I often get asked what the process I use to change people is. My answer is that I do not change people; I guide people. In reality, no one can change someone. Yes, they can influence other people’s changes, but they must seek change first. The problem is that many people do not know they need to change until they have a jolt in life that wakes them up. In this manner, we operate under our own beliefs and premises before taking advice or making any changes in our lives. Regardless of knowing that we cannot change people, a process called neuroplasticity speaks about changing the brain’s wiring to be more in line with the people we would like to become.

Neuroplasticity is defined as a general umbrella term that refers to the brain’s ability to modify, change, and adapt both structure and function throughout life and in response to experience. In standard terms, the brain will adapt to its current environment. This is important because we live in a world where life is more manageable. You can go to the store to buy clothes or get food to eat. Water flows out of a faucet to drink, cook, and bathe. We also have homes that keep us safe, warm, and dry. All of these make life easier because if we didn’t have these necessities, we would have to go out and get them or create them ourselves.

When we have more things to do on a given day, it creates challenges for our brains. The brain is naturally wired to conserve energy on the off chance it will trigger its fight or flight response. This fact alone will make you think, under the premise, what tasks are the lowest energy or how I can expand the lowest amount of energy in this task. You are not operating at 100% because you are subconsciously conserving energy when you do that. This is both a good thing and a bad thing. It is suitable for you because you will not become fatigued quicker. The bad part is that you are not setting your full potential.

When I was teaching, I learned that I had to give 100% every day or have an unruly day for students. I came to this conclusion one day when I was not feeling well. I asked if there was anyone to cover for me, and there wasn’t, so the only option I honestly had was to stay and tough it out. I said that I would operate at a lower percentage to conserve my energy and make it through the day in my first period. That first class was TERRIBLE. It wasn’t the students; it was me! I know that for sure because it was a night and day difference when I switched to giving 100% in the same class.

From learning that if I did not give 100% in my days, I found out that I was making my life inherently more challenging. Though I had a valid excuse not to give my best, I found out that I am giving myself more work if I fail to provide my all each day. The rest of that day, I gave 100%, and I didn’t have any other issues with any class. I learned that if I do not give my best, I should not expect the best in return. The same is true with changing the current version for an upgraded model. That can be either within us or material things.

When a new Apple iPhone comes out, everyone is in line trying to get their hands on this new device. Though there might not be anything wrong with the device, you currently want the new device. We can see material things like smartphones as an easy change, but we can also see the mind as an easy swap. That will include changing our way of thinking to be more in line with what is current and will help make our life even more accessible. That process will be different depending on the task, but neuroplasticity changes how the neurological pathways send signals to our brains.

Changing the signals to the brain does take time for them to read how you want. The time will vary depending on the person. On average, you are looking at around three months for the change to occur.  One example is that you are starting to go to the gym and not because of pain. In the beginning, you will feel pain from your soreness. Eventually, that soreness will act as a sign of your body growing. We have rewired our minds to think, “No Pain, No Gain,” “Pain is only weakness leaving the body,” or if you are David Goggins, “Stop being a little B**CH.”

When you change what you think or how you approach a situation/task, you can start the process of change. This change has to be initiated by a person seeking the change. The great thing about neuroplasticity is that belief is the main factor needed to attain it. It doesn’t matter if you believe in yourself or if someone believes in you. As long as the belief is present, you will make the change. Of course, you have to want the change to start because if you do not wish to change or do not see a need to change, your brain will have no drive or intention to do so.

If you can believe in your change, you will make the adjustments and put in the work. Doing that will layer a new way of thinking in your mind. Eventually, once you have developed enough layers (repetitions of doing the task), you will start to see the change. Consistency is a crucial element, but you also have to change. That is why we have no power to transform a person. If a person doesn’t want to change, then they will not. That is not to say that they eventually won’t, but our current society wants things ASAP. If we know anything

If you understand that you cannot change a person, how will neuroplasticity help us change how we are? The answer is that when a person chooses to go after more in their life, it will bring about more challenges and a need for the body to adapt to the demands you will require of it to perform. This can be both physical and mental, but the result is reaching a better mindset. That mindset will be associated with your work to change how you think and operate. The only thing you need to get that change underway is a set of beliefs, experiences, or desires.

When people want to change how they think, they either have to manipulate their minds or routines to help them conform to a new way of thinking. Children are easily moldable when it comes to how we want them to operate. If we have children in a positive and supportive household, they have a higher probability of being more ambitious in the things they wish to accomplish in life. However, just because children have an excellent environment to mold their minds, it is up to them to see the experience as something they want to change or something they want to imitate. Luckily for us educators, children tend to imitate more than choose the alternative. That means we have to show and set the example we want for them.

As adults, we do not see change the same way children do. Children learn primarily from their environment and behaviors. On the other hand, adults learn best from negative experiences and traumas. That will include failure and hardship. That means I can change how a child thinks and operates without them understanding that I am molding them in a specific way. Many adults, on average, tend to be more conscious and will primarily not accept change unless there is an issue that causes them grief/hardship. That negative feeling/experience will be the spark that will make someone want to change.

Remember I said that you couldn’t change a person unless they want to be changed? There is a way we can manipulate people to operate under the bounds of our beliefs and desires, but it takes a large amount of skill to pull this off without someone knowing they are changing. I am not in the business of changing people; I am in the business of helping people through life coaching changing change. I will help them with their changes. I might give some advice and make alterations, but the dream of your change will be yours to experience.

I also do not want people to go out and start manipulating weak minds or minds that are more susceptible to influence (children). We do not want to be in the same pool as bad teachers/parents who teach the wrong things to children. Again, children are more susceptible to thought patterns and conforming, so we have to be careful with what we show/tell them. As adults, we are more stubborn and will have to tear down what we have built to make room for the new pathway.

It is easier to fix a broken child than fix a broken adult. What is even easier is not breaking a child so they do not turn out to be broken adults. The way we manipulate the mind is going to be a daily task. In the beginning, you will be more likely to quit because change requires a ton of energy. However, if you can make the changes in your life that will bring about happiness, growth, success, and purpose, you will see it in a new light. Many people operate under the bounds of limiting beliefs, fears, and anxiety. These three factors will have to be addressed before any positive change can happen in your life.

When I work with clients, I find that fear, anxiety, and limiting beliefs are the main culprits for not having a life worth mentioning. There is no reason why someone can’t reach the levels of success they dream of. The problem is that they do not believe in themself or do not have anyone to believe in them. If they reject who they are and close their eyes because they are afraid of the dark(finding themself), they will have difficulty finding what direction of the light (your best version). What neuroplasticity does for people is help them start to think differently. If done correctly and with good intentions, a positive life shift will happen in time.

I remember when I began rewiring my mind through the use of neuroplasticity. One of the methods I used during the process was immersion. That means I would fill my life with several things and constantly make it. It was always around me, and I couldn’t run from it even if I tried. Another way to view immersion in common sense is that if you want to eat healthily, then make sure that you only have healthy foods in the house with no bad options. What you have done is surround yourself with suitable options, and you have to make a choice. The good thing is that any choice you make will be a good one as long as you can remain disciplined.

I will also say that the changes that I made in life were not perfect, and I had to make a lot of trial and error to find the most appropriate balance for me. It was about a three-year journey with some mentors to offer guidance and support. However, three years to change is a significant amount of time in retrospect. What I have done with my business is condense those three years of change and develop a process where I can help people change their willing minds in a direction in a matter of months. That means that I can help you think more positively through neuroplasticity.

It is a process that I do not tell my clients about when I am working with them because its concepts will get in the way. The reason is that to change the subconscious mind, we must trick the subconscious mind. If the subconscious mind ever comes into play during the process, I will stop it if the client uses my services correctly. Some people come in hopeful for change but are not necessarily willing to put in the work required for that change to come about. If that is the case, they will not see as great a result as someone seeking mandatory change. They think, “I want this thing in my life, and what I’m doing is not working,” or “I can’t keep going on like this.” Whichever, the thought was typically sparked by negativity.

Change without negativity will be much more challenging to implement because you will need to trick your conscious and subconscious minds, which will be difficult. That is because you are operating under preexisting beliefs, and that change would be nice, but it is not a necessity. If the change you seek is not something that you just kind of want, then you will realize that you will revert to your former self. At this point, you WILL need a negative trauma for you to make any future changes. Many of my clients come to me because they had that negative experience and need help changing.

If we look at the current state of the world, it is filled with fear, hate,  anxiety, and limiting beliefs. This is a recipe for disaster because it will create negativity to spark change. This is neither a good thing nor a bad thing. It will spark change for sure, and people will need help. It is excellent for business, but I want people to get out of the habit of allowing negativity to rule over their lives. I want people to operate in a more positive and meaningful manner. Each of us has a purpose, and if you have not found out what you should be doing with your life, you have to make the necessary changes to find out what you should be doing.

Neuroplasticity is the process of helping your brain make the changes or adjustments to think and act in a particular manner. If you are unhappy with who you are or where you are in life, you will need to make a mindset shift. It is not impossible alone, but having a life coach can make the process seamless. There is no reason you should struggle through life or the changes you want to make. If you are ready and willing for change, book a consultation and find out how to help you become the person you were destined to be. The power of neuroplasticity will help rewire your mindset and unlock your fullest potential.

Until then,

Michael Rearden

Founder of Reven Concepts