The Drunk Monkey

"Your mind is not a tool for success," was the the best nugget of wisdom I have received in ages.

This gem came from Matthew Ferry, success coach at the local real estate rah-rah session my broker forced me to attend this past week. As selling real estate is my other vocation when I am not wrapped up in the drama of the Alabama business, it is sometimes prudent to indulge my broker. And, as it is necessary to keep my current vocation for now, indulging my broker is infinitely easier than pounding the pavement looking for some job requiring me to wear panty hose every day.

With all the "if you see it, you can be it," motivation given by other guest speakers at other rah-rah rallies, Ferry's comment came as a major shock. What's more, I completely get it. Think about what your brain really tells you. You are fat, lazy or incompetent (surly my brain isn't the only one giving me this type of feedback??). And, think of some of the ideas you have considered. Ever have your brain say, "that will never work."?

Ferry called this kind of talk, the "drunk monkey." Meaning, that the drunk monkey will give you all sorts of feedback that makes no sense to the average thinking person--but you can relate to--and do. Illogical advice you wouldn't give or take from a friend, you would take from the all-knowing drunk monkey ("What do you think you are doing?"). Your drunk monkey has been acting as more of an ally than you might realize. It is easier to listen to the drunk monkey, because the drunk monkey doesn't want you to try anything new.

The drunk monkey's--your brain--main function is survival. New concepts, challenges and ideas challenge that survival. So, where something new or different comes along, your brain is busy telling you all the bad stuff related to that new or different concept. Your brain acts like every other organ in your body. It does what it wants, when it wants. Do you plan when you want to use the restroom or does it just happen? Do you plan when you are going to vomit? Every organ and biological function does what it is supposed to do on it's own schedule. Your brain is supposed to keep you safe. And, it does that by reminding you why risk is bad.

I started paying attention to how often my drunk monkey reminds me how difficult what I am do is. It constantly tells me that if I don't have tenant du jur pay me on the prescribed day, we can be in serious trouble. It reminds me of all the bad stuff going on in Alabama. And, it reminds me of this often.

Then I started ignoring my drunk monkey and paying attention to the facts. I started looking at things like I would present to my partner. We have money in the bank. A good portion of our tenants DO pay. We aren't teetering on the verge of failure this week if someone pays late. All of those logical, factual things the drunk monkey often neglects.

This week, I started a mental exercise: stop acknowledging the drunk monkey. It has been liberating. And, even though things aren't perfect. We aren't on the brink of disaster. More importantly, I am finding peace.