The other day we were talking about bears with our neighbors. Their son killed one recently with a bow and arrow. He was out hunting for deer, when the bear approached him.  When the bear got about 15 yards away, he shot it dead with his one bow.  

Maybe you’re thinking he was able to do that because of his natural talent. Or maybe he had developed capabilities over time. Which do you attribute it to? The one you believe to be true has a lot to do with your beliefs about intelligence.    

In each row below, guess which are characteristics of intellectual health:

Brain-essential…or body-essential

Individualistic…or collaborative

IQ testing…or risk assessing

Rational….or compassion

Outcomes…or processes

Quantity…or quality

Status…or values

According to analyses of formal and informal conversations, written documents, classrooms, studios, workshops, and laboratories, people’s mindset reflected by the right-handed list demonstrated intellectual “growth”. The left-handed side presents intelligence myths or a “fixed” mindset, which means believing “talent” is “natural.”  

It’s important to know who and what you are as a healthy person. Intelligence isn’t just floating around out there. Purposefully placed triggers and strategic prompts stimulate body-essential action and value-based behaviors. The more principle-driven your role in health is, the more your intelligence will be like an eager kid, excited to be 15-yards from a bear.    

Consider one room in your home. 

What interactive factors are present? What are the objects and systems that nudge activities within that space? Who’s involved? Create a list.

Which patterns engage every cell of your body? What do you “just do” without thinking? And what activities does your body “know” where to go and how to accomplish what you set out to do? Write those below your factors list. 

In context of your role in health, are those patterns principle-driven? If yes, is there one pattern that can nurture and master a unique ability? How so? Note which factors and patterns you can creatively use to tackle this challenge. 

If not, is there one factor you’re willing to modify, adjust, or remove? How can you shape your environment to reflect and persist towards what you value? Do a brain dump of ideas. Pick one to experiment, test, observe, and assess.