How would you feel if you walked up to an elevator and instead of the options being 'Up or Down', the options were 'Soar or Plummet'? Here is an example I heard recently of how it plays on our minds and how a simple use of words can affect how fearful we are of something. Naturally though, we are often instantly in decision mode about what we've heard and that alter-ego steps on stage again to make the quick decision - the part of us that doesn't seem to have the recollection that we've prepared for this, we are smarter than this though.ĭon't worry, it's a natural condition. If we've trained ourselves, we can take a second to process and rationalize longer term, knowing this will not harm us and we are able to look beyond it. Words activate our brains into protection mode, which then dictates our immediate response. All sound judgement says to ignore market ups and downs by investing regularly, and to actually put more money in when the general sentiment is to run and hide. When things are rising, the story isn't quite as dramatic. That's what the news will tell you and I, we are to fear.

In the financial world, we are constantly bombarded with the fear that markets are crashing, plummeting, or any other fearful word that you can come up with. Fear, all these are predicated on fear and to help keep us safe from the 21st century's version of the saber-toothed tiger. We are one nuclear missile strike away from the end of civilization as we know it. If you listen to, watch, or pay attention to the News on TV, Radio, or Facebook at times you likely get a sense the world is almost over. It's about words and how they play on our decision making, the way they take over our bodies quite similarly without us even noticing. However, this isn't about presenting or taking the big shot in front of a large crowd with the game on the line. A new version of you shows up to give that presentation you've practiced 100 times, the version of you that seems like she hasn't practiced at all is suddenly on stage representing us. How we can be extremely incredible at something, yet when in front of a large group of peers we can crash and burn in an instant.

I am fascinated with the human mind, how we make decisions and what words we use when put on the spot.

PlanetCrash by Matthew Boudreau