Shirzad Chamine’s book “Positive Intelligence” provides an interesting perspective that further enhances my previous blog about the cartoon character with devil on the left shoulder and the angel on the right shoulder influencing our choice of response to each situation. Chamine defines Positive Intelligence (PI) as the control you have over your brain, and it acts in your best interest. Positive Intelligence Quotient (PQ) is the percentage of time the brain is serving you rather than sabotaging you. The greater your PQ the more successful you will be. High PQ is when “Sage” (wiser part of person) influences our choices more strongly than our “Saboteurs” (internal enemies). PQ determines the version of ourselves that we portray to others.
Our Saboteurs (left brain) develop early in life to protect us from perceived threats. They gain power when we legitimize and empower them.
The 10 Saboteurs consist of:
1) Judge: master saboteur: constantly find faults in self, others, circumstances
- Exaggerates the negative and assumes the worst (assumptions/bias)
- Every person has the “Judge” saboteur
- Narrow focus
- Blames others or situation
2) Avoider: conflict avoider
- Procrastination
3) Controller: anxiety based: need to control situation (impatience)
- Intimidate others
4) Hyper Achiever: dependent on constant performance for self respect and validation
5) Hyper Rational: over rationalization
- Unempathetic of others
6) Hyper vigilant: anxiety about potential dangers (supposition)
7) Pleaser: gain acceptance of others through flattery etc
8) Restless: overly active without completion or deep meaning
- Shift focus
9) Stickler: perfection/order taken too far (perfectionism)
- Rigidity and inflexible to change
10) Victim: focus on internal painful feelings to gain attention/affection
- Take things personally
- Other people’s saboteurs trigger our own saboteurs
- Other people’s saboteurs energize our saboteurs
Our Sage (predominantly right side of brain) focuses on thriving not surviving. Sage is wiser and concentrates on listening and learning rather than being right or absolute.
The 5 Powers of Sage:
1) Explore with great curiosity: open minded/listening
2) Empathize: understanding of self and others (feeling)
3) Innovate and create: out of box solutions
4) Navigate: choice based on personal values and mission (internal compass)
5) Activate: decisive choice without compliance to saboteurs (focused action)
High PQ Requires:
- Acknowledge saboteurs when enter consciousness
- Leverage sage as superior solution to challenges
- Engage sage through brain activation strategies stimulated through your senses:
- Touch: rub fingertips/wiggle toes
- Smell: pick out one smell
- Hearing: limit sounds to one or a desired sound
- Sight: look for detail and focus/ponder on it or visualize a desired action
- Taste: sample the food and savour the flavor…chew for flavor not eat for survival
Achieving true potential necessitates empowering your sage while acknowledging but limiting the influence of your saboteurs. This is a conscientious choice. Choice is our greatest freedom!
When I was a young golfer displaying temper tantrums and embarrassing myself, a mentor of mine used to say, “enjoy the beauty around you and stop to smell the roses”! Is it any wonder why I never achieved anything in golf? The answer was within my low PQ!
