Visual Pathways

Science has proven that the visual pathway processes the lead and the line data of the moving object. In fact, the visual system of the brain actually anticipates where the object is going to be even though the retina sees it to where it is.

That sounds like it’s old information. But they’re finding that there are so many more pathways after the retina passes the information on. There are so many more pathways that are involved in this anticipation circuit, not only in anticipating where the target is going to be, but anticipating what we do, and when and how we do it. The depth of what the science is coming out with is amazing.

It’s almost like every time they turn over a new stone or a rock and look under it, they find out that the visual processing system based on our experience can process so much further out in front than we first imagined. It’s just amazing what that three-and-a-half-pound blob of gray matter between your ears can process.

There are two or three amazing things to me that just keep coming back. Number one is the brain’s ability to process. The ability to process well out in front is tied 100 percent to your ability, and how much you have done the actual act that it’s having to anticipate. The more you’ve done the act, the more it can anticipate. We’re finding that that brain will suppress some data if it’s confusing to the equation and to your brain’s ability to anticipate what you’re about to do. If it’s confusing, the brain will get rid of it. It’s not going to get rid of it completely, but it’s going to suppress it to the point to where it doesn’t interfere with its efficiency and in anticipation well in front of you.

The overwhelming thing to me is that all of this processing occurs below consciousness. It’s autopilot to the Nth degree and it’s constantly in motion. If you’re awake, it’s anticipating. However, the anticipation only occurs to the subconscious brain. It doesn’t occur to the conscious brain, and yet people are still trying to use the conscious brain to get the lead right.

This is an excerpt from the May 2013 Coaching Hour podcast. You can listen to it and read a written transcript, along with more than 20 years of archived episodes with your Knowledge Vault membership.