That's why some people learn more quickly than others. And also why some people speak English better, make presentations better, speak on the phone better, negotiate better, and so on.
It all depends on the state you are in.
A state is our way of being in any moment . It comes from our physiology, our thinking and emotions. It is greater than the sum of its parts.
We experience states from the inside. However, they have external markers that can be measured from the outside. For example, your pulse rate or your brain wave frequency. Neither your pulse nor your brain wave frequency can tell you what it is like to feel angry, feel fear, or to be in love.
States are the most immediate part of our experience. The calmer the state, the easier it is to think rationally. The more violent or intense the state, the more thinking is disrupted and the more emotional energy you have. States always have an emotional component. Happy, sad, angry fearful, elated, confident…
We often believe that states are caused by events outside our control. In reality, we create them ourselves.
What I'm going to show you over the next few months is how to choose your state and how to influence the states of others in a positive way towards greater health and happiness in your professional and personal life.
Here's the good news; our state changes throughout the day. Generally, we don't stay in any one state for very long. And what we remember is the ups and the downs.
States affect our capabilities. Imagine you have rehearsed your presentation many times and are able to do it perfectly – when no one is watching. When there is an audience you forget your words, feel nervous or perform less well, generally.
You have suffered from performance anxiety which can make you 20 to 30 per cent less effective. Some people are so afraid that they cannot perform at all and often become ill before the event.
They are neither incapable nor incompetent. They just need to learn to manage their state.
There are no unresourceful people, only unresourceful states.
And that's what we'll discover together next month. So, see you then.
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