The Chimp Paradox: The Acclaimed Mind Management Programme to Help You Achieve Success, Confidence and Happiness

by Steve Peters

There are several forms of logic that we use. Examples include: • Deducing things by going through steps • Working with evidence and facts, to reach a conclusion • Following arguments by piecing together information

Employing reasoning to work things out A summary of the two different ways of thinking Two different agendas

A summary of the two different ways of thinking Two ...

The purpose and agenda of the Chimp is survival. The Human’s agenda is to achieve self-fulfilment. This is usually about becoming the person you want to be and achieving the things you want to achieve...

Understanding the Chimp’s agenda Perpetuation of the species and self-survival

The Chimp uses its sex drive along with other drives to try and fulfil this agenda. Therefore your Chimp has this drive high on its priority list! A strong sex drive indicates a healthy Chimp.

A very close second agenda of the Chimp is self-survival, which includes protecting itself from harm.

For many people the drive for sex cannot be underestimated, it is nature’s way of ensuring the species continues. This is why some people who are in a loving relationship and wish to remain monogamous find it almost impossible to remain faithful. The Human is saying and wanting one thing, and the Chimp is saying and wanting another.

Other objectives Clearly the Chimp will have other objectives that support species or individual survival, and these objectives may vary from time to time. Examples include: attracting a mate, establishing a territory, searching for food and finding shelter. We will cover the drives behind these agendas later in this chapter in the ‘Jungle Centre’ section. Understanding the Human’s agenda Self-agenda

Understanding the Human’s agenda Self-agenda Human beings are very diverse about what they feel is their purpose in life. Some live a life that is based on establishing the basics of living and stop there...

satisfaction in life, which may be by h...

Many people look at self-development, and it seems that those who work on this and on self-fulfilment are more likely to be content in life. One thing is clear: that having a purpose in life is something that Humans thrive

on. Society agenda

Society ...

Other objectives Other Human objectives vary greatly from individual to individual but most are based around happiness and success, however these are defined. The problem with these agendas is that if we are not careful the Chimp takes them up and employs ‘jungle laws’ to achieve them.

Two different modes of operating The Chimp and Human have different agendas and to fulfil these they operate by using two very different principles. The Chimp operates by the laws of the jungle and it does this by having powerful drives and instincts. The Human operates by the laws of society and it does this by using powerful ethical and moral drives, typically with a conscience. By far, the biggest challenge for the individual Human is to live with an animal within that is determined to live by the laws of the jungle and to use extremely powerful drives and instincts to fulfil its own agenda. Understanding the Chimp – the Jungle Centre

drives, typically with a conscience. By far, the biggest challenge for the individual Human is to live with an animal within that is determined to live by the laws of the jungle and to use extremely powerful drives and instincts to fulfil its own agenda. Understanding the Chimp – the Jungle Centre The Chimp operates with a ‘Jungle Centre’ that is based on instincts and drives. The Jungle Centre is an area within the Chimp brain that gives the Chimp the characteristics and attitudes needed to survive in a jungle. This Centre contains beliefs and behaviours that work well in the jungle but not so well in a society! Major problems arise when the Chimp applies its jungle drives in a Human society.

The Chimp operates with a ‘Jungle Centre’ that is based on instincts and drives. The Jungle Centre is an area within the Chimp brain that gives the Chimp the characteristics and attitudes needed to survive in a jungle. This Centre contains beliefs and behaviours that work well in the jungle but not so well in a society! Major problems arise when the Chimp applies its jungle ...

Here are some of the operational features of the Jungle Centre Instincts An instinct is a built-in response or reaction, usually present from birth, to a particular stimulus or trigger. Instincts are in place to ensure that we survive. They are pre-programmed automatic behaviours and ...

The Fight, Flight or Freeze (FFF) response is arguably the most frequently used and most important instinct that our Chimps possess. The entire animal kingdom shares this one particular instinct and it is used every day by all species, including humans. This FFF instinct is nature’s automatic response when danger or perceived danger threatens. The response takes place instantly in order to protect you. It is a very powerful reaction and it provokes intense emotion to make you act quickly.

In our Psychological Mind it is the Chimp that works with the FFF response and offers this to the Human. Quickly choosing the right response is critical to survival. If you choose to fight when you should have run then you wouldn’t survive. Fight is taking on the threat; Flight is running away from the threat; Freeze is keeping still and hoping the threat will go away and you won’t be noticed. Freeze can also be interpreted as avoiding, siding with or giving in to the threat in the hope

Quickly choosing the right response is critical to survival. If you choose to fight when you should have run then you wouldn’t survive. Fight is taking on

the threat; Flight is running away from the threat; Freeze is keeping still and hoping the threat will go away and you won’t be noticed. Freeze can also be interpreted as avoiding, siding with or giving in to the threat in the hope that it won’t be too damaging. Which one of the responses the Chimp chooses depends on ho...

that it won’t be too ...

Which one of the responses the Chimp chooses depends ...

the Chimp feels. So most Chimps will choose Flight and run away whenever they can or they choose ...

they can or they choose Freeze to avoid...

In the jungle, a chimpanzee’s FFF instinct is a successful survival response. The problem for us, as humans, is that your inner Chimp still believes it is in the jungle and it tries to use this in everyday life. The use of the F...

For example, when we have to walk into a room full of strangers, many of our Chimps start to go into Flight mode and want to get out. Some go into Freeze mode and try to remain unnoticed, whilst others may take on the Fight mode and try to e...

has sent a message saying, ‘I feel under threat and need to do something.’ Occasionally these responses become intense and cause us gross anxiety. In order to calm the Chimp, the Human needs to speak to it and use logic to reassure the Chimp. Some people’s Chimps don’...

If your Chimp is trying to tell you to react to a situation, and you don’t respond in some way by choosing one of the FFF options reassuring the Chimp, then your body will naturally release adrenalin. When this adrenalin is coupled with negative thoughts your Chimp will go into an anxiety state. Anxiety in this example is nature’s way of prompting us to make a decision when under threat. Anxiety typically occurs when you don’t make a decision. It is a perfectly natu...

Nature throws in anxiety as a means of forcing the Chimp to make a decision As FFF is about survival the intensity of emotion is massive and t...

Drives Apart from instincts, the Chimp has strong drives. A drive is something that compels us to get up and do something.

perpetuate the species. Like instincts, drives are in-built, they are there from birth, but they don’t require a trigger or stimulus. As drives are necessary for survival, their compelling nature makes them difficult to resist.

eating food is a pleasurable experience that is not only part of a primitive drive to survive but is also an addictive habit. When we begin to look at how drives impact on our day-to-day lives we can see why there is a clash for power between the Human and the Chimp. Vulnerable stance In the jungle, the chimpanzee is not at the top of the food chain so it needs to keep constant vigilance: there are always leopards about. It is aware that it is potentially in danger at any moment, therefore it relaxes only when it is fairly sure that it is safe; almost always when

When we begin to look at how drives impact on our day-to-day lives we can see why there is a clash for power between the Human and the Chimp. Vulnerable stance In the jungle, the chimpanzee is not at the top of the food chain so it needs to keep constant vigilance: there are always leopards about. It is aware that it is potentially in danger at any moment, therefore it relaxes only when it is fairly sure that it is safe; almost always when it is among the troop. As it is constantly looking for any danger it is frequently on edge, gets easily upset or aggressive and is typically emotionally unstable. This helps to explain why most inner Chimps become anxious when they are unsure or in unfamiliar

it is among the troop. As it is constantly looking for any danger it is frequently on edge, gets easily upset or aggressive an...

territory. It is a very natural reaction from their Chimp, warning them of potential danger. It is, however, inappropriate and unhelpful most of the time. It also helps to explain why many people search out hidden meanings from things that are said to them because their Chimps are searching for potential threat. The Chimp is insecure by nature.

Male and female Chimps

We could say there are two different types of Chimp, male and female. Both of these emotional machines within us have drives and instincts. However, they serve different roles in the male and female and there...

not function in exactly the same way, physically or psychologically within the brain. Every Chimp is unique but to help understand the Chimp we will make generalisations about the typical male and female Chimps. It is important to note that although male and female Chimps differ considerably, male and female Humans do NOT differ very much at al...

It is important to note that although male and female Chimps differ considerably, male and female Humans do NOT differ very much at all. There is also a great overlap between th...

This section is not written to offend but is based on physical and physiological differences found in the brains of men and women. For example, in men the right amygdala (an emotional centre in the brain) has more right-sided brain connections. Whereas in women the left amygdala has more left-sided ...

from. It is also to help a significant number of people to appreciate that many of the emotional features within themselves that they may not like are not coming from them but being imposed on them by their Chimp. If we think of the purpose of the female and male in the jungle it then...

The male chimpanzee must be driven sexually,

The female must have a strong maternal drive and stay close to the male if she is to get his genes and fulfil her maternal drive. By staying close to the male she will remain safer from predators, as he is physically stronger. He will remain with her to obtain sexual gratification. The female chimpanzee has an amazingly powerful maternal drive; otherwise the young would not survive. She will protect her young to the death if need be. She also has a strong nesting instinct to provide shelter for the young.

It seems reasonable then that female inner Chimps are frequently lacking in confidence and wary. They can be quick to become anxious and therefore avoid decision-making for fear of getting it wrong. Some women complain bitterly that they find decision-making difficult, even just choosing what to wear. They then beat themselves up because they don’t like this aspect about themselves. In reality it is not an aspect of them at all, it is merely an out-of-control Chimp that they can learn to manage. The woman

is easily capable of making decisions; her emotional Chimp is just hijacking her.

Key Point The Human male and Human female are extremely similar but are being influenced by the inner Chimp, which is more typically male or female in character.

Hormones enforce these differing roles by boosting the genes and systems within the brain. Men and women both have levels of oestrogen and testosterone.