What is RAS & 10 Tips to Help You Achieve Your Goals in 2024
Here is a selection of works showing my improvement as an artist from 2017 (top left) to today (bottom right). One of my current goals is to get better as a pastel artist. I’m looking forward to seeing what I can achieve!
It’s that time of year again! It’s great to look back at what we have achieved as artists and look forward to seeing what we can accomplish in 2024.
A couple of months ago I wanted to look into the concept of “mindset” to see if it’s scientifically accurate and to find out if it’s something I could work on to improve my art and to help me meet my goals.
The short answer is: yes, it’s a scientifically backed concept and yes, it can help you to have a positive mindset about your artistic journey and I’d even say in life. After I came to that conclusion, I researched how to improve my mindset and wrote about them. If you want to check that out click on the link below:
13 Ways to Improve Your Artistic Mindset
In that blog, I also mentioned other terms I have heard bandied about in the art and marketing worlds. A few are RAS, visualization, and manifestation. I wondered if these concepts are just popular, similar to how Swatch watches were all the rage in elementary school.
I also wonder if these concepts have any reality to them. Can I really “manifest” a mansion in Montana? It seems a bit like fantastical thinking and like it might go against my Christian worldview.
In this blog, I’ll tackle RAS and visualization.
I have decided not to get into manifestation because, after my brief research on it, I have discovered that it is a New Age way of thinking, which may have been popularized by the book, The Secret, and by people like Oprah who publicized it.
I am a Christian and New Age philosophies go against what I believe to be true. I don’t believe that I am on this Earth to get everything I desire, I believe there is more to life than the here and now (that there is a heaven), I don’t believe that God is in everything and everyone (I believe that God is seperate from his creation), and I don’t believe I will get what I want by concentrating on it.
I understand that if something happens (or doesn’t happen) to me, it is for a reason. And so I use that worldview to guide my art journey. I try new paths as an artist, but I feel that if a door is closed to me, it’s supposed to be that way. In my worldview, I want to do as God is directing me. I don’t want to rely purely on my feelings and desires. In other words, I hold my plans lightly, and I try and pivot accordingly.
Anyway, I was wondering if visualization is the same thing as manifestation. I only decided to look into it because my second cousin is in the Navy, and he said they were taught to visualize before they performed jumps out of airplanes. Also, I know that athletes do visualization.
If the Navy and athletes do it, I’m wondering if it has scientific teeth and not just a basis in New Age ideas.
So… let’s dive in and see!
What is RAS?
Don’t worry! I’m only going over the basics of the RAS. You could get into the weeds if you wanted, but it would put you to sleep.
The reticular activating system (RAS) is a complex network of nuclei and fibers in the brainstem that plays a crucial role in regulating wakefulness and sleep-wake transitions.
Neuroscientists and psychologists study the RAS because it provides insights into the neural mechanisms that control aspects of attention, arousal, and consciousness.
Basically, it plays a crucial role in filtering and processing sensory information. The RAS is responsible for you being able to focus on what your friend is saying across the table at a crowded restaurant, for example.
While the RAS is not directly responsible for setting or achieving specific goals, its functions are intertwined with cognitive processes that can contribute to goal-directed behavior. This is why psychologists (and goal-oriented folks) are interested in the RAS.
How Is the RAS Related to Goal Setting and Achieving?
In my research, this is what I found on the RAS regarding goal setting and achieving. Note that there are a lot of “mays” in these statements. Research has been done on the RAS and is continuing, but there is no 100% certainty about it increasing goal achievement.
Attention and Focus: The RAS helps in determining what information is prioritized and attended to. If you consciously focus on specific goals, the RAS may play a role in enhancing your attention to relevant stimuli and information related to those goals.
Filtering Information: The RAS filters out irrelevant stimuli, allowing you to concentrate on what is deemed important. This can be beneficial when working toward goals, as it helps prevent distractions and keeps you focused on the task at hand.
Motivation and Arousal: The RAS influences arousal levels, which can impact motivation. If you are highly motivated to achieve a particular goal, the RAS may contribute to maintaining an alert and focused state conducive to goal-directed behavior.
Sleep-Wake Cycle: Adequate sleep is essential for cognitive functions, including goal-setting and decision-making. The RAS is involved in the sleep-wake cycle, and disruptions in sleep patterns can influence cognitive performance and the ability to pursue and achieve goals.
While the RAS is a fundamental part of the neural circuitry involved in attention and wakefulness, achieving goals often involves higher-order cognitive processes, such as planning, decision-making, and executive functions. These functions are influenced by various brain regions, including the prefrontal cortex.
In summary, while the RAS itself doesn't set or achieve goals, its role in attention, arousal, and information processing can indirectly contribute to the cognitive processes involved in goal-directed behavior.
What About Visualization? Is It Scientific?
So it turns out visualization has a scientific basis and has been studied extensively in the fields of cognitive neuroscience and psychology.
Mental imagery, which includes visualization, involves creating mental representations of sensory experiences in the absence of actual sensory input. That just means that the subjects in the studies imagined they were in certain circumstances when they weren’t (for example jumping from a plane into the ocean). During the experiments the subjects imagined all of the sensory inputs to be happening- sound, sight, touch, smell. So in my example, I’m not really jumping from the plane, but I’m imagining that I feel the air as I jump from the plane, I see myself pulling the shoot, I imagine steering myself with the parachute, I think about how the water feels, and so on.
The results from such studies have provided evidence that mental imagery engages similar neural networks to those activated during perception. In other words, the subjects’ brains were doing similar activities while imagining the event as compared to doing the actual event.
I also found that visualization techniques are employed in therapeutic settings, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and guided imagery, to help individuals manage stress, anxiety, and other psychological conditions. These applications have been studied and incorporated into evidence-based practices.
I mentioned athletes before, so I looked into that. Athletes commonly use visualization as a mental rehearsal tool. Research in sports psychology has shown that mentally rehearsing movements or strategies can positively impact actual performance.
Conclusion On RAS and Visualization
Considering all that I said above, I believe that there is scientific researching finds on RAS and visualization. As a result, I found 10 common sense steps you can take to use the RAS (including visualization) to help you achieve your goals.
10 Ways to Use the RAS to Help You Reach Your Goals
Set Clear Goals-
Clearly define your goals. The more specific and detailed your goals are, the easier it is for your brain, including the RAS, to focus on them.
This year I have made goals like this: Learn how Emma Colbert uses Unsion pastels to create works by following at least 2 tutorials; continue to write a blog every other week; draw for at least an hour on days off. Note that the goals are very specific, which will help me to see if I achieve them or not. If I had created a goal such as, I want to be a better artist, it’s too broad to know if I achieved anything or not.
Break Down the Goals-
Break down larger goals into smaller, more manageable tasks. This helps make the goals more tangible and achievable, allowing the RAS to focus on specific steps.
For larger goals, I reverse engineer them. First I come up with a goal like “I want to improve my art”. Then I reverse engineer it by thinking things like: what do I want to get better at doing? (in this example I’ll say pastels), and then- who do I want to learn from? (Emma Colbert), next- how am I going to learn from her? (Patreon), etc. until I have a concrete path to follow.
You can do this with really lofty goals as well, such as “I want to sell my artwork in galleries”. Work backward until you have a series of small steps mapped out, realizing of course that you can always re-evaluate later and change course.
Visualize-
Regularly visualize yourself achieving your goals in a positive and detailed manner. This can help create a positive mindset and signal to the RAS that these goals are important.
I admit that although I see the scientific evidence for this tip, I don’t see myself sitting down to visualize that I have artwork in a gallery, for example.
However, I do use visualization before I create a piece. I have done this before I knew what I was doing. I think about how the finished piece will look, and it seems like when I have a good feeling about it before I start that’s when my pieces come out better. That’s what makes me think there’s something to the brain-action connection.
I’m just not sure if I can make myself do the other type of visualization although I know that artists do it. For example, Bonny Snowdon talks about it being helpful all of the time. It feels too woo for me to do it.
I’d love to know in the comments if you visualize your artwork before you start. Or if you practice visualization in any other way.
Prioritize and Focus:
Prioritize your goals and focus on a few at a time. The RAS is more effective when it has a clear direction, so avoid overwhelming it with too many tasks.
Who couldn’t use a little more focus in their life? One way I do this is by writing in my planner every day what I would like to get done. I try not to go overboard with tasks, but I list what I might be able to achieve realistically. The next day I evaluate what I got done the day before and plan for the day ahead.
My planner also has a place to write the main goals for the week ahead, which I think is helpful. It also has a lot of places for reflection, which helps me to prioritize and course adjust when necessary.
Consistent Attention:
Regularly give attention to your goals. Consistency in attention signals to the RAS that these goals are priorities.
This is touched on in number 4. Again, I think a planner is key to this idea. Every day I look at my goals. This helps to keep them front and center.
Use Goal-oriented Language:
Frame your thoughts and conversations in a way that reflects progress toward your goals. Use goal-oriented language to reinforce the importance of your objectives.
This just means using clarity and action verbs to think about what you want to achieve and how you will do it. For example “I will complete my Emma Colbert tutorial by drawing for 2 hours every day off of work for 2 weeks, which will help me to learn how to use Unison pastels to create animal portraits”.
Positive Environment:
Surround yourself with a positive environment that supports your goals. This includes people, resources, and settings that align with your aspirations.
One of my support groups is my IG art friends. I can’t even tell you how grateful I am for them. They give me advice, answer questions when I have them, and encourage me. I try and do the same for them and others on social because I know how helpful it is to me.
I also have supportive family members (that’s you- Mom, Nance, Susan, and Bonny :)!). It’s so good to have people to help cheer you on. Especially when you don’t feel like you’re getting anywhere.
Mindfulness and Focus:
Oh boy. Avoid distractions.
I try not to pick up my phone while I create. Otherwise, I get sucked into watching cute animal reels, which can be a time waste. Those darn algorithms know me too well. I keep seeing a cat “dancing” to different tunes with sunglasses on. I must be an easy target.
I find if I schedule time in to create it is more likely to happen. I also allow for breaks to keep me focused.
If you struggle with this you may like the blog I wrote on habits. Habits can help achieve mindfulness and focus. You can check that out here.
Prioritize Sleep:
This is a no-brainer for health reasons as well. You know you don’t function as well when you are tired (I don’t!). It can be very hard to concentrate and prioritize what’s important when you are lacking this basic need.
You know what to do for better sleep: put the phone down before bed and read a book instead, don’t eat too much ice cream before bed, go to bed at the same time every night, yadda yadda…
Celebrate Achievements:
Acknowledge and celebrate your achievements along the way. Positive reinforcement can help maintain motivation and keep the RAS engaged in pursuing your goals.
This is something I think we need to do more. I know it feels weird to do it, but now and then we should pat ourselves on the back and say, “Yay! I did that!”.
Conclusion
Whew! Thanks for sticking with me through this one. I knew it was going to take a while for me to sift through everything to get to the goods.
In conclusion, adopting a goal-oriented approach can significantly enhance one's journey toward artistic achievements. By setting clear and specific goals, breaking them down into manageable tasks, and consistently visualizing success, artists can harness the power of the reticular activating system (RAS) to focus on their creative aspirations. Prioritizing and focusing on a few goals at a time, using goal-oriented language, and maintaining a positive environment contribute to a more directed and purposeful artistic practice. Mindfulness and avoiding distractions, prioritizing sleep, and celebrating achievements further support the pursuit of artistic goals. In the end, the combination of clear goals, strategic planning, and positive reinforcement creates a conducive mindset for artists to thrive and find fulfillment in their creative endeavors.
Love to hear what you think!
