Don’t Believe Everything You Think | Lisa Penney | TEDxUSFSM

Summary

In this insightful talk, a behavioral scientist explores the role of stress in the workplace and how our automatic thoughts can mislead us. She explains how our brains are wired for fast, often inaccurate decisions, and how these quick judgments can lead to counterproductive behaviors. Using engaging examples like optical illusions and a famous gorilla video, she highlights the importance of being aware of our thoughts. By questioning automatic responses and practicing mindfulness, we can make better decisions and manage stress more effectively, ultimately improving our habits, actions, and overall legacy.

Takeaways

• 😀 Our thoughts are often automatic and can be misleading, especially under stress.
• 😀 Stress leads to counterproductive behaviors at work, from slowness to rudeness and even aggression.
• 😀 Theories in behavioral science suggest that we react to stress by getting anxious, frustrated, or angry, which leads to acting out.
• 😀 The story we tell ourselves about an event or situation greatly impacts how we feel and act, often more than the event itself.
• 😀 Our brains are wired to make fast decisions, not necessarily accurate ones, which can lead to distorted perceptions.
• 😀 The fast brain makes quick decisions based on past experience, while the slow brain engages in critical thinking but requires more energy and time.
• 😀 95% of our thoughts are unconscious and automatic, making it hard to recognize when we are running on autopilot.
• 😀 We are evolutionarily programmed to prioritize speed in decision-making, which helped our ancestors survive but may be less suited to modern life.
• 😀 When under stress, our brain’s emotional center takes over, and critical thinking can go offline, leading to poor decision-making.
• 😀 Being aware of our automatic thoughts and questioning their accuracy is crucial for making better decisions, especially in stressful situations.
• 😀 Simple techniques like breathing, pausing, and being curious can help us manage our automatic thoughts and see situations more clearly.

Q & A

What is the primary focus of the speaker's research?

The speaker's research focuses on studying stress and the counterproductive behaviors that people exhibit at work when they are stressed, such as working slowly, being rude, or even abusive to others.

How does the speaker relate her personal experiences to her research?

The speaker connects her personal experiences with anxiety, frustration, and anger to her research, stating that her struggles with these emotions motivated her to study stress in an attempt to understand and control it.

What is the main point the speaker makes about stress and its effects on behavior?

The speaker explains that stress can lead to counterproductive behavior, not because of the external events themselves, but because of the stories we tell ourselves about those events. Stress distorts perception and influences how we react.

What is the significance of the optical illusion and puzzles used in the talk?

The optical illusions and puzzles illustrate how our brain can deceive us, showing that our automatic thoughts can be inaccurate. These examples serve as a metaphor for how our brains misinterpret situations in real life, especially when under stress.

What does the speaker mean by 'fast brain' and 'slow brain'?

The 'fast brain' refers to the automatic, efficient part of our brain that makes quick decisions based on past experiences, while the 'slow brain' involves more deliberate, critical thinking that takes more time and energy but leads to more accurate decisions.

Why does the speaker argue that we cannot always trust our thoughts?

The speaker argues that we cannot always trust our thoughts because they are often automatic and based on familiar patterns, which can be distorted. Stress, new situations, or unfamiliar experiences can further impair our ability to make accurate judgments.

What is the role of the amygdala in stress, according to the speaker?

The speaker explains that when we are stressed, the amygdala, the emotion center of the brain, takes over, and our prefrontal cortex, which helps us think critically, goes offline. This leads to automatic, emotional responses that ignore important information.

How can we manage automatic thoughts, especially in stressful situations?

The speaker suggests three strategies: (1) Becoming aware of when you're operating on autopilot and recognizing familiar, potentially inaccurate stories; (2) Taking a deep breath to signal safety to your body and reset your brain; (3) Being curious and questioning the accuracy of the stories you tell yourself, looking for alternative explanations.

What does the speaker suggest is the key to breaking the cycle of automatic thinking?

The key to breaking the cycle of automatic thinking is to pause, breathe, and engage in controlled processing. By doing so, we can regain clarity and avoid reacting impulsively to stressful situations.

What is the ultimate message the speaker wants the audience to take away from the talk?

The speaker's ultimate message is to be aware of your thoughts and the stories you tell yourself. By questioning these automatic thoughts and choosing which ones to act upon, you can make more thoughtful decisions and shape the legacy you leave behind.