The secret of world-class performance
Everyone seeks to attain excellence and happiness in their lives, yet world-class performance is rare. Research shows that education accounts for only 1 per cent of performance levels, work experience only 3 per cent, and age in adults 0 per cent. Dr Harald S. Harung and Dr Frederick Travis looked deeply and uncovered the secret of world-class performance: Excellence in any profession or activity depends on the single variable of high mind-brain development.
—– Article written by Harald S. Harung, Ph.D. and Frederick Travis, Ph.D.—–
Our research suggests that brain integration underlies integral psychology for the individual. Brain integration is a measure of how coherent, restfully alert, and economical the whole brain functions. We propose a Unified Theory of Performance, which has three individual dimensions and one collective dimension. All four performance dimensions must be raised to create high-performing and happy citizens, and an integral society.
The individual performance dimensions are brain integration, psychological development, and higher consciousness―assessed by the frequency of peak experiences. Together they form the individual’s level of mind-brain development. We found that high performers in sports, management, and classical music had much higher mind-brain development than average performing controls. No other factors―like education, age, work experience, and incentives―can explain why some people perform better than others, the research of others shows.
Higher mind-brain development thus appears to be by far the most important attribute for individual excellence.
The fourth performance dimension is the level of mind-brain development of the organization and society where we operate. This collective consciousness is the most important factor for collective performance, and thus affects the individual performance level. We present several quotes illustrating a collective peak experience during top performance in orchestras and sport teams. These quotes display the same qualities as an integrated brain: Coherence, wakefulness, and economical action. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute in Germany have found brain integration both within and between musicians playing together. It is therefore probable that higher integration also underlies higher collective performance.
The simple and effortless technique of Transcendental Meditation in one stroke accomplishes growth of all four performance dimensions. The theme of this conference is Reinventing Europe. Several published research projects show that a coherence-creating group of only 2800 persons, who together practice TM and the advanced TM-Sidhi program, can develop a more integrated and harmonious collective consciousness in Europe.
Presentation at IEC 2016
Presentation will be based on the recent book “Excellence through Mind-brain Development: The Secrets of World-class Performers” by H. S. Harung, Ph.D. and F. Travis, Ph.D.
By mind-brain development, the authors refer to a much more comprehensive transformation than what is commonly understood – they are talking about a sequence of fundamental shifts to new realities in the way our brain functions and in the way we look upon ourselves, others, and the world.
For success, who we are is far more important than the knowledge, skills, and relationships we have and what we do
– because with higher mind-brain development, our knowledge and skills become more useful, our relationships more enriching, and our actions more effective.
As part of presenting the secrets of world-class performance, the book details the inspiring peak experiences that underlie top performance and how top performers have a more orderly, restfully alert, and efficient/economical brain than average performers. The quality of our brain functioning thus underlies the quality of our thoughts and actions. There are a large number of books on how to think and what attitudes to assume in order to be successful. Often these books describe the mental and behavioural attributes underlying high performance. However, just reading a book does not fundamentally change our brain. Therefore, such books tend to have highly limited benefits for improving performance and happiness.
This research-based book shows the many benefits of higher mind-brain development and how to effortlessly attain it through the practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique.
Presenter
Dr Harald S. Harung has researched higher mind-brain development and high performance in athletes, managers, musicians, and in general. Professor (associate) at Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences, where he has been teaching management, ethics, and world-class performance to classes of over 500 students. Ph.D. from University of Manchester, former researcher at Oxford University, naval officer, and CEO of an engineering company.
Would you like to know more about this topic? Do you have questions for the presenter? Join us for the second Integral European Conference 2016!
Harald S. Harung: High Mind-Brain Development in World-Class Performers
Friday 6th of May, 11:30-13:30
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