For whatever reason, I have a problem with large objects underwater.
Shipwrecks, whales, even large rocks under a paddle boat turn something on in me that doesn’t make sense. I’m a swimmer. Never been in a boating accident, never been attacked by a shark. What I’m describing doesn’t grip me with fear, but it feels like something’s off. Like an instrument out of tune, or a crooked picture frame.
Now triple that feeling.
Understanding Our Subconscious
Jerry Seinfeld said that while the mind has infinite wisdom, the brain is like a new puppy you bring home—it has to be trained. That’s because we’re only conscious of 5% of thought. The rest of our brain is subconsciously tracking every input against a rudimentary safety profile built from childhood; before the age of seven, it catalogued everything as either a certainty or a risk.
That’s where my irrational fear comes from. Somewhere in my brain, large objects underwater are catalogued as a survival risk. So my safety profile hijacks my physiology to warn me.
This is your life: 95% of every decision is governed by subconscious programming. From your sofa colour to your life partner, every choice has been motivated by keeping you safe; your brain doesn’t care if you’re happy. It’s unfair, outdated and in dire need of an update.
How does this apply to work?
How Safety Profiles Shape Our Life Choices
I remember the 80s. Inquiry-based learning was not the order of the day, so there wasn’t a lot of wiggle room on the public school report card. Good grades made people happy (certainty), and bad grades did not (risk). The path was simple: flag certainties and double down.
The goal became about opening doors, not really caring what was on the other side of them. Your parents seemed to like your doors, and your friends talked about the same ones. This lead you to the final door of school, and the first door of work.
What if your career just kept that wheel spinning, and was a continuing series of environments that kept you feeling safe?
I don’t mean disengaged. Besides chasing the money, your brain recognized how certain you’d be graduating to the next job. It would gravitate to the opportunities with safe inputs because it knew you could deliver the outputs. Better outputs lead to promotions, and everyone loves those!
Reprogram Your Decision-Making
With only 5% consciousness, you are a walking David and Goliath story.
Recognizing this battle between what you want vs what your brain needs is the first step to reprogramming your decision making. No surprise—the muscle that gives us the courage to stink at something new was never trained. And even if yours hasn’t completely atrophied, it must send your brain into a tailspin even dreaming about an alternative life; one that’s built on passion, drive, and – brace yourself – risk.
Start small. A system wired for safety only expands with bite-sized risks. Without hurting yourself or others, create situations where you feel like your picture frame is crooked. Maybe it’s asking for directions, or skipping your to-do list. Don’t judge the behaviour itself, you just need to feel uncomfortable.
It’s a little childish and stupid, but then, so is high school.