EXERCISE 11.4
Reality Testing
Using All Three of Your Minds
Purpose
To increase the effectiveness and accuracy of your reality testing by connecting with your head, heart, and gut.
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60 to 80 minutes
Working with a coach or in small groups, the individuals review past and present decision making to discover the value of conducting a reality check using all three “brains.” Easy references for understanding this model are listed.
Outcomes
- Discuss the idea of having three different brains, one in the head, one in the heart, and one in the gut
- Consider how participants have made decisions in the past to assess whether they used information from all three brains to connect with the whole spectrum of reality
- Apply this to future decision making and reality testing
Audience
- Intact team
- Unaffiliated group
- Individual working with a coach
Facilitator Competencies 
Moderate
Materials
- Using All Three of Your Minds Handout
- Flip chart and markers (optional)
- Pens
Time Matrix
| Activity | Estimated Time |
| Discuss using all three brains | 10–15 minutes |
| In pairs or threes talk about prior decision-making processes, then how to make a future decision and check reality using all three brains; write about learnings | 30–40 minutes |
| Group discussion | 10–15 minutes |
| Reflect | 10 minutes |
| Total | 60 to 80 minutes |
Instructions
1. Discuss the importance of reality testing and that we obtain a great deal of information from all three of our brains—those located in our head, our heart, and our gut. (Many resources about the brain address this subject, for example, Childre and Martin’s [1999] The Heartmath Solution, www.heartmath.com, and www.mindpub.com/art411.htm have good information about the heart brain. The Other 90 Percent, by Cooper [2001], has some good information on the gut brain.)
2. Distribute the handout and pens.
3. Work directly with your coaching client or organize your group in pairs (a group of three would be okay if there’s an extra person) and have them follow the directions in the handout.
4. In the full group, have each person reflect on what he or she has gained from this exercise.
USING ALL THREE OF YOUR MINDS HANDOUT 
In Pairs or Threes
1. Each of you tells the other(s) about a time when you made a difficult decision and what steps you took to determine what was really happening. Reflect on the details of how you made the decision. The issue itself is not important for this exercise, although you will discuss it some. What is important is your decision-making process. How long did you take to consider the matter? Why? How did you feel? What did you think about? Did you consider past and/or future events? Did you check in regarding each of these details with your head, heart, and gut before making a decision? If so, did you get different answers? If so, how did you decide what to do?
2. Having told each other your stories, take five minutes and make some notes for yourself about your observations.
3. In the same groups, have each person describe a pending problem that is important, but one for which no decision has yet been made. Ask yourselves all the questions discussed above. Notice what each of your brains is telling you. Answer the following:
- My head is telling me (provide details):
- My heart is guiding me to:
- My gut let me know:
Now how do you bring these three parts of you together?
4. Take time for each person to answer these questions out loud, then take five minutes and make some notes for yourself about your observations.
In Group
Reflect on what you learned and how you will take time to incorporate the wisdom of all of your brainpower in your decision making so that you connect with the full picture of reality.