Your Brain is a Success Machine (Once You Know How to Program It)
Have you ever wondered why some creative goals feel impossible to reach, while others seem to naturally unfold before you? Or why certain music creators appear to stumble upon exactly the right resources and connections at the right time?
The answer might surprise you - it's not luck.
It's about programming your brain's natural filtering system.
My Middle of the Night Discovery
For the last two weeks, I've been deep-diving into Tony Robbins' work, particularly his teachings about how controlling our physiology is fundamental to achieving success.
I loved the idea! I connected with it deeply because, while I had set ambitious goals for myself both professionally and personally, the first month of the year was really beating me down. Between parenting challenges, a physical injury, illness, and the mounting sleep deprivation that had become my new norm – let's just say "life was lifing."
I realized that mastering this concept of physiological control would positively impact my mental health and give me a stronger shot at achieving my first-quarter goals, but I needed a concrete plan beyond my daily exercise routine. The answer came from a completely unexpected source.
Unable to sleep one night, I picked up "Tribe of Mentors" by Tim Ferriss and found myself captivated by an interview with Adam Fischer, a finance and real estate expert who credited his peak performance to something called HRV training - a concept I'd never heard of before.
Intrigued, my morning research led me to a Tim Ferriss video discussing the same topic. This led me to Dr. Leah Lagos and her groundbreaking work. By the next morning, I was reading her book Heart Breath Mind, completely fascinated by how we can actually control our body's response to stress and build resilience.
Think about this path: Tony Robbins → physiology and success →Tim Ferriss → Adam Fischer → Dr. Leah Lagos
Each connection was a stepping stone, naturally revealed by my brain because I had a strong desire to understand the connection between physiology and success.
Why This Matters for Musicians
This isn't about HRV training - though I do plan to share my discoveries as I progress through that journey - it's about understanding how our brain works when we truly want something. When we attach a powerful enough "why" to our desires, our brain's natural filtering mechanism kicks in, helping us:
Notice relevant opportunities we might have missed before
Make connections between seemingly unrelated information
Find solutions in unexpected places
The key? The strength of your "why" determines the power of your brain's filtering system.
🎯 Challenge for the Week
Here's a powerful exercise to reprogram your brain's success filter:
Take one goal you've previously set and dive deeper with these questions:
Why do I really want this? (Push past surface-level answers until you find the core motivation)
Make your "why" stronger by hacking your mind's pain and pleasure system:
What specific pleasures would achieving this goal bring into your life? Think about the emotional rewards, not just practical benefits
What pain points would you face by not achieving it? Be honest about the consequences of inaction
Be brutally honest with yourself.
The more emotionally connected you are to both the potential pleasure and pain, the more powerful your brain's filtering system becomes at finding solutions.
Remember: Your brain is already a success machine - it just needs clear programming to know what success looks like for you.
🧠 Quote of the week
“Goals are like magnets. They’ll attract the things that make them come true.” - Tony Robbins
Enjoy your week,
Melvin Darrell
