Red Cars and Goals

Cathie Leimbach • December 12, 2023

In their ebook, What Do Red Cars and Goals Have in Common?, the PREPARE2RISE organization explains why setting clear goals sharpens our focus and greatly increases our success in any aspect of life.


After buying a new car, many people are amazed at the popularity of the same make, or even the same model and color. Before they chose that car, they didn’t realize there were so many on the road. Why do our choices impact our perception of the world around us? This ebook explains how this phenomenon can help us achieve our goals.


Human beings are wired with a Reticular Activating System (RAS) which is a network of neurons in our brainstem. This system filters the information we are exposed to, bringing our attention to pictures, conversations, articles, etc., that are relevant to something we have been focusing on lately and lowering our awareness of topics that aren’t currently top-of-mind.


When we buy a red car, our awareness of other red cars on the road increases. Similarly, if we focus on setting a goal that will make a difference in our lives, our awareness of resources and strategies for achieving that goal increases greatly. When we are intentional about our priorities for the near future, we will notice online posts, magazine articles, and conversations that increase our ability to achieve our goal.


If we just let life happen to us without being intentional about setting priorities, our RAS doesn’t know what matters to us so we don’t benefit from its filtering capacity. Setting a clear, specific goal sends a message to our brain that we care about this area of our life. Then our RAS filter starts to work, heightening our awareness of related resources and opportunities, increasing our progress towards our goal.


2023 is winding down. 2024 is on the horizon. In what area of your life would you like to be more successful next year? What specific goal will you set for 2024 so your brain’s filtering mechanism can support your success?



To dig deeper, read next week’s blog or click here to access the What Do Red Cars and Goals Have in Common ebook.

The Self-Discipline of a Growth Mindset

By Cathie Leimbach • April 15, 2025
A growth mindset means believing you can get smarter and develop new skills through hard work and practice. People with a growth mindset see challenges as opportunities to grow. On the other hand, a fixed mindset means thinking your talents and abilities cannot change much, no matter how hard you try. People with a growth mindset are more likely to exercise self-discipline to learn new behaviors. This helps us adapt to new opportunities. When we push ourselves to try different approaches, we open doors that would otherwise remain closed. This takes courage and commitment, especially at first when new ways of doing things feel uncomfortable or difficult. Our brains have amazing potential to change throughout our lives. When we repeatedly practice new skills or ways of thinking, our brain creates new pathways that make these actions easier over time. What once felt impossible can gradually become second nature.  The hard part is sticking with new behaviors long enough for them to become normal. This is where self-discipline comes in . By consistently practicing different approaches, what once required enormous effort eventually feels natural. This ability to adapt keeps us growing, helps us keep up with our changing world, and unlocks possibilities we might never have imagined.

Why Master Open-Ended Questions

By Cathie Leimbach • April 8, 2025
In today's busy workplace, asking good questions can make you better at your job. Open-ended questions—ones that need more than just "yes" or "no" answers—help you learn more and have better conversations with others. Research shows these questions really work. Gallup found that managers who use open-ended questions have 27% less employee turnover and 18% better productivity. These questions make team members feel safe to share their ideas. Harvard Business Review says that when bosses ask at least four open-ended questions in meetings, teams come up with 42% more creative solutions. By asking instead of telling, leaders get more ideas from everyone. McKinsey discovered that managers who are good at asking open-ended questions find 34% more opportunities for process improvement. These questions help spot problems and challenge old ways of thinking. These benefits go beyond just team conversations. The Journal of Applied Psychology found that salespeople who use open-ended questions with customers make 23% more sales. By better understanding what customers need, they can offer better solutions.  Learning to ask open-ended questions isn't just about talking better—it's a skill that helps you succeed in all parts of work. Click here for more information.
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