When Goldilocks Met Icarus

What do fairytales & Greek myths have to do with our brains? Let's look at our capabilities & limitations, our tolerance for stress & stimulation.

Once upon a time, there was a little known phenomenon called The Goldilocks Curve of the Brain….

The Goldilocks curve came about, as scientist Amy Arnsten tried to explain a little of how our brain responds to stimulation. We all need stimulation to function, but we do not all respond equally to levels of stimulation.

Jane might relish an adrenaline sport or a fast-paced environment, and feel like life is dull and boring if she doesn’t get the level of stimulation.

On the other hand, Tom might be overwhelmed by this kind of lifestyle, and feel much more effective working through things at a more predictable, orderly pace.

There is a tendency to think that we should all be operating at maximum speed in order to be efficient, but we are not all calibrated to do so. Understanding and acknowledging these differences, and understanding that they all have their unique strengths and gifts.

When we are overstimulated or understimulated, interestingly, we exhibit the same symptoms. These include

Black and white thinking
Foggy thinking
Memory issues
Poor decision making
Poor impulse control
Lack of empathy

Applied neuroscience offers us ways and tools to understand this from a functional and fun perspective. Recognising our own ‘sweet spot’ on the curve is vital to our wellbeing and effectiveness.

It’s also critical to understand what I refer to as the ‘Icarus Syndrome’ - something I’ve been very prone to myself in the past. What I mean by this is that tendency, when we are operating in our ‘sweet spot zone’ to start to feel invincible. We’re feeling so good that we just think we’ll take on that one more thing, that one more project. And often, that’s the straw that breaks the camel's back. I call it the Icarus Syndrome - we’re flying high, and then we fly a little too high, and those wings melt.

The Icarus Syndrome is not an inevitable outcome of being in your Goldilocks sweet spot. But it takes discipline and self awareness to stabilise the system enough to avoid it.

If you’ve been an Icarus - or if you keep finding yourself in Icarus mode, we should probably discuss that. If you don’t feel like you ever find that sweet spot, then we should also talk.

You know where to find me.
D

Categories: applied neuroscience, brain science, development, self-awareness, The Stories We Tell Ourselves, personal development, stress, resilience, wellbeing, self-care