Nobody likes being ‘wrong’ due to the negative feelings we tend to associate with it. But doesn’t need to be that way – if only your brain could see things differently and move you toward a more positive scenario – would it make you more productive?
Do you remember the sting of embarrassment, shame, or anger the day you were first found to be ‘wrong’ in public? Maybe it was at school? Or at home? Maybe you felt foolish in front of your siblings, parents, teachers or friends?
Have you ever been blamed for something that wasn’t your fault? Remember how that felt to you. Do you ever find yourself justifying your actions to someone else? A boss? Client? Spouse?
All of these situations come about because of a certain way of thinking. We might call it an operating system in your brain that was uploaded when you were very young.
We can call it the ‘Right Wrong Brain Operating System’ or ‘Right Wrong bOS’.
Everything is judged according to whether or not it is ‘right’ or ‘wrong’; if it’s wrong then it’s bad, and if it’s right then it’s good.
It’s easy to understand that the negative feelings associated with being ‘wrong’ and ‘bad’ could make anyone want to avoid being wrong, sometimes at all costs and even if they are, actually, wrong.
And all because of a Brain Operating System that judges everything according to whether it is ‘right’ or ‘wrong’.
There is a fascinating history behind the origin of the Right Wrong bOS, but what’s even more fascinating is the question: Is there an upgrade available?
Is there a better operating system for your brain?
And the answer is ‘Yes’.
First described by the cognitive scientist Dr Michael Hewitt-Gleeson, a better brain operating system isn’t based on what’s right or wrong at all.
Instead, it’s based on what’s called the ‘brain switch’, and it’s a very simple concept to understand, just as it’s very simple to upload into your brain.
First, we simply recognise our current situation. We recognise and accept it entirely and as accurately as we can. We make no judgement about whether it is right or wrong. We just acknowledge the current version of our situation, which can be abbreviated as CVS: Current Version of Situation.
Second, we identify what would be a better version of our situation, which can be abbreviated as BVS. We also acknowledge that for every situation there is a better one that can be imagined.
Third, we identify what needs to happen to switch into that better version or BVS.
And rather than judging circumstances based on whether they are right or wrong, we simply ask ourselves:
What is the current version of the situation (CVS) and how do we move to the better version of the situation (BVS)?
This has been abbreviated and taught by Dr Hewitt-Gleeson as CVS2BVS – Current version of the situation to the better version of the situation.
FINDING A BETTER WAY
Here is an example. You miss out on a management that was supposed to be a sure thing. With the Right Wrong bOS you might:
- Blame the agent who got the management harbouring negative thoughts toward them
- Blame the owners and judge them negatively
- Blame yourself and harbour negative thoughts toward yourself
- Justify the loss of the management to your principal, providing excuses to avoid being ‘wrong.’
With the CVS2BVS bOS, you first acknowledge the current situation without blaming anyone, without any negative emotion and without any justification.
You then identify the better version of the situation. This is completely up to you, but it could be:
- finding another management and going after that
- not losing management in the future
- doing something else entirely.
Then you identify what you need to do to switch to that better version.
If the BVS was to find another management, then you already know what to do and you can do it without feeling wrong, negative, justifying yourself or blaming others. All of those things would detract from your key objective, which is to find another management.
If the BVS was that you didn’t lose management in the future, then again, without blame or judgement, you would analyse what happened and learn from the situation.
Do you notice that in neither of these two situations was there any need for you to be right or wrong?
This is an extremely liberating way to think. And all you need to do, in any situation, is say to yourself: CVS2BVS.
Got to the restaurant late and missed a table? CVS2BVS. Brand new car keeps needing repairs? CVS2BVS. Reception staff keep turning up to work late? CVS2BVS. Competing agent does underhanded things to win listings? CVS2BVS. Your child keeps having a run-in with the teacher? CVS2BVS.
In any situation you can think of there is a better version of that situation. You can get trapped in the Right Wrong bOS and invest your time and energy defending yourself or attacking others.
Or you could simply acknowledge the current version of the situation, identify a better version and throw all your available resources into moving in that direction.
