically actionable for me.
So I get your skepticism at what seems like a feel-good, positive-thinking fortune cookie message. I really do.
But here’s the thing: It’s absolutely, 100%, empirically true. It’s not snake oil. We now have the technology to know how it works.
Please hear me when I say that your skepticism and disbelief (which is totally normal, by the way) is exactly what you need to push through. Because your mental health—and that of everyone you influence—is at stake.
Let’s peek under the hood and get a better look …
The Long and Short of Neuroplasticity
Neuroplasticity is how the brain:
Learns new skills, like playing an instrument.
Compensates for injuries, like strokes or traumatic brain injuries.
Adjusts to new situations or environmental changes.
Develops habits, like driving home without consciously thinking about every turn.
While these points are straightforward, what’s not so evident is the reality that neuroplasticity is a self-directed process. Consider:
The only reason my brain learns a new instrument is that I want to.
My brain can only heal itself from an injury if I want to be healed.
It is my desire to thrive in my new environment that drives my brain to adapt.
My brain will not learn to operate “on autopilot” until I have repeatedly driven the same drive numerous times in a row.
I want to help you see how to leverage this for your success. But first, I have to lay …
Some Groundwork
First, there are some foundational concepts that I’ll ask you to trust me on (I can explain and defend these later, if need be). These are a 30,000-foot flyover … each could be a book in and of itself. But you need to see the big picture for neuroplasticity to make sense. Try to keep up …
2 LEVELS - You have two dimensions of thoughts: those in your mind and those in your physical brain.
The MIND - The thoughts in your mind are the part of your spirit/soul, the immaterial part of you that is a sentient being distinct from your physical body. They are part of your spiritual existence. When you die physically, these thoughts remain with your soul into eternity.
The BRAIN - The thoughts in your brain exist as physical energy: electrical impulses stored and/or transmitted across the cells and synapses of your brain. They are part of your physical existence. When you die physically, these thoughts cease.
2 HEMISPHERES - The brain has two hemispheres that operate in a collaborative, interdependent way. They operate very differently, and have different—and often competing—purposes:
The right hemisphere helps us understand who we are, what reality is, and how we’re connected with it. The right hemisphere wants to arrive at coherence and peace. It’s where our identity, faith, values, morality, empathy and intuition reside. And much of the activity in the right hemisphere is unconscious.
The left hemisphere helps to dissect the reality in the right hemisphere, bring it into conscious awareness for cognition, categorization and execution. The left hemisphere wants arrive at closure, certainty and a course of action. It’s where we compute 2+2, put thoughts into words and create our systematic paradigms. And much of the activity in the left hemisphere is conscious.
THOUGHT LEADER - The thoughts in our mind drive the thoughts in our brain. Think of the mind as the driver, and the brain as the car—the physical container the mind operates in. The brain responds to the mind’s inputs, and structures itself to accommodate the mind’s direction. The mind is the leader, but it is handicapped by the constraints of operating inside the physical container of the brain.
Okay, those are the relevant pieces. Now let’s start putting the puzzle together …
3 Implications
There are 3 macro implications related to neuroplasticity.
01 :: The Brain Supports What the Mind Thinks About
The brain builds neurons and synapses on demand—that is, when your mind directs your thoughts. The stronger and more frequent a thought, the more robust that part of the brain’s structure becomes. Associating additional thoughts, emotions, memories, plans, etc. with that thought ensures that those connections will grow even stronger. The weaker and less frequent thoughts don’t require as robust a structure, so less “neural” real estate gets allocated to them.
So, simply stated: Neuroplasticity becomes our advantage when we think intentionally in the way we want to think, and our brains will adapt to support it.
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things … And the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4.8-9 NIV)
But you also have to realize that …
02 :: The Brain Will Take Control If Your Mind Doesn’t
When your mind doesn’t drive your thoughts, your brain assumes there’s no need to develop new structure and continues using the existing thought patterns. These can be so convincing that an undiscerning mind can believe the thoughts in the brain are true and accurate, even when they aren’t.
For example: Have you ever experienced imposter syndrome, where you know logically (in your conscious left hemisphere) that you’re qualified for a task but are incapacitated by an inexplicable fear (in your unconscious right hemisphere) that you’re not qualified?
This is the brain driving the mind … or, more accurately, the mind allowing the brain to be the thought leader in your head.
So we have to drive our brain’s thoughts. If we don’t, our brain will do the driving—often to an unhealthy or ineffective destination.
“Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults.” (1 Corinthians 14.20 NIV)
Sounds simple, right? It is, but there’s another thing to grasp …
03 :: Toxic Thoughts Must Be Physically Denatured
Let’s say you learn a new truth (like, say, God loves and accepts you as you are). This truth is especially meaningful if you’ve always believed that approval comes through performing well.
But wholehearted belief in the new truth isn’t enough to dispel the old lie, because you haven’t changed the brain’s structure that’s actively supporting the lie. You’ve simply introduced a new thought that is now competing with the old one.
You need to get rid of the old as you strengthen the new.
“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10.5 NIV)
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Romans 12.2 NIV)
The old thought must be disavowed and the brain structure where it resides must be deconstructed. This is a physical process of denaturing the proteins in that part of brain’s myelinated tissues.
What you think about—and how you think it—is what drives this process. You must capture and invalidate the old thought, while you embrace and concentrate on the new one.
It typically takes on the order of 3-4 weeks of continual, intentional thinking to build the new neurons to support the new thought. Then add another 4 weeks or so to get all the neuron connections to talk to each other effectively.
While this is happening, your brain depends less and less on the old thought. The old neurons “atrophy” because they aren’t needed.
How to Begin
Start small, and focus on a thought that A) you want to get rid of, and that B) you have a replacement thought that you you believe in, have a level of conviction about or hope in. The idea here is “capturing” or disavowing the old thought, not just embracing the new one.
Consciously embrace the new thought and disavow the old thought multiple times each day. Even a quick, conscious “check-in” is often sufficient to keep your brain engaged and drive the changes.
Use reflection at the end of the day to support this brain transformation even further, setting the stage for your brain to process as you sleep.
And know that bigger and hairier thoughts take more time, because they aren’t just single thoughts—they are very complex and comprehensive.
Also, this article is a follow-on to a couple of articles I’ve already written about the mind and the brain, the differences between the right and left hemispheres and how we can adjust our thought patterns to leverage the way God made our brains:
The Mind and The Brain
What They Are, How They Differ and Why It MattersWhat Thankfulness Does To Our Brain
Thanksgiving Benefits More Than Just Our StomachLeft-Brained Blind Spots: The Left Hemisphere’s Role In Our Spiritual Journey
Why Faith Needs More Than Logic
Here’s to renewing your mind and remaking your brain!
Peace be with you …
What kind of unhealthy or toxic thought are you wanting to get rid of? Leave a comment and let’s discuss … or chat with me directly about it ...