The Intellectual Immune System

09 Nov The Intellectual Immune System

On Friday… I have the honor of speaking at the TEDx event in Iowa City.

If you’re not familiar with TED… you need to be. Basically, TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) Conferences are designed for the express purpose of sharing of big ideas.

So yeah, I’m excited and honored to be a part of this.

What am I going to be speaking on?

Well… I’ve got 9 minutes to talk about a phenomenon that I’ve seen occur over the years I’ve spent training… speaking and coaching. More accurately… it’s also something I’ve experienced personally… when I’ve been on the receiving end of great ideas that I wanted to implement… but didn’t.

The phenomenon is what I call the “Intellectual Immune System.”

Fancy phrase. Simple concept.

Here it is… I believe that our intellect has a immune system… much like our body’s immune system. Now, it doesn’t work the same way… bio-medically, but it does work the same way metaphorically.

The short version of the story is that our body’s immune system is designed to attack things that come from outside it. That’s good when we’re talking about flu bugs and viruses. That’s bad when we’re talking about much-needed valve or organ transplant. Right?

Well… I believe our intellect has a similar system that rejects ideas that come from outside of us. That’s good when we are teens and one of our friends comes up with one of those crazy ideas… but it’s bad when our intellectual immune system rejects concepts… strategies… or solutions that we need.

Don’t take my word for it. Test this idea with me.

Have you… in the last few years… read a book on 5 principles or 9 habits… and you thought…

“WOW! This is exactly what I needed! I’m so doing this!”

Or maybe you listened to a speaker and wondered if they had a video camera in your house because they seemed to know your world so well. Then… when they rolled out their suggestions or solutions… you said to yourself…

“This is the answer I’ve been looking for! I’m so implementing this!”

But then… whether it was 2 days or 2 weeks later… you couldn’t remember what the 2nd, 3rd and 4th principles were… OR… you couldn’t remember exactly what that speaker had suggested after all.

Sound familiar?

Have you experienced this?

I bet you have. I sure know I have.

Well… that was your Intellectual Immune System kicking in. Rejecting those ideas because they came from outside you.

BUT… the good news is… there is a solution.

And it’s pretty simple actually.

And I’m going to share it on Friday.

So come to TEDx on Friday.

Or… tune back in here on Monday and I’ll give you the quick skinny on a solution that can allow you to beat your Intellectual Immune System… and help others to do it too!

Sound good?

See you on Friday,

Mitch

PS – I talk about the Intellectual Immune System a little in my book… IGNITE. So if you can’t wait until Friday or Monday… you can always check out there too.