How to Rewire Your Brain for an UPWARD SPIRAL

Summary

In this video, the host Jills discusses the concept of the 'winner effect' and how it can be applied to personal growth. She explains how winning, even in small ways, can create an upward spiral of success, drawing on examples from Mike Tyson's boxing career and scientific experiments with mice. Jills offers three key strategies to harness this effect: setting achievable goals, embracing a winner's mindset, and leveraging the domino effect for positive change. The video aims to inspire viewers to take actionable steps towards a more successful and fulfilling life.

Takeaways

• 🔄 We can experience both a downward spiral of struggle or an upward spiral of success, depending on our mindset and actions.
• 🎯 Setting achievable goals is crucial for maintaining momentum and staying on a positive trajectory.
• 🏆 The 'Winner Effect' suggests that those who win are more likely to keep winning due to the confidence and positive chemicals released in their bodies.
• 🧠 Life’s perception is subjective, and embracing a 'winner's mindset' can help frame challenges as opportunities for growth.
• 💡 Break down big goals into smaller, achievable tasks to ensure success and avoid feelings of failure.
• 🐭 Experiments with mice show that repeated success or failure can affect future outcomes, reinforcing the importance of building winning habits.
• 💪 Progress toward a goal, even in small steps, boosts confidence and motivates further success.
• 🔍 Your mindset plays a powerful role in how you perceive outcomes; reframing 'losses' as learning experiences can keep you on an upward spiral.
• 🛑 Avoid setting yourself up for failure by setting unrealistic goals, as this will create a losing cycle.
• ⏳ The domino effect shows that one small positive (or negative) action can lead to a cascade of similar outcomes, emphasizing the importance of daily habits.

Q & A

What is the main concept discussed in the video?

The main concept discussed in the video is the 'winner effect' and how it relates to the upward and downward spirals in life. It explains how winning can create a positive cycle that leads to more wins, while losing can lead to a negative cycle.

What is an example given in the video to illustrate the 'winner effect'?

The video uses the example of Mike Tyson's boxing comeback in 1995, where his managers strategically set up his first few fights to be against less skilled opponents to ensure a win and get him on a winning streak.

How does the 'winner effect' influence our mindset and behavior?

The 'winner effect' influences our mindset and behavior by increasing confidence and certain hormones like dopamine when we win, which makes us more likely to continue winning and maintain a positive upward spiral.

What is the significance of setting achievable goals according to the video?

Setting achievable goals is significant because it allows us to experience wins, which in turn boosts our confidence and puts us on an upward spiral. Unachievable goals can lead to a feeling of failure and a downward spiral.

Why is it important to embrace a winner's mindset?

Embracing a winner's mindset is important because it allows us to perceive more situations as wins, which keeps us motivated, confident, and on a positive trajectory. It helps us to notice and take advantage of possibilities around us.

What is the broaden and build theory mentioned in the video, and how does it relate to the winner effect?

The broaden and build theory states that positive emotions open up our minds to possibilities, while negative emotions narrow our focus. This theory relates to the winner effect by suggesting that a positive mindset can lead to more wins and an upward spiral.

How can we use the domino effect to our advantage in creating an upward spiral?

We can use the domino effect to our advantage by being strategic about the initial actions and thoughts we choose each day. Positive initial actions can set off a chain reaction of positive outcomes, leading to an upward spiral.

What is the role of the initial actions in the morning in setting the tone for the day?

The initial actions in the morning play a crucial role in setting the tone for the day because they are the first dominoes that fall, influencing whether we start on an upward or downward spiral.

How can we turn around a negative domino effect?

We can turn around a negative domino effect by consciously choosing to replace it with a positive action or thought. For example, if we stayed up late scrolling on our phone, we can counteract this by waking up early and engaging in a positive morning routine.

What is the advice given in the video for someone struggling to get back on an upward spiral?

For someone struggling to get back on an upward spiral, the video suggests allowing oneself to win at something achievable, like taking a shower or making the bed, to start the cycle of positive momentum.

Outlines

00:00

🔄 Escaping the Downward Spiral and Embracing the Upward Trajectory

The speaker, Jills, introduces the concept of the downward spiral, where negative events lead to a cycle of struggle and further negativity. She contrasts this with the upward spiral, where positive experiences lead to a 'winning streak' and continuous improvement. Jills emphasizes the importance of setting achievable goals to maintain an upward trajectory, using examples from the book 'The Winner Effect' by Dr. Ian Robertson. She discusses how winning can change one's mindset and body chemistry, leading to increased confidence and a higher likelihood of continued success.

05:00

🎯 Setting Achievable Goals for Success

Jills advises on the importance of setting moderately challenging goals that are within reach to avoid the disabling effects of aiming too high. She suggests breaking down big goals into smaller, manageable ones to create a sense of achievement and progress. The speaker uses the example of starting a business and becoming a millionaire, illustrating how focusing solely on the end goal can make smaller milestones seem insignificant. Instead, she encourages celebrating small wins along the way to maintain motivation and a positive outlook.

10:00

🏆 Embracing the Winner Mindset and the Domino Effect

Jills discusses the subjective nature of winning in life and how our perception of success can influence our trajectory. She suggests adopting a winner's mindset to maintain a positive upward spiral, even in the face of setbacks. The speaker introduces the 'broaden and build' theory from psychology, which posits that positive emotions open our minds to possibilities, while negative emotions narrow our focus. Jills also explains the domino effect, where small actions can lead to significant outcomes, and encourages viewers to be strategic about the 'dominoes' they set in motion, especially in the morning when the day's trajectory is set.

Keywords

💡Downward Spiral

A downward spiral refers to a vicious cycle where a negative event leads to a series of other negative outcomes, causing a continuous decline. In the video, it is mentioned as a situation where one bad thing happening can trigger a chain of further negative events, making it difficult to break free from the cycle. For example, feeling unwell can lead to missed work, which then leads to more stress and potentially more health issues.

💡Upward Spiral

An upward spiral is the opposite of a downward spiral, where a positive event or action leads to a chain of further positive outcomes, creating a cycle of success and improvement. The video emphasizes the importance of getting onto this positive trajectory where 'winning' begets more winning, leading to continuous personal growth and success.

💡Winning Streak

A winning streak is a continuous period of success or victories. The video uses the example of Mike Tyson's boxing comeback, where his managers strategically set him up with easy wins to start him on a winning streak and instill a winning mindset, which is crucial for maintaining an upward spiral.

💡Winner Effect

The winner effect is a psychological phenomenon where the experience of winning leads to increased confidence and a higher likelihood of continued success. The video explains that winning changes the body's chemistry, increasing hormones like dopamine, which in turn boosts confidence and the potential for further victories.

💡Achievable Goals

Achievable goals are those that are realistic and attainable, given one's current circumstances and resources. The video stresses the importance of setting such goals to ensure a series of wins, which can propel one into an upward spiral. It contrasts this with setting overly ambitious goals that are unlikely to be achieved, leading to a sense of failure and a downward spiral.

💡Mindset

Mindset refers to a person's perspective or attitude towards certain aspects of life. The video discusses the importance of embracing a 'winner's mindset', which involves perceiving challenges as opportunities for success rather than obstacles. This mindset is crucial for maintaining an upward spiral and avoiding the negative perceptions that can lead to a downward spiral.

💡Domino Effect

The domino effect is a chain reaction where one event sets off a series of similar events. In the context of the video, it illustrates how small actions can lead to larger outcomes, either positive or negative. The video encourages viewers to be strategic about the 'dominoes' they set off to maintain an upward spiral.

💡Subjective Winning

Subjective winning refers to the idea that what constitutes a 'win' can be interpreted differently by each individual, based on personal perception. The video suggests that even in the face of adversity, one can perceive situations as wins, which can help maintain a positive mindset and continue the upward spiral.

💡Broadside and Build Theory

The broaden-and-build theory posits that positive emotions lead to an expanded mindset, enabling individuals to see more possibilities and opportunities. The video references this theory to explain how a positive mindset can lead to an upward spiral, as opposed to a negative mindset which can narrow one's perspective and lead to a downward spiral.

💡Strategic Actions

Strategic actions are deliberate and calculated steps taken to achieve a specific outcome. The video encourages viewers to be strategic about the actions they take, as these actions can set off a chain reaction of events that can either propel them forward in an upward spiral or pull them back into a downward spiral.

💡First Domino

The first domino refers to the initial action or event that starts a chain reaction. The video uses this term to emphasize the importance of starting the day with positive actions to set off a positive chain reaction, which can lead to an upward spiral of success and well-being.

Highlights

Understanding the concept of the downward spiral where struggles compound and it becomes difficult to break free.

The possibility of an upward spiral where positive experiences build upon each other, leading to continuous improvement.

The importance of setting achievable goals to maintain a winning streak and avoid the feeling of failure.

The psychological impact of winning on the body's chemistry, including increased dopamine and confidence.

The strategic approach of Mike Tyson's managers to set him up for a winning streak post-prison.

The 'winner effect' and how it influences our perception of success and failure.

The importance of breaking down large goals into smaller, achievable targets to maintain momentum.

The role of mindset in determining whether we perceive events as wins or losses.

The broaden and build theory in psychology, explaining how positive emotions open up our minds to possibilities.

The significance of the domino effect in our lives and how it can lead to either positive or negative spirals.

The necessity of recognizing and choosing the right 'dominoes' to set off for a positive trajectory.

The impact of morning routines on setting the tone for the day and influencing the domino effect.

The importance of embracing a winner's mindset to maintain an upward spiral in life.

The practical application of the winner effect in daily life to create a positive upward spiral.

The author's personal experience and the value derived from understanding the upward spiral concept.

Transcripts

so you know the feeling of a downward

spiral where one bad thing happens and

then some more bad things happen or

where you're not really doing so great

and this creates struggle and that

struggle creates more struggle and more

struggle and we get stuck in this cycle

and it's so hard to pull ourselves out

that is the downward spiral right and

we've all been there well we can also

get caught in an upward spiral where

things just keep getting better and

better where one good thing leads to the

next and the next and you get caught in

a winning streak in this video I'm going

to tell you exactly how to put yourself

on that positive upward spiral

trajectory and how to stay there so you

can keep going up and up and life will

just keep getting better and

better hey friends welcome back if

you're new here my name is jills and I

help women step into their power tap

into their divine feminine and become

their best self so if that's something

you want to do you should subscribe and

stick around and in case you want more

from me don't forget to check out my

deep dive feminine energy course or any

of my other digital products like my

bestselling notion templates they will

all be linked down below so I read this

book recently called the winner effect

and the author Dr Ian Robertson says

something very important those who win

tend to keep winning and those who lose

tend to keep losing and this is why we

can either get caught in an upward

spiral or a downward one are we going to

keep winning or are we going to keep

losing what trajectory are we on now I'm

going to talk about how to actually put

ourselves on that upper trajectory in a

bit but first it really helps to

understand this concept more in depth

now in the book The author uses the

example of M Tyson and if you don't know

who Mike Tyson is he's just like a

really famous really good pro boxer so

in 1995 after he went to prison for a

little bit he was back on the boxing

scene right but what his managers did

was that they set up his first two

fights with boxers who were like not as

good where it would be a pretty much

hopefully guaranteed win and in Mike

Tyson's first boxing match and His

official comeback he knocked out his

first opponent in only 89 seconds and he

dominated the next guy in the next match

too and what did this do this started

him on the trajectory of a positive

upward spiral and started him off on a

winning streak and his managers they did

this strategically they wanted him to

get into the habit of winning they

wanted him to get into the mindset of

winning they wanted him to feel what

winning felt like before fighting more

challenging opponents and it worked the

author also talks about this other

experiment that was done with mice now

animal experiments are always like

ethically questionable and this one's

kind of sad I will say but the results

are still really interesting and I think

that we can learn a lot from it okay so

scientists put two mice in a cage to

fight and I don't exactly know how they

got them to fight but somehow they got

them to fight they instigated a fight

except here's the catch though one of

the mice was drugged they were sedated

so basically that drugged Mouse had no

chance of winning and they of course

lost and the not drugged Mouse they won

but here's what's so interesting though

these scientists they kept operating

this little mouse fight club and the

initial Mouse who won that fight they

for the most part kept on winning they

had a statistically much higher rate of

success but that other Mouse the one

that initially lost because they were

drugged they kept on losing they had a

much higher rate of failure and this is

because winning actually changes the

chemistry in your body it increases

certain hormones it increases your

dopamine it increases your confidence

but the short of it is is that when we

win we are more likely to keep winning

and this is called the winner effect

even though a lot of these examples are

about like physically fighting and

winning we can still use this concept to

help us win at life and hop on that

upward spiral so that's what we're going

to dive into how to take this concept

and use it to create the life we want

and there are three big points that we

need to talk about number one give

yourself the chance to win so if the

more we win the more we win then we need

to make sure that we are setting goals

that are actually achievable that we

have goals that we can actually win at

for example if your goal is to be a

billionaire that's great but is that

goal actually achievable at this point

in your life probably not or if your

goal is to get fit and so you say I'm

going to go to the gym every single day

no days off is that actually

achievable not likely or saying I'm

never going to have any sugar ever again

probably not very achievable you're

likely to lose or let's things smaller

if your goal for the day is to check off

20 things on your to-do list are you

actually going to win at that like is

that an achievable goal for me I don't

know 20 sounds like a lot so probably

not and therefore you will feel like a

loser the important thing here is that

if you feel like a winner that is when

you will get those winning effects and

if you feel like a loser that is when

you will get those losing effects and so

therefore if you set yourself up for

failure by setting goals that are just

like not achievable that are nearly

impossible then you will always fall

short and little by little every single

day your subconscious will think I'm a

loser I'm a failure I'm not good enough

I never do what I set out for myself I

don't trust myself I'm not confident in

myself or when you have those big Mega

goals you have to be able to break them

down into smaller achievable goals so

for example let's say you have a really

big goal of having your own business

that makes a million dollars a year

that's a really good goal but if you're

just completely fixated on the end goal

of being a millionaire business owner

then every single little tiny step along

the way is going to feel so small and so

inconsequential and almost like almost

like a failure almost like you're not

doing good enough setting up your first

janky little website getting your

business license getting your very first

client you know making your first $100

seems so silly when you compare that to

the ultimate goal of millionaire

business owner it gives you the feeling

that you're kind of failing even when

you're not you're on your way there has

to be little achievable goals along the

way that you can win at and that is how

you reach those big Mega goals the

author says in the book the people who

actually end up achieving the most tend

to set moderately challenging targets

for themselves key word is moderately

and he says that setting your targets

too high can actually have disabling

effects or in other words give you those

loser like effects so if you want to

start spiraling upward you have to give

yourself the chance to win or let's say

you're having a rough time you're in a

rut you're really struggling to get back

on that upward spiral you have to allow

yourself to win at something so yeah

maybe you do really need to write that

20,000 Worthy that you have to finish by

the end of the year but if you're

totally depressed rotting in bed then a

better goal might be to just get up take

a shower or wash your hair maybe put on

a cute outfit or maybe the goal is just

to make your bed and clean your room

because that is something that you can

actually win at and once you start

winning once you start achieving even if

it's little that's when that upward

motion starts and once you're caught in

that upward motion it's easy to keep

going and Life starts moving in the

direction you want winners tend to keep

winning so don't set yourself up to lose

number two embrace the winner mindset

now here's the thing with winning when

we're playing a basketball game or a

tennis match it's really obvious whether

we win or lose it's clearcut black and

white but in The Game of Life everything

is subjective in life winning is

subjective and for the most part it's

just based off of our own perception and

this is important we can use this to our

advantage again when you feel like you

win that's when you get those winning

effects and so when we win that's when

we stay motiv motivated and excited

that's when we keep taking action and

keep showing up that's when we keep

believing in ourselves and thinking

positively and because we keep showing

up because we're more confident we make

more progress towards our goals and the

more progress we make towards our goals

the more we feel like a winner and on

and on and on and up and up we go on

that upward spiral so there are some

things in life that'll just feel like a

really clear win you get that huge

promotion at work or you go on the most

amazing first date ever or after working

out for a few months you look at

yourself in the mirror and you're like

whoo who's that or you have one of those

days where everything is just easy you

get everything done so quickly and

you're in bed in your PJs all cozy by

like 7:00 p.m. and you get to watch your

favorite show those things are easy to

see as wins but what about the other

stuff let's say your boyfriend breaks up

with you that sucks but also maybe it's

a win he clearly wasn't the right one

for you anyways and now he just opened

up the path for some other amazing

person to walk into your life maybe you

tried to start a business and after a

year you had to close it down that's a

bummer but also you learn so much in

that process and next time that you go

to start your next business you're going

to be 100 steps ahead of where you

started last time and that business

probably wasn't even right for you

anyway so now you'll create something

better or heaven forbid let's say you

get into a car accident the losers

mindset will think H why me why do I

have to deal with this I can't believe I

just got into an accident now I have to

get my car fixed take it to the shop G

why can't I ever catch a break the

Winner's mindset will think I'm alive

thank goodness for the airbags I'm so

lucky that I'm okay I'm so great

grateful that I'm okay that nothing

serious happened everything always works

out for me with so many things in life

you can choose to see things either as a

win or as a fail and it is purely based

off of your own perception and your own

perception will determine whether you

stay on that winning streak and on that

upward spiral or if you reroute and

start on that downward one there's also

something in Psychology called the

broaden and build Theory and it

basically kind of reaffirms what I'm

saying but in a different way and in

short it basically says that when we're

feeling good when we're feel feeling

positive emotions our mind opens up and

we're able to notice and take advantage

of the possibilities around us when we

think negative thoughts our minds close

in a sense it tends to think rather

narrowly on the problem and on that

negativity and then we can't see the

possibilities and our lives will suffer

because of it having that winning

mindset like noticing all the wins this

is you looking for the good that is you

choosing to experience positive emotions

instead of negative ones this is opening

up your mind in that positive upward

Direction and this is what allows for

more good things to come if you're stuck

thinking about all of the losses all of

the fails all of your problems then that

is what you will keep perpetuating

because your focus is so narrowly stuck

on that if you want to rewire your brain

and stay on that positive upward spiral

trajectory you have to find and notice

the winds even if you have to be a

little bit dulu sometimes because this

is what's going to bring in more number

three use the domino effect to your

advantage now lastly we always have the

domino effect going on in our life

always whether whether you realize it or

not for example you stay up late on your

phone one night just like scrolling and

so you go to bed late and then because

you go to bed late you wake up late and

tired and because you wake up late and

tired you rush out the door you don't

get to make yourself a breakfast you

don't get to put yourself together and

look cute and you're grumpy and because

you're grumpy you have a bad work day

and because you're tired grumpy and

feeling stressed from your bad work day

you decide to skip your evening workout

and because you skip your evening

workout you feel bad about yourself and

because you feel bad about yourself you

eat some junk food to feel better and

you just fall into a bad Place mentally

and because you're feeling so negative

you just push your friends and your

family away and you isolate yourself see

how that one little action of scrolling

on your phone and staying up late was

that first Domino that started off that

downward spiral well the opposite is the

same let's say you get into the groove

of waking up on time and working out in

the morning because you're getting those

good workouts and you're like oh well I

should probably start eating better and

drinking my water so that I can like

recover from my workouts and so I'm not

wasting my time at the gym and then

because you're eating better you're

drinking more water you're working out

all of a sudden you start feeling better

and because you feel better you sleep

better and because you sleep better you

wake up more refreshed your skin is much

more clear your mind is more clear you

start feeling more confident all of a

sudden you got a little pep in your step

you're more positive and because you're

more positive you're more social and

people like being around you you're more

loving you develop better relationships

and because you're more positive because

your mind is more clear because you're

feeling better because you're able to

develop these better relationships all

of a sudden your career starts taking

off and then because your career starts

taking off you start making all this

money the domino effect is always

happening in our life and and that is

why winners tend to keep winning and

losers tend to keep losing so be

strategic about which dominoes you are

setting off when we accidentally set off

a negative Domino which we will the

staying up late scrolling on our phone

or whatever it is notice that Domino and

then consciously actively choose to turn

it around choose to put in place a

positive one every day when we wake up

those first dominoes are already

starting to fall and they're either

putting us on the upward spiral

trajectory or the downward one depending

on which ones you choose there's no

between so especially in those first

moments in the morning they are crucial

do you wake up and immediately start

scrolling your phone and start comparing

yourself to all the other girls that

you're seeing on the internet and then

you start thinking negative thoughts

about yourself if so that first Domino

is already falling and already leading

you down that downward spiral but maybe

if you wake up read a few pages from an

inspiring book make your bed put on a

cute outfit eat some breakfast with

protein you're hitting down those first

dominoes that are causing you to move

upward every action you take every

thought you think is a little Domino and

those dominoes are always hitting the

next one setting off a chain reaction so

if you want to stay on that upward

spiral recognize the dominoes that you

are knocking down that is it for this

video I personally found this topic

really interesting and I hope that you

guys found it interesting too and got

some value from it I'd love to know your

thoughts in the comments below but

besides that thank you so much for

watching thank you so much for staying

until the very end and we will see you

next time in our next video bye