Think Thursday: The Iterative Mindset & Behavior Change
Hey. Welcome to Think Thursday from the Alcohol Minimalist Podcast. Think Thursday is all about your beautiful, brilliant human brain. We're talking neuroscience. We're talking behavior change.
Molly:We are talking about your mindset. Are you ready to get started? Let's go. Well, hello, and welcome or welcome back to Think Thursday from Alcohol Minimalist. I'm Molly Watts, and and I'm here to talk with you today about all things neuroscience, brain health, and mindset.
Molly:I'm really excited about today's topic. It kind of built on last week's topic where we talked about the brain's ability to change neuroplasticity. And last week, we explored how simply believing in your brain's ability to change can trigger real physical changes in your neural pathways. How cool is that? That your mindset really matters that much.
Molly:When you adopt a growth mindset and trust in your brain's capacity to adapt, you literally begin rewiring it. Today, we're going to take that concept a little bit further by talking about how we can actively shape those changes using an approach called the iterative mindset. The iterative mindset. And I talk all the time around here about small steps lead to big changes. And iteration and iterative mindset is definitely the bigger kind of psychological, you know, terminology behind that discussion.
Molly:If you've ever set a goal to cut back on your drinking or trying to change a habit and found yourself falling back into old patterns, then this episode is definitely for you. We will explore why that happens, how your brain can actually grow through that struggle, and how the iterative mindset can transform your approach to change. So let's get into it. Now if you've ever tried a more traditional approach to change or maybe old school kind of thinking around behavior change, you probably set some sort of really structured goal. Right?
Molly:And goals are certainly important. Don't get me wrong. Goals are definitely important, but the the thing of it is is that you probably set goals, and when things don't go perfectly, you feel like you've failed. Right? You set a goal like, I'm not gonna drink more than two glasses of wine tonight, and then you you do that.
Molly:You drink more than two. And suddenly, you are you've set yourself back at square one. In fact, some of the recovery programs, I won't mention them by name, but you all know who I'm talking about, require you to start day one all over again. Wondering and you wonder why it's hard to stick to those plans. Right?
Molly:Here's the thing. When we perceive ourselves as failing, we're triggering a part of our brain called the habenula. The habenula is responsible for processing failure and shutting down motivation. When it's activated, it sends a signal that says, stop trying. This is why after a perceived failure, it can feel like all your motivation just evaporates.
Molly:It's like your brain has pulled the emergency brake. But here's the good news. There's another way to approach change, one that works with your brain rather than against it, and it's called the iterative mindset. The iterative the iterative mindset is all about viewing change as a series of ongoing experiments and adjustments. You know, I talk about all the time about being compassionate and curious.
Molly:Right? The curiosity that being a scientific observer of not only our brains, but of our behavior. And this is what the iterative mindset is really all about rather than a pass or fail test. It shifts the focus from perfection to progress. We say it all the time, progress over perfection.
Molly:Right? Instead of saying, I'll never drink more than two drinks again, you might say, this week, I'm going to experiment with having no more than two drinks when I go out. Then week after week, you assess how it went. Did it work? How did you feel?
Molly:Based on your assessment, you iterate. You make a small adjustment for the next time. Maybe you realize that having two drinks felt doable, but Friday night was a challenge. So you tweak tweak your plan and you try again. The goal isn't to avoid mistakes, it's to learn from them.
Molly:Each attempt is an opportunity for growth, and each iteration brings you closer to the change you're working toward. What's cool about this is that this mindset tool is actually backed by science. Let's dive into that neuroscience for a second. Researcher Jason Moser and his team studied brain activity when people make mistakes versus when they get things right. What they found was that the brain is more active when people make mistakes than when they succeed on the first try.
Molly:This increased brain activity actually leads to stronger neural neural connections and more brain growth. So those moments when you struggle, when you're tempted to pour that extra glass of wine or when you slip up at a party, those aren't signs of failure. They're opportunities for your brain to grow and adapt. It's during the struggle that your brain is working hardest to build new pathways. This aligns perfectly with the iterative mindset.
Molly:When every time you make a mistake, instead of triggering your habitual habitual and killing your motivation, you view it as valuable feedback. You assess what happened, make adjustments, and move forward. You keep iterating, which means you're staying in effort, and effort is what leads to lasting change. Now let's take a moment and apply this to the alcohol minimalist framework. Instead of setting rigid black and white goals like I'll never drink more than two drinks in a night, try this.
Molly:Number one, experiment. This week, I'll experiment with having no more than two drinks when I go out. Number two, assess. At the end of the week, reflect. Did you stick to your plan?
Molly:How did it feel? Did you enjoy yourself without that extra drink? Or did you, you know, did you look at it differently? Do you need do you have thoughts that you need to change around it? Iterate based on what you learn.
Molly:Make an adjustment. Maybe you decide that two drinks worked well. Maybe you need some strategies for avoiding a third drink. Maybe next week, you're gonna try just one drink instead of two. The key here is that each attempt is an experiment.
Molly:You're not aiming for perfection. You're gathering data that informs your next move. This approach keeps you engaged and motivated because you're not facing the crushing feeling of failure. Instead, you're in a state of curiosity, constantly refining and improving. Here's the other part of this that's so important.
Molly:Embracing struggle as part of the process. If you're not struggling, you're not learning. Neuroscientists have found that mistakes are essential for brain growth and connectivity. Struggle is where the magic happens, where the real learning takes place. Think about it.
Molly:When you're faced with a challenge, like sticking to your drinking goals on a Friday night, and you struggle through it, your brain is working overtime. It's building stronger pathways and reinforcing the new habits you're trying to create. This is why the iterative mindset is so powerful. It doesn't shy away from struggle. It welcomes it as a natural part of the journey.
Molly:Every struggle is an opportunity for growth, not a reason to quit. Another critical element of the iterative mindset is the environment that you create for yourself. Just like researchers have found that students learn best in classrooms where mistakes are encouraged, you need to foster an environment of self compassion and curiosity in your own journey. When you don't meet your goals, instead of falling into harsh self criticism, ask yourself, what can I learn from this experience? How can I adjust my approach next time?
Molly:This really does create a safe space for growth where mistakes are seen as learning opportunities rather than failures. And PS, if you don't wanna do this on your own, then come join us in the Alcohol Minimalists Facebook group. It's a private Facebook group. It's growing and growing, and there are so many people in there that are committed to learning the same way that you are, adopting an iterative mindset, and using compassion and curiosity as the tools with which we work towards sustainable change. Here's something even more incredible.
Molly:When we believe in our brains ability to adapt and grow, our brains and bodies actually function differently. Research on mindset shows that people who believe they can change see significant improvements in both achievement and well-being. This is why adopting the iterative mindset, which is rooted in growth and adaptation, is so transformational. As we wrap up today, I wanna give you a challenge for the week. I want you to pick one small area where you're working to make a change, whether it's related to drinking, exercise, or even managing stress.
Molly:And instead of focusing on getting it right, focus on the process. Use the iterative mindset. Practice the behavior, assess how it went, and then iterate. Make small adjustments based on what you learned and stay in effort even when it feels tough. Remember, every small tweak you make is moving you closer to the change you want.
Molly:And even more importantly, every struggle you encounter is a sign that your brain is growing. If you enjoyed today's episode, don't forget to subscribe, share it with a friend, leave a review wherever you're listening. And if you wanna learn more about how to build a peaceful relationship with alcohol, head on over to www.mollywatts.com for more resources, my free resources, my online course, and my coaching program. Until next week, keep practicing, keep iterating, and remember, struggle isn't a setback. It's a path towards sustainable change.
Molly:Have a great week, everybody.
