ever just completely freeze up when the pressure's on.
Like your brain just decides, nope,
not gonna work right now.
It's the worst.
Now try picturing that feeling,
but you're in a fencing match.
Oh wow, yeah, where every millisecond matters.
Exactly, and that's actually what today's deep dive
is all about.
We're exploring this fascinating connection
between what's called the reptilian brain
and how athletes perform under pressure.
Interesting.
So we're diving into this article
from Fortune Fencing.
It's called Harnessing the Reptilian Brain
for Enhanced Fencing Performance.
Okay.
And their argument is that getting a grip
on this primal part of our brains,
it's actually key for anything where you need precision
when the stakes are high.
It makes sense, right?
I mean, it's that primal instinct, that fight or flight.
Exactly, and they're saying it's not about ignoring it,
it's about using it to your advantage.
So how do they say we can tap into that?
Before we get into the how,
let's break down what exactly we mean
when we say reptilian brain.
Yeah.
It sounds kind of intimidating, right?
It does.
It's like, what is this lizard living in my head?
Right, so the article,
they use the term reptilian brain,
but what they're really talking about
is the part of our brain that controls
those automatic survival responses.
The fight, flight, or freeze, that kind of thing.
It's not about getting rid of those instincts,
they're there for a reason.
It's more about understanding how to work with them.
Yeah.
So they don't work against us.
Befriending the lizard brain.
I like that.
Exactly.
And they even use this phrase in the article,
characterizing your inner guardian.
Oh, interesting.
So it's not this abstract fear response
you're working with a part of yourself.
I like that.
Think of it like your own personal bodyguard.
Okay, yeah.
Always on high alert, making sure you're safe.
Which is great in theory,
but how do we make sure this bodyguard doesn't overreact
on the fencing strip, or in life in general,
for that matter?
Right, that's what I'm wondering.
Because I feel like that's where things can go sideways.
Totally.
And that's where the article gets really interesting,
because one of their big things is this idea
of pre-match dialogues with your inner guardian.
Wait, so I'm talking to my lizard bodyguard now.
Basically, it's about actually acknowledging those anxieties
before a match even starts.
So it's like a pep talk, but for my reptilian brain.
You got it.
You're setting your intentions, visualizing yourself,
succeeding, it's about reassuring that primal part of you
that everything's under control.
Okay, that's interesting.
So it's not just like, you got this, go get them.
It's more nuanced than that.
Right, and the article stresses it's not about
just saying the words.
You have to actually visualize it,
feel that sense of calm and confidence.
That actually reminds me of something I read
by the neuroscientist Lisa Feldman Barrett.
She talks about how thinking of the brain like an orchestra
with all the different parts working together,
it's more helpful than thinking of it
as all these different parts fighting for control.
Exactly, that's a perfect way to put it.
And that actually leads perfectly
into the practical exercises the article talks about,
how to actually achieve that harmony.
Right, so how do we get this brain orchestra in tune
and ready to perform?
Just dive in.
So there are a bunch of techniques they talk about.
But one of the big ones is this idea of visualization
and not just like picturing yourself.
Winning the match.
Right, winning the match.
But it's more than that.
Interesting.
What else should we be visualizing?
It's about visualizing that internal dialogue
that you're having with your inner guardian.
Do not just seeing yourself make the winning move,
but also how you feel in that moment.
Feeling that calm, that confidence.
So it's about connecting the action with the internal state.
Exactly.
Okay, that makes a lot of sense.
Because if you can kind of pre-program that calmer,
more confident response,
then you're not letting fear dictate
those split second decisions.
Exactly, that's what we want.
We want a short circuit that fear response.
And it's not just the work you do beforehand,
before the match.
The article also talks about these,
they call them post-match debriefs with your inner guardian.
So like a performance review, but for my lizard brain?
Exactly.
I love how you're thinking about this.
But it's true.
It's about taking the time to think about,
okay, what worked, what didn't work?
How did my inner guardian react in different situations?
Like, did it totally overreact at that one moment?
Or was it appropriately cautious in others?
Right, right.
She starts to see these patterns.
That's such a good point.
Because I feel like we often do that with our actions
after a stressful situation.
But we don't really apply that same analysis to like,
to the emotions.
To the emotions that were happening.
We just kind of let them happen.
And this is saying, no, those are important too.
You've got to acknowledge both parts of you.
So it's like, you're the strategist.
And then you've got your little bodyguard.
Your little bodyguard, exactly.
You've got your back.
And you need both of them to succeed.
It's when they're fighting each other,
that things fall apart.
Totally, totally.
And you know, on top of the post-match debriefs,
the article also mentions affirmations.
Okay, yeah, that makes sense.
Cause it's like, you're reminding yourself, you know?
Yeah.
Like, you've got this, you're capable.
It's about building that foundation of self-belief.
Yeah, totally, totally.
And if you're consistently putting those positive beliefs
out there, it can be really powerful.
You know, it can actually rewire those,
those thought patterns that might be holding you back.
Okay.
And it got me thinking, you know,
cause this doesn't just apply to fencing.
Right.
That's what I was thinking too.
So we've been talking about this whole idea
of working with your inner guardian.
Right.
That primal part of your brain
that kind of takes over when things get stressful.
Exactly, yeah.
But I'm curious, does this approach,
does it have any use outside of like the fencing world?
Oh, absolutely.
Right.
I mean, at its core, what we're talking about here
is emotional regulation.
Okay.
And that's a skill that can be applied
to so many different areas of life.
It's true.
You know, whether it's getting ready
for a big presentation at work.
Yeah.
Or a really difficult conversation
you need to have with someone.
Or even just dealing with everyday stress.
Right.
These techniques can make a huge difference.
It's like when you're about to give a speech
and suddenly your heart's racing,
your palms are sweaty.
Oh, tell me about it.
That's your inner guardian freaking out.
Exactly.
It's trying to protect you,
but like we've been saying,
sometimes that protection isn't actually helpful.
It backfires.
So what do we do?
Instead of letting those feelings take over,
what if you just hit pause for a second?
Okay.
Acknowledge them.
Yeah.
You can even say to yourself like,
okay, inner guardian, I see you, I hear you.
Right.
But I've got this.
And that's where the whole visualization thing
comes back in.
You guys.
It's not just about seeing yourself succeed,
but like embodying that feeling of,
I'm good, I'm calm.
Right, exactly.
And the more you rehearse those positive emotions,
those calm responses,
the easier they are to access
when you're actually in those high pressure situations.
So you're training your brain,
be like, okay, new path,
we're going this way,
calm and collected.
Exactly.
It's like building a new pathway in your brain.
And the more you use it, the stronger it gets.
This is kind of blowing my mind.
It's like we have this hidden superpower
we never even knew about.
It really is empowering, isn't it?
It is.
And look, it's not a magic solution.
It still takes work.
It still thinks preparation.
Of course, yeah.
But it's a different way to look at those challenges.
Totally.
The ones that used to feel impossible.
Right, like you're not fighting against yourself anymore.
Exactly.
You're working with yourself, you're a team.
I love that.
And that can make all the difference.
Well, on that note, as we wrap up this deep dive,
I have one last thought I want to leave our listeners with.
Okay, I'm ready.
If your reptilian brain was an actual character,
what would it be like?
Oh, that's a good one.
What would its voice sound like?
You know, what kind of personality would it have?
And most importantly,
how can you start to team up with this primal part of yourself?
Keep exploring, keep learning.
And remember, even our inner lizards need a pep talk
every now and then.