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

by Steve Peters

The biggest factor for success is for you to function at your best, practically and emotionally.

Be disciplined and not just organised.

If you were given a million pounds to do the task before the end of the day could you do it? If the answer is yes, I would definitely have it completed, then this means that it is possible to do it.

remember that it is perfectly normal and acceptable to get things off your chest from time to time. Exercise your Chimp sensibly.

Human beings generally love ownership and will take things more seriously when given it. We take things personally and invest both the Chimp and Human energies into the venture.

When you don’t have ownership the Chimp typically disrupts the plans and decreases the chances of success.

Responsibility is all about managing the Chimp and its feelings, and getting down to business without excuses.

Taking responsibility and accountability for implementing or carrying out the plan is all about being disciplined.

set very high but achievable goals.

aim for personal excellence, which is doing your best, regardless of the standard that you achieve.

Donkeys, Humans and Chimps don’t like punishment (sticks) but do like rewards (carrots).

people are doing their best and if they are failing then it means they need more support, guidance or development.

the stick is replaced with carrots, benchmarks and consequences.

Humans like to achieve and be constructive. Chimps like to be groomed by others in the troop and to feel part of the troop.

Linking rewards to work that you have to do is a very good way of getting your Chimp on side.

praise yourself for what you have done, or even tried to do.

most Chimps within us do need recognition from the right person

The troop rallying to support a distressed Chimp or Human is a very welcome carrot. Don’t be afraid to ask for support or help.

Using a stick on yourself is more destructive than others doing it to you.

The stick also comes in the form of guilt, blame or regret.

• Define what you mean by success and stick to it. • Wear the crown when it is appropriate. • Respect the crown when it is on somebody else’s head. • Commitment is the biggest part of the CORE principle. • Take ownership and responsibility for your life. • Aim for personal excellence.

• Grow lots of carrots and get rid of the stick.

life is not fair and even though you can do everything right, you may not be successful.

there are two of you planning this journey: you and your Chimp.

The Chimp will have needs of its own, such as reassurance and rewards, if it is to stay on side.

A dream is something that you want to happen but it is not fully under your control.

Goals are something that you can set and achieve because you have full control of them.

Goals must be realistic and achievable.

Whenever the brain recognises that it doesn’t have full control of any situation it sends the blood supply to the Chimp.

Don’t make dreams into goals because you will set your Chimp off.

see a dream as a possibility

Don’t aim for the moon but the stars. The ‘moon’ is a goal that you know you can achieve by effort. The ‘stars’ are a goal that you could achieve by great effort and it will feel fantastic to reach this goal.

Define your dream.

Foundation Stones are the components that you can work on to achieve your dream.

Each Foundation Stone can be given a goal that you can measure and achieve.

useful to divide the goals into those you are specifically working on to achieve gains (target goals) and those that you are happy with but are keeping an eye on (maintenance goals).

If you spread out your efforts

on too many things then you are likely to increase your chances of failing.

Work on just one or two target stones

The fewer tasks you focus on, the more likely you are to succeed with them.

When your target goals are reached then you can swap the target goal to a maintenance goal

Write down the Foundation Stones

Give each stone a measurable goal.

Divide the goals into maintenance and...

Set new standards for the target goals an...

give a reality check and form your preparations.

Think particularly of the excuses that the Chimp might try to use to stop you from progressing.

Write a list of all the essential, significant and desirable needs to take on the dream.

Write a list of all the hurdles, barriers and pitfalls

devise plans to deal w...