Success breeds success. We've all heard that phrase. But what does it really mean, particularly in a contemporary environment of brain training? In an earlier post several months ago (April 6, Success Mindsets Change Your Brain), I mentioned the work of Dr. Earl Miller of MIT on how our brain responds to successful outcomes (he used monkeys). We learned that successful experiences, even small ones, trigger the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure. What about learning from our mistakes? We hear that a lot too. Well, in the same study by Dr. Miller, mistakes teach us what not to do but not what to do. As Blair Singer, trainer and advisor to Rich Dad Robert Kiyosaki notes, we should spend less time on strengthening our weaknesses but rather building on our strengths. Even more critically, the absence of success with no apparent mistake leaves us unsure with relatively little learning taking place at all. Therefore, focus on successes, even small ones, and your brain dopamine will help solidify the learning. I'm not saying to ignore your mistakes but rather to focus on the successes and do more of what got you to them. It's brain science and good business practice, as we'll see in a moment.
Here are five actions you can take in your life and business, credit to Scott Halford of Entrepreneur.com for some of his thoughts. They are congruent with what we've just discussed:
1. Look to experience success, not to learn from mistakes. Focus on examining your success and try out what you think worked to get that success again. If you must discuss mistakes, emphasize what was correct so you begin to head in a successful direction.
2. Attend to your mindset. Don't allow negativity to dominate. If you do, you'll be stimulating more cortisol, which interferes with successful thinking. You'll become more frustrated and make more mistakes. Take a break if you must and come back with a new perspective.
3. Practice. Actually, that was my piano teacher's favorite word. When you practice the same behavior which resulted in success, you build stronger neural pathways. Focus on what you get right, ignore what you get wrong.
4. Celebrate. Celebrate your wins and ignore your mistakes unless your failure can be harmful. As Blair Singer mentions from a Neuro-linguistic Programming (NLP) perspective, celebrating wins anchors them in our brain.
5. Give positive feedback. This is what you can do with and for others. Notice what your subordinates do which is right and let them know as soon as possible. They too will benefit from the dopamine boost. Be as consistent as you can with this.
So notice your and others' successes and repeat them. Then indeed success will breed success.