The Upper and Lower Intelligence Conflict

They seem to be in conflict most of the time because:

• Your Upper intelligence is logical and methodical, and sees the long term benefits of things. 
• Your Lower Intelligence does not think at all, it pleases itself and survives. It will go along with anything that will bring it immediate pleasure or reward. 
• Since one is long term, and the other is short, they do not work together unless you have a way to satisfy both. 

 

When the two are working together in you will seem unstoppable!

 

If ever watch children, they don’t use their upper intelligence so much because it hasn’t developed through experiences to make long term decisions. Since the upper isn’t making long term decisions the lower has more power to do what it thinks is right, which is to satisfy its needs, curiosity, and desires. This is why you’ll see kids eating off the floor, walking off from parents in crowds, just doing stuff…

 

Think about how a 5 year old and a 15 year old does with Halloween candy. They both get a huge haul, but:

• One will eat as much as they can right a away, one will try to be systematic in the distribution to make it last as long as it can. 
• One will give some away and trade with friends, the other will try to sell what they could do without so they can have money to more, or something else. 

 

Bringing it back to your life, the four areas of ikigai are:

• What we love to do
• What we are good at doing
• What we can be paid for doing
• What the world needs from what we are doing. 

 

Can you see how the upper and lower can be addressed when the 4 areas are balanced?

 

Your ikigai is a way of life, giving the reason for you now, and into the future so that both levels can agree that things you set out to do will be to the benefit of all.