Secrets of the Brain Part 2

NEXT STEPS: PROCEEDING AND PREVENTING PATTERNS

In the previous blog, I have highlighted nine aspects that science has identified as relevant to how we all complete the tasks we have set before ourselves: the Nine P-Patterns. If you can master your P-Patterns, you will arrive at your career goals more efficiently.

• Proceed – starting tasks
• Prevent – stopping impulses
• Produce – problem-solving
• Plan – using strategies effectively
• Present – bringing order to the mess
• Process – carrying out multi-steps
• Perceive – understanding ourselves socially
• Progress – monitoring our status
• Perform – expressing our emotions in the right way

PROCEED PATTERN

It may seem simple, but starting is important. If you consider the greatest works of art, whether sculpture, painting, or architecture, the initiation of the project was a key feature of the eventual creation. The first stone that set a foundation to the Great Pyramid in Egypt may have been well planned, but it’s actual placement along with many other stones is what we celebrate. In your own career journey, the choice to proceed with something is the first step. Career Path Choices | Career Testing and Career Counseling | Clarity Centers | Towson, MD 21204If you believe college is along your path, you have many decisions to begin with. You are considering:

• what grades can allow entry to what colleges
• what types of funding will you need for college
• whether knowing your major is important before you begin

If you believe that the workplace is the best start for you, you also have much to ponder:

• where would you like to work (big city or small town)
• what companies do you know that are hiring
• what training do you have right now that fits with open jobs

The book Ready, Fire, Aim by Michael Masterson suggests in his title that to proceed is often more important than failure. He contends that after some solid preparation, it can be more important to try something out (the “fire” part of the book’s title) before accurately aiming for complete success. Masterson supports the ideas that most successful people have had many experiences of failure before they arrive at more successes.

PREVENT PATTERN

As important as starting can be on your career journey, you may need to follow the Prevent Pattern first. In this pattern, you are carefully stopping yourself from being too impulsive. Learning to resist at times can be a good policy in deciding about a college option or a workplace focus. In the Prevent Pattern, we are allowing our brain to slowly consider what is best to use among the many options we have to choose. There may be some things in our lives that we have to cut out, or stop. We may have to say no to what would otherwise be good opportunities if the situation were different. Without these times of pausing and consideration, we often make poor choices. In the Prevent Pattern, we carefully think through the best options. We learn to say no, so that we can say yes to the most valuable choices we have.