FACE YOUR ENEMIES: EMBRACE YOUR CHALLENGERS

Thrill Of The Fight 

When I think back to all the people & situations that frustrated me, I discover that it improved something in my life.

You might wonder how a great challenge or tragedy in a person's life can actually improve their position in any appreciable fashion, but alas, it is true. 

We Don't Like Resistance

There is an unsettling annoyance to roadblocks in our perceived progress, whether it is a career pursuit, a fitness program, or a world view. 

But the irony about these things forcing us to fight, is their natural capability to make us literally stronger in many ways.  

for instance, if we desire to make ourselves physically stronger, we must work out our bodies, pushing against forces(weights) that may seem to weaken us at the moment, but ultimately empower us. The result is stronger muscles that appear tighter & bigger. You cannot get to this place without resistance.

Likewise, when we face the challenges of intellectual arguments that war against our own philosophies, we can only bolster our own intellect by diving into the trenches & fighting. 

*DANGER* Bathroom Hand Dryers Are Hazardous To Your Health

This means you must conduct a comprehensive analysis of the subject matter, dissecting all facts & figures to arrive at the best truth we can discover. In many cases, you might find that your old paradigm was correct,  & now you can more effectively share this knowledge with others. In other situations, you might be wrong about your initial hypothesis, & now you have learned & grown. 

In either scenario, you have improved yourself, with the potential to help the rest of humanity in the process. 

The SCIENCE Of Challenging Yourself

It's nice to know that we can grow through adversity, & even better when we can see it happen at the microscopic level. 

Scientific studies have proven that we grow new neural pathways in our brain by focusing on energy intensive challenges. 

Tara Swart, a senior lecturer at MIT and author of Neuroscience for Leadership, gives us a glimpse into the science of improving our brain capabilities throughout our lives:

1. Focus on energy intensive challenges

As Swart recommends, you need to try any “energy intensive” challenge that requires “conscious processing of inputs, conscious decision-making, complex problem solving, memorizing complex concepts, planning, strategizing, self-reflection, regulating our emotions and channeling energy from them, exercising self-control and willpower.”

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________
A big part of keeping your brain agile is forcing yourself to use areas you don’t normally activate. You can do this by taking on new challenges that push you to mental and physical exhaustion, because this forces your brain to change the way it works. This is the way in which new neurons are grown and strengthened to connect to existing pathways. Excellent challenges of this nature would be learning how to play a musical instrument or taking on a new language.

Stephen Hawking: Brilliant Mind, Or Foolish Heart?

2. Repeat new challenges or progress will be lost

If you push yourself once and then never again, your progress will be lost. Newly formed neural pathways are delicate and need repetition to reinforce them. Only with practice can they become default ways of thinking.

As Swart explains, “Depending on the complexity of the activity, [experiments have required] four and a half months, 144 days, or even three months for a new brain map, equal in complexity to an old one, to be created in the motor cortex.”

3. Adopt a healthy living, low-stress lifestyle

The best way to develop those neural pathways and keep your brain in top shape is to take good care of your health. Stress, poor nutrition, too little sleep, and the use of tobacco or alcohol will all be detrimental to your brain’s development. They will also keep your brain using the same old pathways.

“Your brain will send its resources through the blood supply to areas that it can tell that you’re focusing attention and concentration on,” said Swart, “or areas that you have a desire to put more energy into.”

Did you see that?

YOUR MIND STRENGTHENS THE AREAS WHERE YOU FOCUS !!!

So, it's not good enough to simply dismiss your challengers & stay comfortable in your life. You MUST learn more & be prepared to stem the tide of your opposition. 

Not only is this good for you, but it can be potentially beneficial for those who oppose you. If they can be intellectually honest & examine the analysis in depth fairly, they will learn & grow as well. 

*EPIC TRUE TALE* Patriot Rock Star Escapes Evil Regime To Win Freedom In America

Just like the ROCKY movies, those fighters didn't win their battles by sitting back on their laurels, they trained very hard to the point of exhaustion & inhuman pain to stand toe to toe with their challengers. 

It is important to understand that your foe takes on many forms. It can be another person, group, or even your own opportunities to learn something new. 

Most of all, approach your challengers with a sincere concern for their own well being, with the understanding that improvement for ALL is the desired result. 

Do not assume that your opponent is harmless & you will dismiss their ideas & capabilities. To do so can be dangerous to the world at large. 

What if they are setting upon a path of destruction & sharing these bad ideas with others?  

RESPECT your enemy & be prepared to defeat them, for the good of everyone.

Running away with sarcastic snipes gets you NOTHING...