The Scarcity Brain — Mindful Counseling and Coaching Services

I recently listened to a podcast where the author, Michael Easter was interviewed about his new book “ The Scarcity Brain.” This was a fascinating interview. One of the concepts in the book has to do with problem solving. Typically when we have a problem to solve we add more components to solve the problem, rather than taking things away. The author shared some compelling examples.

I had a recent personal experience which broadly connects to this concept. I was on a 45 minute drive to an appointment. I had been there before but did not know the last several turns of the trip. I was getting exasperated with google maps, which was not cooperating with accessing the address. After a tense minute of anxiety, I had the thought” what if I just see if I can find this place without using Google Maps ?”

My brain found this interesting. I relaxed. I went from a state of intense anxiety and frustration to curiosity. After several minutes, a “picture” came to my brain of a house where a major turn occurs. Okay, I remember that. So of course, when I got there, I made the Left Turn. Now what ? I recognized the name of the next street, so I turned left there. Totally unsure, I turned

Left on the next street, just to see what would happen. It was the correct street and connected

To the street address I couldn’t recall. I arrived at my appointment.

This personal story is rather mundane. And that is how our brains function, with “mundane”
details. This was such an important lesson to me. I took away Google Maps and gave my brain the time it needed. I decreased the intensity and then my brain was able to work for me. Sometimes we need to give our brains the opportunity to work for us.