Dr. Richard Daft has a system for unleashing our higher minds, The Executive. He calls it his S.T.O.P. system in his book The Executive and the Elephant: : A Leader’s Guide For Building Inner Excellence.

Our upper mind, The Executive, is the objective, rational mind. Our lower mind, The Elephant, is a metaphor for our ego and emotional mind. Dick points out an interesting fact. The Executive sees the Elephant, but the Elephant cannot see the Executive.

S.T.O.P. is an acronym for Step back, Think, Organize and Proceed.

Dick believes self-talk is the hidden gem and that if we practice it every morning and evening, we will see dramatic changes in our lives. Dick also recommends practicing visualization of the desired behavior we want to see in ourselves. All our intentions to be better come from our higher self, the Executive.

Dick quotes Mahatma Gandhi expressing the importance of basic
beliefs:
Your beliefs become your thoughts,
Your thoughts become your words,
Your words become your actions,
Your actions become your habits,
Your habits become your values,
Your values become your destiny.

Listen to the entire interview below: