by Nick Tasler | book review by June Milligan, M.Ed., CCHt |
Nick Tasler describes management people in this book as either risk managers or potential seekers. All of us seem to naturally have the tendency to make decisions either one way or the other. He describes potential seekers as being able to quickly identify new opportunities and move ahead with them. These people are comfortable making big decisions. Risk managers are those who choose to carefully manage the existing opportunities rather than take big risks on new ones. This study describes how both types of people can enhance their decision making abilities. Purchasers of this book can take the online Impulse Factor Test, an assessment that classifies you as either a risk manager or a potential seeker.
Scientists have found that one fourth of all humans have a lower level of an enzyme called monoamine oxidase (MAO), as do one half of all people diagnosed with ADHD/ADD. This enzyme is described by some researchers as the “impulsivity gene.” A lower level of this enzyme results in a natural impulsivity which can play havoc with your decision making ability, and therefore, your life. But all is not lost. Nature can be tamed by consciously making decisions based on facts and analysis.
The example of Bill Gates shows how a naturally impulsive person can also be classified as a risk manager. Gates could paper the very large Microsoft boardroom with his traffic tickets, yet he has been able to temper his inclination to take risks with a legendary pessimism. How could a Porsche-driving college dropout who made a career out of jumping from one big idea to the next be classified as risk-adverse by this author? Because this “richest man in America” had another side. He would not let any idea, even one of his own, leave his office without first running it by his skepticism and intense scrutiny. This type of thinking by those who love risk is called “directionally correct” and you can learn how to think this way. And that is the secret to being successfully impulsive.
All impulsivity is not created equal. There’s a big difference between a good kind of impulsive that is helpful and adaptive and a bad kind that is destructive and gets people into trouble. Functionally impulsive people are quick and decisive thinkers who are willing to take calculated risks and go only so far. It becomes dysfunctional when quick thinking is accompanied by a lack of planning and a complete disregard for consequences.
Harnessing the power of an impulsive instinct is about taking risks while maintaining a clear focus on being directionally correct. Functionally impulsive people are good at reminding themselves that a correct path exists, when they sometimes veer off toward a less desirable type of impulse. It is a delicate combination of trust and questioning that keeps impulsive thinking useful. On the other hand, people with dysfunctional impulsivity are generally not concerned with any path other than the one they’re currently traveling on, and that’s what makes them so dangerously dysfunctional. Does that remind you of someone you know or have read about?
The author gives us an intriguing and highly readable analysis, showing how both groups of thinkers (those who are risk-takers and those who are afraid to take any risks) can enhance their decision-making abilities and move toward more balanced and successful ways of making decisions.
For more info, contact June Milligan, specializing in helping people learn how to let go of unproductive habits and dysfunctional thinking. Call 775-786-9111 or visit www.joyfulchanges.com
