**This blog is part of a series using The Resilient Mindset Model as a lens to analyze interesting topics. For background information about the model, please see http://centerforresilientleadership.com/uncategorized/the-resilient-mindset-model-overview/
After my last blog, several people asked me to write a follow-up giving suggestions of how to develop brain pathways that encourage long-term investment. In other words, answering the question “How do we feed the ant?”
The ant lives in the prefrontal cortex, the part of our brain that is in charge of higher level thinking and executive functions. Any time that we are exercising that type of thought, we are feeding and strengthening the ant and building ant pathways in the brain. Here are the types of activities that encourage ant thinking:
Impulse Control: The grasshopper is impulsive–he wants what he wants when he wants it. The ant is in charge of controlling those impulses, overriding the grasshopper when it is appropriate. Whenever we practice controlling our impulses in order to make better choices for the long-term (choosing the sandwich over the burger, exercising instead of playing the video game, etc.), we are feeding the ant.
Organization/ Planning: Ant thinking is required whenever we are organizing and planning ahead. When we categorize or sort information in order to make it easier to retrieve, we are exercising the ant. Same goes for activities that require us to plan for the future, like packing for a trip or preparing materials that we will need for an event. It requires higher level thinking to picture ourselves and what we will require in the future.
Problem Solving/ Creative Thinking: The Podcast NewTechCity has a new project in the works called Bored and Brilliant, which is looking into why detaching from your iPhone can inspire creative thinking. The ant is inherently slow and methodical. It is kind of like Goldilocks, in order to work well, it needs everything to be “just right.” If we are constantly bombarded with “dings” telling us that we have a new email, the ant doesn’t have the opportunity to get into the groove. Therefore, it is important to have enough time for the ant to practice problem solving and creativity. Problem solving is like an ant workout and downtime for creative thinking is kind of like giving the ant a yoga class.
Future-Focused Thinking/ Branding/ Goals: The ant’s primary responsibility is our long-term success. In order to give the ant direction for how to get there, we need to actively engage in activities in which we think about where we want to go. I often refer to this as personal branding. Just like companies actively engage in branding activities to ensure that they are on the right track, when people engage in branding activities, they guide the ant pathways that are created.
All of these activities are important, but, again, the important think is to be mindful of the balance between the ant and the grasshopper. David Rock and Dan Siegel have created a wonderful model called the Healthy Mind Platter, which outlines 7 activities that are important to developing a healthy mind: sleep time, physical time, focus time, time in, downtime, playtime, & connecting time. Being mindful of including all of the activities is what brings balance to the ant and the grasshopper.
