Positive Intelligence by Shirzad Chamine
Who can raise their hand and say “my brain at times has been both my best friend and worst enemy?” Me, me, me - yes, sometimes my brain and I are best friends, and other days when I am tired, stressed, or overwhelmed, my brain (when I need it the most) is my worst enemy. If you get where I am coming from then this next book for March is just for you.
Positive intelligence by Shirzad Chamine works to reveal our full potential in both our professional and personal lives while exposing “ten well-disguised mental
Saboteurs.” According to the book “Positive Intelligence, you can learn the secret to defeating these internal foes”.
Positive Intelligence Quotient
So let's begin. High positive intelligence means that your mind is acting as your best friend more than it does your enemy and low positive intelligence is just the reverse. Therefore “positive intelligence is an indication of control you have over your own mind and how well your mind acts in your best interest”. Think about it. Take today for example and think back over how your mind has been. Has it been your cheerleader as you go about your day, or screamed at you when you did not get that workout in, made a mistake, or ate a second piece of chocolate cake?
Positive Intelligence Quotient (PQ) is expressed as the percentage of time that your brain is your friend, or alternatively your enemy. For example, if your PQ is 75, then your brain is your friend 75% of the time and 25% your enemy. To find out your PQ you can go to https://assessment.positiveintelligence.com/. I actually just did mine and I received a PQ of 71% but 29% of the time my brain sabotages me. I would love to do the quiz on a day when I am extremely tired because I know the results will be very different.
So how do you improve your PQ? Well please read on. According to Shirzad Chamine, there are three ways to improve your PQ; weaken your Saboteurs (which we will meet in a minute), strengthen your sage (it will be explained I promise) and strengthen your PQ brain muscles.
So let me introduce you to the Saboteurs
The first Saboteur is the master Saboteur the Judge who finds fault in ourselves, others, and our condition and circumstances. Sound familiar? Next, the Avoider loves to avoid difficult and unpleasant tasks and conflicts. You know when you procrastinate and avoid conflicts. The Controller is the person with an anxious need to take charge, control situations and bend people to their own will. Hyper-Achiever, yes you people who could only get “A”s in class. This Saboteur depends on constant performance and achievement for self-respect and self-validation. Hyper-Rational is where we rationalize everything and pay little mind to other people’s emotions. Being Hyper-Vigilant can make you feel intense and anxious about your surroundings and what could go wrong. The lie is that it makes us feel that the dangers around us are bigger than they actually are. The Pleaser is where we are trying to gain acceptance and affection by helping, pleasing, rescuing, or flattering others constantly. Our own needs and goals are on the back burner. Are you constantly in search of excitement and never feeling peace or contentment with your current activity? Then your Saboteur is Restless. The Stickler is where perfection, order, and organization are taken way too far, making others around you anxious and uptight. And finally, we come to the Victim who wants you to feel emotional and temperamental as a way of getting attention and affection. These people will often focus on painful emotions which can result in feeling the martyr. Do any of these sound familiar?
So what is your Sage?
Well, your Sage represents that “deeper and wiser part of you. It is the part that can rise above the fray and resist getting carried away by the drama and tension of the moment” or falling for those Saboteurs. According to Shirzad Chamine, our sage has five powers; (1) being curious and open-minded, (2) innovative and creative, (3) empathizing with ourselves and others, (4) navigating and choosing a path that best aligns with our values and (5) takes action without the distress, interference or distractions of the Saboteurs.