Our brains are incredibly complex. We can sift through billions of bits of data at any given time. To ensure that we don’t short circuit, we have to organize all that information, and that’s where the Reticular Activating System (RAS) comes in. The RAS is a bundle of nerves at our brainstem that filters out unnecessary information so the important stuff gets through. It’s the reason you learn a new word and then start hearing it everywhere. It’s why you can tune out a crowd full of talking people, yet immediately snap to attention when someone says your name, or something that at least sounds like it. The RAS takes what you focus on and creates a filter for it. It then sifts through the data and presents only the pieces that are important to you — all without you even noticing. In fact, the RAS programs itself to work in your favor without you actively doing anything. What more could you ask for?
