Imagine if you focused on a goal the same way you do when buying a car, suddenly all you see around you are people achieving the same goal, who are successful.

From a scientific perspective, the ares of the brain responsible for screening information is the reticular activating system or RAS.

The RAS is a network of nerve fibers that originates in the medulla oblongata (brain stem area) and proceeds up through the midbrain into the neocortex ( the place where thought is processed). The task of the RAS is to detect new and novel stimuli. When something new or different is perceived in the environment, the RAS alerts the brain to possible danger by causing an ”arousal state.” If a stimulus, such as a sound, is repetitive in nature, the RAS calms the brain and causes it to enter various peaceful states, depending upon the nature of the stimulus therefore preventing sensory overload.

Check out this video, what are you really seeing verses what has been screened by your RAS.

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 7th, 2009 at 1:09 pm by Andrew Talati and is filed under Mind & Soul.

Tags: Mind

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