“I am old and have suffered a great many catastrophes in my life. Most of them never happened.” – Mark Twain

Our actions and the work we do will rarely exceed our thoughts. Today, I want to teach you a quick three-step model to move your mind and your actions into their happiest and most productive states.

The human brain is the most complicated part of our ridiculously complex bodies. Our brains or mind can exist in a multitude of states, but its three primary states can be described as red, green and orange. Let’s discuss each state so we can more effectively use our three-step model to change our mood and enhance our productivity.

Red: The red brain is the stressed brain. 

It is the perfect state to be in when a bear is chasing you in the woods, but it is rarely effective in day-to-day life. When our brain is in the red zone our pulse, blood pressure and blood sugar spike. Non-essential activities like digestion and our immune system slow to provide more energy to fighting or fleeing the perceived physical danger. 

Our brains switch to black-and-white thinking, our creativity plummets, we suppress our emotions and disconnect with others. The red brain is the best possible state to deal with a physical threat and the worst state to solve a problem.

Green: The green brain is the other side of the mental spectrum. 

In the green zone, our pulse slows and our blood pressure drops. Mentally, our thoughts stop racing. We are kinder and calmer and better able to connect with others. Our focus widens and our creativity improves.

Orange: The middle ground of the brain spectrum is the orange brain. 

It is task oriented. We need our orange brains to plow through the work. Orange is real close to red and we must be careful not to slip into the much less productive red zone.

If we are not being chased by a bear or similarly dangerous person or animal, we are best served by staying in the green zone and dipping into orange as needed. This is where we are happiest, friendliest and most productive. But how do we do that?

We control our state of mind by controlling three things: our bodies, our focus and our language. Here is how.

Body: Our bodies reflect how we feel. 

When we are disappointed, our heads fall and our shoulders slump. What most of us fail to realize is that we can change how we feel by changing our bodies. Next time you are feeling down, take a few deep, slow breaths. Pull your shoulders back and lift your chin up. Let your body tell your mind that you are confident and ready to take on the challenge.

You can also break a negative body pattern with exercise. Go for a walk, do some pushups. Get out of the slumps that we all experience when we spend too much time tied to our desks!

Focus: Are you focused on your problem or what you can do about it? 

If your mind is continuously telling you that you are overwhelmed, underpaid or underfunded, the problem will only get bigger in your brain. Instead, focus on the single, best next step you can take. Make the phone call, finish the spreadsheet, whatever. 

Empower yourself by acting. If you are having persistent negative thoughts battle them with the four-column approach (thought, label, rebuttal and replacement) we discussed in a previous column.

Language: It is extremely difficult for us to recognize the language that we use and the power it has over our minds. 

How often do we describe our lives as “busy” and then complain about how little time we have? The words we speak reflect our hearts and minds. Our speech often confirms our negative beliefs.

We need to reverse that and let our speech reflect the life and mind that we desire. 

Don’t speak things that you do not want.

If you do not want an overly busy life, don’t tell people you are busy. 

If you lack energy, don’t tell people how tired you are. The next time someone asks you how you are doing, respond with how you would like to feel. The more you speak it, the more real it becomes.

Next time you don’t like the mood you are in, fix it by adjusting your body, your focus and your language.

Remember: The way we think drives our attitudes and performance.