Intro to the super-charged mind
Congratulations. You have been given a super-powered brain. More specifically, your superpower is, "calm under pressure". Also, "non-linear creative thinking". Also, "bored without intensity". The name of this brain depends on which angle you take it from. “Genius" when seen through the non-linear and creative capabilities. “Leader" when seen through the ability to remain calm under pressure. “ADHD" or “troublemaker" when seen through the tendency to be bored with lack of intensity, especially in group environments like the school system.
Your mission
Your brain is like a chainsaw. A chainsaw is the most powerful cutting tool available. It can be used to take down trees, make lumber, build houses, build bridges, sculpt artwork. But, if not carefully used - or if left unguided, you can also injure yourself just as fast. Every brain is powerful. A super-charged brain like yours needs an owner who is willing to learn to use it well.
With great power comes great responsibility. You are the steward of the brain. That means you are the guide, and the leader, and the caretaker of your brain. What it becomes and what it is capable of depends on how you handle your interior dialogue, your superpower capabilities, and yes, your super limitations when it comes to aspects that are tedious to a super-charged mind.
This program is where you will become initiated to your brain, familiar with your brain, a partner with your brain. Where will you go with it? What will you build? It depends. It depends on your parents. It depends on your teachers. It depends on the circumstances presented to you by life. It depends on you. The most important of these is the one you can control - you. How do you relate to this powerful brain of yours?
Calm Under Pressure
A sharp mind where consequences are bigger than a broken rule.
Alternate paths
There are many paths that people have taken, people who have brains like yours. And there are two alternatives with how to partner with this brain. One approach is to tame it, just a little bit, so it’s more manageable, done primarily with medicine. When tamed, these brains can produce intense focus at your request, instead of only being able to focus when it feels interesting. Focus is critical to learning, and many amazing things in life take discipline to learn. Doctors, surgeons, lawyers, all have done well with brains like these and a little bit of help from medication.
Those who lose control of their brains and the internal dialogue they have with them can find themselves on the dark side of this superpower. They can find themselves depressed, meaning they "think bad thoughts about themselves and about life". They can find themselves using other tools to medicate themselves. So rather than taking medicine for their super-powered brain sometimes they fall into substance abuse, alcohol, or even drugs.
But unleashed properly, even without any medication, non-linear thinking leads to amazing creativity, leaders, and geniuses. Every person on this planet has a path ahead of them beset with obstacles and challenges unique to them. In some ways, your challenges are greater than others; and your responsibility is greater than others as you learn to handle and lead this superpower of yours. Is it a blessing or is it a curse? There will be days that you feel each, but with careful preparation, with creating of great habits, with self-appreciation and love for what you’re capable of, you an this brain of yours will become partners; and together you will sculpt a life that is one to be admired, and loved, and appreciated by you, by friends, by family, and by society around you.
the source of your power
Given the challenge ahead of you, and on the head of you, it might be useful to learn about how your brain works. How is this superpower given to you? It comes down to a relationship with your brain and an energy source. The energy source is glucose. Glucose helps regulate attention. Most brains are set with a certain level of “intensity" they can handle. On a scale of one to ten, they operate on four or five. And when they need to learn or take on a task, they are able to turn on a valve of fuel, glucose, that allows them to focus on that task. The problem with the mechanism of regular people’s brains shows up under extremely intense circumstances when their brains can become overwhelmed.
Your brain is different. Your brain is not meant to operate at four or five. It operates at eight or nine … and even ten. It takes a much higher pressure for that valve to open and concentration to flow. What this means is that other people engage their higher brain functions when mildly stimulated, but can become overwhelmed when the intensity goes up. On the other hand, you are able to think and use higher brain functions in an emergency situation where other people get turned into fight or flight. You are as calm in an emergency as others are when learning math. Pretty cool, huh?
School: Even batman has to be bruce wayne most of the day
If we lived in a world where emergencies were the daily activity, where school was outdoors, and danger was everywhere, your brains would be perfectly well-suited. But we live in society. We live in houses, in neighborhoods, in communities, in cities, in a country. And people are social animals. We have to work together, which means we also do things in groups - like learning. And these systems for learning have been designed for what works best for most people. Classrooms. Desks & chairs. A teacher talking at the front of the room. There are only so many people that have a brain that works like yours. About one in 14. And so when you sit down in a class of 25 students and the teacher stands up and begins explaining spelling or reading or math, everyone’s brain in that room is humming along at a four to a five. And that causes the “focus valve” for most people to open, and glucose to flow, and attention to enable the learning. But not for you.
Your brain is bored at a 4 or 5 and it’s looking for something else to do. Or, if you want to do well, you might find yourself creating an argument or getting into trouble. or waiting until the last minute to do your work. Why is that? You probably do it without thinking, but there is a reason - a very good reason. Without realizing why, you are creating an emergency. You are raising the intensity to kick in the adrenaline. Adrenaline is how you get the “focus valve” to open. Once that adrenaline is up, then your valve opens, then you’re able to study and focus just like everyone else was before you started the commotion. And that makes school a bit tricky. On average about 2 students in every class feel this way.
Right now school feels like your whole life. School feels like it will last forever. But you need to take a moment and take a bigger view. You are only in school for a relatively few many years of your life. And what you do in work and for a living and with people past school can be served very well with this brain of yours. It is then that what-you-practice-now will emerge as a superpower to others.
What’s next?
As you continue to learn about how your brain works, pay attention to yourself throughout your day. Notice others when they are able to focus and what pressure level they’re at. And then consider your own. Notice if you are using arguments or stress to increase your own pressure so that you can also focus. Notice when you are in the flow and concentrating and able to live in those beta spectrum and produce incredible work. Love yourself. This is an amazing trait you have. Appreciate everything it gives you. Be accepting and loving of the limitations that also come with it. Every trait has both a good and bad element. Knowing how your brain works is the first step in becoming its partner and being able to unleash the superpower that you have been given.
Keep going! It is an adventure; here are some resources.
Many Successful People Have Super-Charged Minds, Like Yours!
Books:
Emotional Intensity In Gifted Students
Learn about the brain:
The Human Colossus: How Our Brain Became What It Is Today
An Fun Ted Talk About Distraction and Procrastination
Finding purpose; because everything is easier with a vision: