“You become what you think about most of the time.” — Earl Nightingale
I Reticular activating system (RAS) it is one of the brain's most powerful tools.
However, few people fully understand its impact on everyday life.
Your RAS is located in your brain and acts as a filter,.
It processes the vast sensory information your brain receives and ensures that only the most important or relevant reaches your awareness.
Essentially, the RAS is your brain's personal assistant—it determines what you notice, pay attention to, and focus on.
Key Takeaways
- RAS Your Mental Filter: It shapes your perspective by prioritizing what aligns with your goals, thoughts, and feelings, allowing you to focus on what really matters.
- Your Focus Expands: RAS magnifies your thoughts repeatedly—whether opportunities or obstacles—making your focus a powerful tool for shaping your reality.
- Visualization and Clarity Unlock Your Power: Specific goals, clear mental imagery, and affirmations train the RAS to see opportunities and solutions that align with your desires.
- You can edit RAS: Intentional practices such as writing down goals or visualizing achievements direct the RAS to filter out distractions and reveal valuable opportunities.
- RAS Focuses on Action: It doesn't create opportunities but ensures that you recognize them, making you a valuable partner in productivity, decision-making, and personal growth.
How I Started Learning About RAS
I first heard about the Reticular Activating System (RAS) from Tony Robbins. He explained with a simple but powerful example: when you buy a blue car, you suddenly feel like everyone on the street has the same car.
It's not that the number of green cars has actually increased—it's that your mind is now ready to see them.
Tony pointed out how this situation highlights the power of focus.
The RAS acts as a mental filter, amplifying whatever you repeatedly think about or prioritize. He taught me that what you focus on expands.
If you focus on opportunities, you will begin to see more of them. If you focus on problems, they will dominate your attention. That realization stuck with me and completely changed the way I think about clarity, goals, and thinking.
It made me realize that RAS is not just a biological technique—it's a tool you can use to shape your reality.
What is the Reticular Activating System?
The Reticular Activating System, or RAS, is like your brain's filter for what's important.
It determines what gets your attention based on what you care about, think about, or feel strongly about.
That's why, when you're excited about buying a particular car, you see it everywhere—it's your RAS at work.
This is also why setting clear goals or envisioning your future can feel powerful—your brain begins to see opportunities that align with your focus.
It's this quiet, behind-the-scenes system that helps you eliminate distractions and focus on what's really important to you.
What does RAS do?
The RAS plays an important role in controlling alertness, attention, and concentration.
It's not just about staying awake. It shapes the way you experience the world.
The Reticular Activating System (RAS) is your brain's personal assistant, filtering the flood of sensory input to focus on what's really important.
It doesn't just control your monitor. It shapes your reality by amplifying what aligns with your thoughts and priorities.
Whether it's helping you recognize opportunities that align with your goals or filter out distractions in a noisy room, RAS is always adjusting your perspective.
It's like a spotlight, which directs your attention and energy to what you've trained yourself to see—making it play an important role in how you navigate and interpret the world.
RAS: Your Mind's GPS for Success
Think of the RAS as your brain GPSalways directing your attention to what is most important. The clearer you are about your destination—with goals, vision, and affirmations—the better it guides you to opportunities and resources.
By using RAS successfully, you can:
- Stay focused on your priorities.
- Sort out distractions and negativity.
- Align your daily actions with your long-term vision.
Main functions of RAS:
- Vigilance and Vigilance:
The RAS regulates your sleep-wake cycle, ensuring you wake up when needed and stay alert during the day. It is what keeps you aware of danger or reacting to important things. - Focus and Attention:
RAS filters sensory input so you can focus on what's most important while tuning out distractions. For example, in a busy coffee shop, it helps you focus on a conversation with a friend instead of the background noise. - Goal setting and prioritization:
When you set goals or focus repeatedly on a topic, the RAS begins to recognize and prioritize opportunities, information, or resources related to those goals. This is why writing down goals or visualizing success often leads to better results. - Filtering Emotions:
Your RAS is influenced by your thoughts and emotions. If you are concerned, it may make you more aware of threats. On the other hand, positive thinking programs the RAS to perceive things that are motivating and empowering.
Everyday Examples of RAS in Action
The RAS shapes your everyday experience in powerful, often imperceptible ways:
- Hearing Your Name in the Crowd: Amidst the chaos of a noisy room, your RAS quickly prioritizes your name because it is deeply connected to who you are. It's like your mind has a VIP list, and you live on it.
- Stain patterns: Decide you want a certain car, and suddenly, it feels like everyone on the street has the same model. It's not magic—it's your RAS filtering the world to match what you think.
- Finding Hidden Opportunities: When you focus on a goal or affirm a vision, your RAS works in the background to highlight people, ideas, or resources that can help you achieve it. It doesn't create opportunities, but it makes sure you recognize them when they arise.
Your RAS is your mind's best assistant, constantly adjusting your awareness to align with what you care most about. The key is to be intentional about what you focus on—it's a decision that can change the way you experience the world.
How to use RAS to your advantage
RAS is more than a filter. It is a tool that you can actively train to help you focus and achieve your goals.
Here's how to make it work for you:
- Visualize with Precision: Close your eyes and think clearly to achieve your goal. Think about the situation, the people, and the emotions involved. This mental practice teaches your RAS to see opportunities and solutions related to that idea—like seeing a door you didn't know existed.
- Speak What You Want: Use affirmations that reflect the mindset you want, such as “I'm smart and solution-oriented.” This helps your brain become aware of ideas, people, or resources that align with your goals while silencing unhelpful distractions.
- Define Your Purpose Clearly: Write down specific goals with actionable steps. For example, instead of saying, “Get better at networking,” write, “Go to three industry events this month and meet five new people at each.” RAS thrives on clarifying and closing relevant opportunities.
These simple procedures give your RAS a clear goal: filter out the noise, amplify the signal, and stay on track to achieve what matters most.
Final thoughts:
Your Reticular Activating System (RAS) is a tool, not just a mind.
When you engage in it intentionally, you gain control over your focus and your destiny.
For example, by writing down a specific goal such as, “I want to be the best presenter at my company,” your RAS will begin to filter out opportunities such as workshops or public speaking mentors.
This isn't about waiting for inspiration—it's about actively programming your mind to align with your desires. RAS doesn't just work; it works best when you give it direction through clarity, visualization, and action.
Treat your RAS like a compass, constantly adjusting to guide you to the life you want to build.
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