CONSCIOUS OR SUB-CONSCIOUS

BODY LANGUAGE?  

We’ve talked about sub-conscious gestures, movements, expressions, distances, angles and posture. Just what do we really mean by that?

A conscious gesture is one that you are fully (consciously) aware of. If you were out walking, and were asked directions by a traveller for the nearest toilets, and you gave the directions in your normal manner, how would you do it?

Chances are that you would gesticulate in the direction of the toilets, by pointing with your arm and hand extended, and your index finger on the same hand pointing in that direction.

You would be fully aware of this conscious gesture. The action would be deliberate and delivered with a specific purpose.

Picture now another scenario. You are at work and one of your colleagues has promised to help you with some work for your manager. Your colleague fails to do the work and you are now face-to-face, accusing your colleague for not doing the work they said they would, and they’ve caused you trouble with your manager. The words might go like this: -

“You said you would get this done for me. You’re really causing me a lot of trouble. If I don’t get this work finished in time, my manager will fire me. What are you going to do about it?”

As you say the words, you point your finger at your colleague, and you prod your finger backwards and forwards at them as you speak.

You would be making this gesture unconsciously, unaware that you were pointing your finger. This unconscious gesture has a deep-rooted meaning, which we will elaborate on shortly.

Imagine now that someone throws a ball at you. It’s heading towards your face. Do you let it hit your face, or do you sway your head and body to one side to avoid it? Or maybe you catch the ball. Either way, it would be an unconscious (sub-conscious) action. You don’t have to think about it, you just do it.

Now imagine you are on the titanic, your brain is like the icebergs, bobbling around in the sea. 10% is above water and 90% is below the water.

The part of the iceberg you see, is the part you are aware of. Let's say this 10% is your conscious mind. Your thinking, imagining, decision making, reasoning, judging mind. This is the part of your brain that you are aware you are working with.

The 90% below the water, lets say, is your sub-conscious mind. Everything handled in this part of the brain is handled automatically, without your awareness. You don’t have to think about it.

Originally, all the work was done in your conscious mind on a repetitive basis e.g. walking, talking, writing, eating, and balancing. When enough repetitions were done, the conscious mind ‘lets go’ and it becomes a part of the sub-conscious mind’s duty to perform the action.

Body language has become part of the sub-conscious duty for most people.

Speech on the other hand, is a conscious action, which needs carefully planned thought. The only exception to this would often be referred to as “The Freudian Slip” named after Dr Clement Freud who deduced that if people are allowed to talk comfortably long enough, about a subject or circumstance, they will often let the truth slip out, even if they didn’t plan to.

Gestures, being sub-conscious are generally a more accurate communication than speech, when correctly interpreted.

We can use body language as a checking device to discover whether a person’s non-verbal message matches what they are saying.

Are the non-verbal gestures congruent with the speech? Is the person saying ‘maybe’, but gesturing ‘no’? Is the person saying ‘they will’, but gesturing ‘they won’t’?

Many of the body movements that people make, reveal their true attitudes and state of mind, regardless of what they are saying.

Gestures, facial expressions, eye movement, posture, angles and distances, reveal ‘sub-conscious’ thoughts, far more accurately than more cautiously chosen words.

We simply are not aware of some of the actions we make, since there is no need to think about them. They are repetitive, predictable, sub-conscious actions that we do in our every day life.

Let’s put them to the test: -

When you have the following feelings, are you aware of the gestures you show to other people.

• Openness i.e. Sincerely and honesty.

• Defensiveness.

• Readiness.

• Evaluation.

• Nervousness.

• Suspicion or secrecy.

• Doubt or rejection.

• Confidence or authority.

• Need for reassurance.

• Frustration.

• Boredom or indifference.

• Acceptance.

• Arrogance.

• Enthusiasm.

• Rejection.

• Authority.

How well did you do?

That raises another question. How would you know how well you’ve done? (Unless you’ve good knowledge of body language). By the time you’ve read these articles thoroughly, you’ll have all the answers, and more.

Glenn Harrison is available as a world-wide, international motivational speaker to give a hilarious, educational speech on Body Language.

We train all over the world; at no additional cost other than economy travel and overnight expenses.