WE’RE OFTEN TOLD that we’re only using 10 per cent of our brain’s full potential.

But, everyday, how much are we even getting that 10 per cent to work for us? Jim Lawless is one man who drives his mind to its furthest reaches - and he’s learnt a lot of wise things along the way.

Lawless is Britain’s deepest free diver, having dived below the 100m barrier on a single breath. Despite being 3 stone too heavy at the start of his challenge – and unable to even ride a horse – he also trained himself to become a jockey in just 12 short months. Not bad, eh?

Nowadays, he writes and speaks to people and companies all over the world about unlocking the mind’s true potential.

Let’s find out how you too can push it to the limit and make some brain changes…

1.

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One tip Jim recommends is running through your ideas and sense-checking it to see the possible reasons it might not work.

Ask if you could defend these statements in an interview with a really hard TV journalist. Ask a friend to play the journalist if you wish. What you’ll usually find is that you can’t defend any of them. They are a bunch of assumptions and excuses to stay safe from facing some tough choices and hard work.

So basically, you argue against negativity – into realising that your plans are achievable. Genius.

2.

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Don’t sell the farm just yet, but do get out of your comfort zone. If you’re in a rut, get out of it. Start making changes, meeting new people and jump into the pool instead of just wondering if it’s cold.

3. “You need this written down.”

Write it down – and not just once. Write down your goal and stick it up in plain sight everywhere. That means the bathroom door, where you boil the kettle, the background of your phone… Everywhere. Get it out of your head and onto paper.

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4. “Tell people.”

If others know the goal, then they’ll know when I fail, right?

Right. That’s the point.

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Think of this as motivation. If changing things for the better in our lives was easy, Jim says, then everyone would be doing it. (Tell your enemies if you really want to motivate yourself through the tough days of change…)

5.

Be careful who you listen to – some people will tell you that you cannot do it. When you start to change your life, you challenge other people’s comfort zones too. This is why, Jim advises, you should get a mentor.

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Ideally somebody who has achieved what you want to achieve and ideally not a friend or colleague at work. Somebody out there in the world that you’ll have to approach politely, ask nicely for help and who has no reason to assist you other than human goodness and their admiration for the spark in your eye.