BOOK SUMMARY 302 The Code of the Extraordinary Mind
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Summary written by: Lutfiyya Dhalla
"Realizing that the world you’re living
in exists inside your head puts you in the driver’s seat. You can use your own
mind to deconstruct the beliefs, systems and rules you’ve been living with. The
rules are very real in the sense that they actually govern how people and
societies act, but very real does not mean very right."
- The Code of the Extraordinary Mind, page 12
The Code of the Extraordinary Mind is a revolutionary book that will make you question your
current beliefs, behaviours and systems for living. Becoming the best version
of yourself is a lifelong pursuit and Vishen Lakhiani teaches you how to hack
conventional ways of thinking and reprogram your brain. With a background in
engineering, he is skilled at noticing patterns and connecting the dots. He
applies this idea to human development and creates a framework for
understanding and enhancing yourself to achieve astronomical growth. Vishen
breaks down “the code” into four separate levels:
1. Living in the Culturescape – the world around you
2. The Awakening –
the world you choose
3. Recoding Yourself –
the world inside you
4. Becoming Extraordinary –
the world you can change
He believes that in order to reach your full potential
you must first understand your current world and how you have been shaped by
it. After you have “hacked” this you are then able to proceed to the next
level.
The journey of self-discovery is always challenging and
forces you to peel back the layers of your past. This book teaches you
techniques that will help you to confront and overcome your past and catapult
you into creating a life which is extraordinary – one you never thought was
possible.
The Golden Egg
Craft your life through consciousness engineering
"Every few years, we upgrade our operating systems
on our machines to make our computers run faster, better and take on
increasingly complex tasks with ease. But how many of us even think about doing
the same for ourselves."- The Code of the Extraordinary Mind, page 50
Vishen has created a methodology called consciousness
engineering which allows you to optimize your learning and hacking of the
culturescape.
Consciousness engineering has two components:
1. Models of reality –
our hardware
2. Systems for living –
our software
When we look at our models of reality we realize that the
majority of the beliefs we currently hold have actually been programed from our
past, upbringing and interactions with our environment. These are the very
beliefs that create feelings around an event or our life as a whole and
influence the reality of the world that we experience today. Once you realize
that what you chose to believe is under your control, you can swap out the old
beliefs for new empowering ones. Through acceptance of these new models of
reality you are able to “gain incredible power to shift your world.”
Your systems for living are how you put the models into
action. These refer to your day-to-day habits and activities. Vishen compares
them to apps on your phone – where you’re able to download and update them
until you find the right one. When applying this hack to humans, it’s important
to do self-checks in order to quickly identify the systems that are working and
those that require an upgrade.
The current models have three limitations:
1. They are programmed by the world we grew up in.
2. Our models of reality (good or bad) determine our systems
for living, meaning bad beliefs follow bad habits.
3. Our modern models and systems are lacking in conscious
practices.
These models limit our perspective and thus restrict our
thinking and our actions. They cause us to unknowingly accept the status quo.
Gem #1
Rewrite your models of reality
"The power to choose what we want to believe and
what we want to disbelieve is one of the greatest gifts we can give
ourselves."- The Code of the Extraordinary Mind, page 88
In order to rewrite your current beliefs you first have
to become aware of them. Everyone has limiting beliefs that have been holding
them back and no longer serve them.
They could have come about through a teacher, bully, a
parent or anyone we sought attention from (or lacked attention from) when we
were growing up. It is when we accept these beliefs as truths that they become
true. We assign meaning to our experiences, then carry that latticework of
meaning around as models of reality about our world.
When we look out into the real world, we end up looking
through the limiting belief lens, the only one we have known and therefore the
only one installed.
Vishen believes an effective way to rewire your beliefs
is by journaling on the following two questions every night.
1. What are you grateful for?
2. What did you love about yourself today?
Through personal reflection you are able to accurately
assess and strengthen yourself, resulting in a positive shift in mindset.
Gem #2
Upgrade your systems for living
"When you swap outdated models of reality for
empowering ones and pair them with new systems for applying your new models day
to day, your life will improve exponentially – and fast."- The Code of the
Extraordinary Mind, page 93
A system in its simplest form is an optimized pattern for
getting things done that can be repeated. Many of us are using outdated systems
but operate on autopilot and therefore fail to notice them. When you upgrade
your system for living you unknowingly and automatically update your life.
What sets extraordinary people apart is that they are
always trying to improve and optimize their systems for living every chance
they get. Vishen suggests a three step system to upgrade your systems:
1. The Discovery Process
o
Always look out for new systems – they can be
found in books, conferences, online programs, etc.
o
Implement the new system for a couple weeks,
track it and decide if it has made a difference or not.
2. Your Refresh Rate
o
This is how often you upgrade a system for
living.
o
Forming a habit to keep discovering new
systems is what will help you keep growing.
3. Set Points and Measurements
o
Once you have fresh systems for living, the
challenge is to maintain them.
o
Create set points, levels of performance that
you do not let yourself slip below.
Through insight and awakening we’re able to recognize the
current models we’ve installed, hack them and create new models which allow us
to reach our true potential. The combination of your new systems and a mindset
receptive to change and grow, enables you to install a new operating system.
Vishen offers a unique way of exploring the human mind,
body and soul. I believe his comparison of the human operating system to a
machine enables the readers to understand the potential that they have
available to them at any time. It’s as easy as installing new software and
clicking update.
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