If what follows is too confusing or not interesting to you, I still want you to take away something. Take care of your brain, then do what you want to do. In that order, you will live the best life you could have possibly lived. Let’s get to it.
Investing in myself means using my resources to actively better my current and future life.
It plays out as follows.
My brain has a model of what my life is like. I set the goal to better my current and future life. My brain makes predictions based on available information of what my next action should be. I act. The brain receives feedback and predicts whether the action improved my life. My brain adjusts the model of what my life is like. I stick to my goal to better my life. My brain makes predictions based on available information of what my next action should be. I act. The brain receives feedback and predicts whether the action improved my life. My brain adjusts the model of what my life is like. I stick to my goal to better my life. My brain makes predictions…etc.
Most goal setting processes happen unconsciously even if it feels like I consciously choose to do them. Unconscious processes generate predictions which inform conscious processes such as the goal setting of changing my life to the better.
A simpler version of what the brain does that is generalizable to all kinds of goals is that humans make predictions based on available information of what the world is like, and then take actions to adjust the predictions of what the world is like.
This human process is incredibly powerful because it means that any goal that is thinkable by a well functioning predicting brain can be achieved through action. It’s a truth.
When we assume that a person’s brain is able to make accurate predictions about the world, for this person everything thinkable can be brought into existence through action while everything unthinkable will never actively be brought into existence. This is a truth that emerges from the nature of the human brain, the nature of the physical universe and the reality that emerges from the nature of their interaction. This also implies that everything unthinkable can still exist, but we wont know it exists since it is by definition unthinkable. This does not mean however that just because it is unthinkable it necessarily exists. Finally, just because something is thinkable does not mean that it exists, it’s just thoughts.
An accurate prediction machine can achieve anything it can think of if it takes the necessary action. Luckily, your biological brain is a prediction machine, and you, can take action.
If you have a brain and want to invest in yourself to make your life better but don’t know where to start, take action by taking care of your brain. By doing that the chances that what you want in life will happen, increases. It’s a truth.
So, here is the engineer’s response. The way how the brain (and the human being) is working is like a close loop control system. Outputs beging constantly validate vs. targeted results and the feedback loop will correct parameters to better meet the goal.
https://images.theengineeringprojects.com/image/main/2020/04/Introduction-to-Control-Systems-3.jpg
Now, the question to me is - will the brain/ human being faster and more effectively meet the targeted goal of the control system work’s consciously vs. unconsciously. I believe so, especially when the outcome becomes confusing vs. expectations. If true - what is the consequence / conclusion?