You may be curious, feel connection, or have a gut reaction (head, heart, gut) to the idea of three distinct brains. You may find confirmation that things you have experienced or sensed intuitively have a biological basis. Each brain has a biological role.

The Heart Brain operates on the principles of empathy and connection, constantly considering the repercussions of our actions on others. Meanwhile, our Gut Brain is the relentless hustler, primarily focused on self-preservation and consistently urging us to ‘get things done.’ Our Head Brain functions as the strategist, striving to provide logical reasoning and cause-effect analysis of the contrasting inputs from the heart and gut. The Head Brain tries to form a coherent strategy that aligns with our emotional and survival instincts. (Sneijders, 2023)

The Gut Brain is all about ME and is focused on survival. Fear is the ultimate weapon of the Gut Brain. Since avoiding danger is its primary job, the Gut Brain tells us to act without asking questions or waiting for compassion or strategy to kick in.

The Heart Brain is driven by the need for connection and relationships. The highest need is to belong and is focused on helping others. The Heart Brain is centered around our emotional world and compels us to bond with others.

The Head Brain is focused on making logical decisions for the future based on past knowledge and input from the Gut Brain and the Heart Brain, both of which may override the logic of the Head Brain. The Head Brain is constantly trying to understand how the world works by noticing patterns and making predictions. It only works with the information it receives, so misinformation, superstition or limiting beliefs may cause one to make poor decisions.

The key to good decision-making is making sure Head, Heart, and Gut are working together so that survival needs, connection needs and logical thinking are in alignment. If something feels off, take an inventory to find which one(s) may be speaking too loudly or which one(s) may not be speaking up.

Which brain shows up for you most often in your decision-making?
Which brain is sometimes not considered as you make decisions?
What will you consider doing to more closely align your three brains?

If you have not yet taken an assessment and would like to learn which brain is your preferred leader in decision-making, Christoffel G. Sneijders, www.3brainsintelligence.com, has created an assessment that you can take for a snapshot of your preferred decision-making brain. You can find it here. (Put link to assessment). https://www.3brainsintelligence.com/3-brains-preference-assesment

Christoffel Sneijders is an MCC (Master Certified Coach) through the ICF (International Coaching Federation) and the author of Relationships? Which Brain is Talking?: The ultimate guide to happy & healthy relationships.

Frances Shuster, M.Ed., PCC is a Leadership Coach and Faculty Instructor for Results Coaching Global, LLC.