Novelty vs Survival: The Hidden Algorithm Running Your Life

Ep 128. Every day we’re flooded with information, decisions, patterns — the familiar and the ever-changing. As human beings our brains are wired to seek efficiency. We rely on our mental filters to process what’s known and ignore what’s novel, because novelty demands more energy.
But this very wiring can make us vulnerable: when the environment shifts, when predators (literal or social) hide behind camouflage, our pattern-seeking mind can be tricked.
True resilience comes when we learn not just to rely on the familiar, but to build self-regulation skills that let us step into flow, manage the extremes, and navigate both safety and disruption.
Your mind isn’t only running algorithms of habit and assumption — you can shape the “biological software” by training your nervous system, managing novelty with ease, and turning your body’s built-in survival systems into assets instead of blind spots.
If you’re ready to break free from autopilot, reclaim your intuition, and walk the line between order and chaos with purpose — you’re in the right place.
Take care and walk well.

Transcript

Welcome back folks to episode 128 of the Running Man Self-Regulation Skills Project Podcast with me, your host Dr. Armando Dominguez, Ph.D. in Health Psychology, licensed professional counselor and an adjunct professor at a local community college. What we're going to be discussing today are several concepts that are tied to what we would call

functional intelligence, but these things actually seem very fluid and almost hard to pin down, but they're actually well rooted into something that we all kind of do. And that has to do with planning, with pattern recognition, and also with our ability to function within a structure, so to speak. So kind of contrary to what we're going to be talking about, the foundation of what we call intuition.

Or the intuitive naturally intuitive not the energetic intuitive that people talk about but more so intuitive in the sense of making the next right choice so to speak in a fluid sense and also it comes off as almost being predictive and Almost like expecting what the next move is going to be without having any data Coming in at the time that would otherwise show you what to do next or what to expect next and what we're also going to discuss is how

that kind of ties into what we would call not only our assumption of safety, but generally our assumptions as we move and point out how we actually move through our lives on the average, so to speak, kind of following an algorithm. So from that point,

we shall move into the discussion. And what we're going to start off with is understanding that whenever we consider the idea of intelligence, intelligence tests and all those things that we do to determine how much one remembers, we call that crystallized intelligence and whatever it is that we can bring to bear and function with and remember, and actually start problem solving with those are the things that we find most valuable in applied intelligence, whether it be for a job,

armando (02:43.708)
or finding out what the limits of a person's capacity is at any one point in time, because it never really stops growing as we move through life. We do get more smart, more intelligent. And what we want to look at is what happens whenever we're under stress. We're speaking about self-regulation very frequently, but the stress of life, whether it be at work or whether it be the social relations that we interact within in the social space,

scheme when we're out and about in the marketplace, so to speak? And what is it that we do whenever we're interacting with a toddler, when we're raising a little one, and we see them exploring the world with universal eyes, those wide open eyes, because everything is new?

because that is a valuable tool for learning that even special forces soldiers have been trained in to try to look at things with new eyes. So they enter into environments that make them one at risk and two, they have to be trained to be able to see things with new eyes like the child would so they don't enter with any preconceptions, any assumptions, any unnecessary biases that could very well cause them illness, injury or death for that matter, or even that of their compatriots.

with whom they're working. this type of

intelligence applied and ability to learn there's an intelligence in acquiring new information and data that allows us to kind of weigh things out and that's that pattern recognition what is valuable what's not and even when we're little we may be able to replicate by virtue of vicarious learning by watching and observing and may be able to mimic and pick up skills and things understanding at a higher level such as academic members

armando (04:33.049)
and and wrote recollection then we're doing an aspect of memory that is quite functional if we're learning how to let's say tie a shoe or maybe make a fire this sort of thing but there are also things along the lines of upper level mathematical reasoning that is often the media honey when we're looking at what is real intelligence can you do math and we all can calculate to a degree on the fly and we have an idea

as to sense of mass and volume and magnitude when we get older, when we get bigger. When we're young, we can't differentiate that as well. But when we start speaking about it from the prefrontal cortical perspective, we're using formulas and steps and orders of operation, then we have some very complex reasoning going on. But all of that is capable only because

we have an assumption of safety met. That means we don't have a sword at our neck. We don't have something trying to eat us and we're not the bologna sandwich at that moment. Have you ever tried to do math when you feel in danger?

Or have you ever been across from an animal that is fenced that's very large and if they're getting aggressive and noisy, our primal instincts kick in and it's really hard to do higher level thinking. Some people say, they're behind the fence. That's an assumption. That's probably the manifestation of an assumption that it will stop whatever creature is fencing in and away from us in our safe zone, so to speak. But it's not like it couldn't break. So it's not impossible. It may not be within the realm of

highly probable, it's possible. So it's not like a zero chance ever. And these kind of things we have to take into consideration when we think about intelligence and self-regulation. But how do we bring intelligence to bear when we're

armando (06:25.077)
task oriented, when we're doing something, when we're raising kiddos and we're multitasking. We know that, and the studies have shown that multitasking makes us less apt to deliver quality output in whatever task we're applying towards. The more singularly focused we are, the better we get, and the better our outcome, so to speak. So the more diffuse and separate and broad our attention and our activities and task orientation, doing multiple

job so to speak, then the lower the quality is. The output is there, but it might be messy, it may not be as complete, this sort of thing. really something to think about. Now, what does this have to do with self-regulatory skill? That's the rhetorical always I have to ask this question because everything that I share should be something that's not only applicable, but something that'll serve you. But sometimes we have to understand, well,

symptomologically what's going on within me that I can report. And also as far as a signal or a sign that I see in other people, am I experiencing one as an observer, sign signal to someone else, or as an experiencer, symptoms within me, stress, elevated heart rate, this sort of thing, and understand what that is, why it happens, and when it might start, and also how long it lasts and when it's over. So getting an insider's view of as to how I'm responding to stress gives me symptomology.

A nurse would call it triage whenever they're asking us about our symptoms. What are we reporting? And if they cannot triage by asking, let's say you're unconscious and they have to triage by virtual observation and learning, they're looking for signs and signals and they may be taking a pulse to kind of get a read as to what's going on internally that you can't speak to them. But at the same time, they are looking for things like lacerations, bruises, injuries, broken bones, this sort of stuff. And those are

two sides of the same coin. And in self-regulation, it's important to be familiar with both.

armando (08:29.311)
that we recognize that the running man model that I teach and the understanding of human stress model is that it's not just me and it's not the unbroken human being but rather this is what happens whenever I'm under stress but also looking out and seeking transmission of someone else's signal across the environmental way and realize that they experience stress too and that's what it looks like from the outside.

Remembering those two things kind of gives us a more holistic perspective as to how we treat people and how we are treated by people Whenever we experience whether it be an event not always bad Maybe like going to the movies How do we respond some of us laugh and the social? really in the sense that we're wired to the group and whenever a group laughs at a Movie or a comedy show it's kind of funny that one person will start and then the other people will laugh almost like a wave going across the crowd But there's also a sense

a belonging that isn't spoken but is viscerally experienced. And part of the laughter that we experience is one of those things that generates a sense of, in quotes, safety. And our assumption of safety is made that we can laugh, not maniacal laughter, whenever you're going into battle, not anything like that. That is something else. But rather, the comfort to laugh indicates by default, we have a comfort.

We have an Assumption of Safety hours that is met and collectively we are meeting each other's Assumption of Safety.

And that we're not attacking people. We're not bothering each other. And you're not taking your neighbor's popcorn at the movie, this sort of thing. So collectively, our neurological systems are connected. We are responding to each other ever so subtly, but yet there's a sense that is assumed. There's an ambient comfort. There's an ambient level of safety and also kind of fun and belongingness. It's not saying, Hey, we belong to this tribe and we're dressed the same way. We wear the same shoes and the same perfume.

armando (10:28.891)
this sort of stuff, not that. But rather there is a very deep knowing that we experience whenever we are in a collective space and there's comfort. Probably one of the most profound experiences that I would say as far as experiencing that sense of belongingness and oneness in a large group. I was going to a theater show and everyone there, very diverse.

And the theater show had musicians playing and it was a military band, I'm not mistaken, that was a wonderful recollection. And they were playing brass and they had an orchestra as well that was playing. So it was a combination show, but it was just amazing how hushed everything was, how quiet, but also how ambiently powerful because every sound, every

tone, every musical note that was played was played with perfection and intensity, but it was moving to the point of wherever there were certain pieces that were played that was so resonant within my body that I felt

joy. felt what the music was conveying by virtue of the name that they had given the piece and I could understand. It was like a story being told at a level of non-spoken human experience that was conveyed and it made me wonder and it's making me wonder now all those times whenever maybe we were more primitive and we were in smaller groups maybe drumming and tapping sticks together maybe singing and humming and how bonding of an experience that was and how

validating that was because in the moment if you're under a Sun that is setting and you see the sky where we have a moon and then the stars start showing and you share this experience and realize just you're part of that whole universal thing and it's very profound to have that sense of wonder not knowing but at the same time being part of that unknown

armando (12:26.943)
but not being afraid, but having a sense of comfort, sense of unity and knowing that you're not alone, but yet feeling quite small in comparison to this huge, big experience we're having. Now that's a whole lot of depth, but this is also a recognition of how intelligence applies and how we seek not only affiliation, but also pattern recognition. What we would consider, we're talking about planning and working with Instructure,

intelligence, what we consider intelligence has a lot to do with pattern recognition, being able to look through the grass and see the diamond back of a rattler slithering through, maybe even being able to see something that is camouflaging itself, but understanding that there's something not exactly right, that uncanny valley feeling with tech, but also in the environment of nature, wherever we may be hunting, hunted, or near something that could be dangerous, noxious to us, poisonous, venomous, and being able to see it

early so no one is hurt or injured or dies as a result. We have this sense of intuitiveness.

whenever we have that intuition quality, that rises from not only extreme levels of planning, planning A, plan A, plan B, through plan Z, if you will, and always having a backup for the backup and the backup. What if that fails and being able to, what would seem like creatively respond, what would seem like intuitive reactivity to something that arises that is well unplanned and unexpected.

and the best laid plans fall apart whenever they...

armando (14:06.004)
meet with reality. What are plans for that gives an idea to practice what it is that we do know and use that as a backdrop, if you will, to determine what is it that I don't and also to determine whether or not something falls within a realm of comfort or familiarity. The familiarity is the pattern, but life can be random. And if we know what it is that we do for things that we expect and know and that resemble yesterday's experience, what do we do when things pop up that

Don't what we have to pay attention to is that there is attention and I said that on purpose in the way that I did because attention is energy attention to something new something that's novel something that pops up that we haven't experienced it's an energy hog our ability to plan and respond to things quickly that's an efficiency

It is a way of doing things that saves us energy for the next experience or the next right now whenever I might need a little more force or mental fuel, so to speak. But whenever we see something new, we gawk, we stick to it in our minds and our eyes start looming over this thing that may have popped up and we don't know what it is and we're trying to make sense of it. We may try to name it. We may try to label it and give it a space or a category, not only in our mind, but realize that there's a space or category that

It occupies whatever it is in our world and I haven't seen it before. So what do we do with that? And notice what I'm doing. going through this curiosity process out loud by verbalizing this, but that is all very expensive energy.

Use that we're doing for something that otherwise we can efficiently address because I'm familiar and know and we didn't plan for this But once you know it now within your plans and contingencies You now have a space you have a category and an option that otherwise were not there. So now your Intelligence goes up your memories change and your realization of this thing have cost you energy But there's also now an experience in the memory that you can lean on that is now data So this becomes part of our algorithm

armando (16:08.859)
rhythm are average.

our assumption of life and living and survival such that we have this sense of within all these possibilities. This doesn't happen very often, but there it is. And it's an important thing not only to note, but also to remember. of course, means that now it is my data that I can lean on, I can use for reference. And it may even give me an idea as to what other things I might be able to correlate with its existence and appearance in my life. So it's definitely valuable information.

But now when I remember it, even though I may not see it, now it's much more of an efficient experience. I'm not burning energy to take it into my catalog and add it to my lexicon.

and also added to my memories. So it becomes an efficient access now. What is really important about this is that we are meant to be able to recognize patterns and do so efficiently because many times our ability to survive has to do with recognition of the Gila monster, the diamondback rattler out here in Texas, or maybe seeing things like scorpions and snakes and wasps nests and being familiar with what those things may have involved with them such as the land

animals that sting and bite and hurt and that sort of thing, same thing with food. And what does this have to do with self-regulation? Well, a whole lot, because if we realize that self-regulatory skill not only has to do with how I control and regulate what it is that my environment brings up within me,

armando (17:43.838)
but also it has to do with whenever I'm planning, I'm learning how to regulate my environment externally. If I know what plans are for and knowing what to do if I'm going to plan to make something based on experience like maybe cooking food, creating a fire, and we're learning how to extrapolate information and gain more and maybe develop what we now call technology. The Paleo tech that we used to use, we'll call that the stick and the rock, but Paleo tech,

actually shape and we can make spears and knives and things that we can shave as far as hair off of an animal or maybe learn how to work with a hide to make some buckskin britches this sort of thing we learn how to use things and it's an amazing process that we go through by learning how to create tech and when we realize that there are ways to make fire by using kindling and and tender this sort of thing and maybe using a flint rock or maybe

find a piece of metal that may be laying around if you're lucky, that sort of thing. And we start learning how to make efficient use of things so that way we can be more effective and waste less energy in things like hunting and gathering. We probably saved a lot of energy when we learned how to hunt with a bow and arrow. It was probably still quite a horrendous experience having to run and do what animals and experience in the Kalahari where people get run down, not people, but animals.

over hours and sometimes days and then by attrition these creatures fall out of exhaustion and then the humans go and catch them kill them and eat them and That is something that we don't have to do as much if we can reach out and touch something at a Far distance with a bow and arrow or a spear or not a lot of this sort of thing but important things to note

much of our intelligence resembles survival problem solving and also what we call intuitive and flow. McHale sent me how I came up with the term flow and it's a psychological term that became a pop psychology thing but there is research for it but it's a hard thing to pin down. I've experienced it before on many occasions. I'm hoping some of you all have. Some people talk about surfing and shooting the curl and having that sense of time, the time dilation where time fell away and it felt like

armando (20:08.384)
you can experience forever. There's a term that military and law enforcement have used to study experiences that officer in the field report and that's called tacky psyche or there is perception of time in the regular sense.

But there's also the sense of time slowing down, the time dilation where it seems like it goes on forever, where somebody may be pulling a firearm very slowly, or you may be seeing something fall very slowly in space. I had that experience spontaneously, not under any duress. I just walked out of my car, turned right, and was going to a class and I saw an oak leaf and an acorn falling. And it was suspended in air halfway between the tree where it fell from and the cement where it was going to fall in front of me.

And it didn't stop, but it was falling in such a way that it was this peak experience. It was beautiful. It was spiritual to me, but also something that sent me in the direction of perceptual psychology and helped me. Once I look back now, helped me develop the running man model for managing and teaching self-regulatory skills and understanding not only stress, but also how to improve performance and what happens to us under duress that changes how we perceive and think and believe that,

is one of the most formative experiences I had, which you sent me. I talked about flow where people would be living simple lives in Europe, just kind of walking around the base of a mountain, going and getting water, eating berries, this sort of thing. And they were just in that sense of just so in this, that space right then and there, and no worry about the future or yesterday. They were just experiencing fully.

And that is one of the lessons that is really important that we be able to realize that in spite of those things that may have hurt us or that we worry about when we think about negatives, by avoiding those things and paying attention to those negatives, we don't necessarily arrive at happy. We don't necessarily generate joy as a result of avoiding the negative things. And I would say that whenever we're able to embrace and look at all of an experience, including

armando (22:15.607)
the bad and the negatives, that we're more able to experience the surprise, the fun, and the good with greater intensity because we haven't shuddered, we haven't shirked back from the pain and the discomfort and the ugly, and we're allowing ourselves to have that fullness of experience and not fearing that.

Because whenever we fear and avoid things, we also start taking ourselves a little too seriously or protect ourselves just a little too much that doesn't allow us to experience. And that may even be keeping us from experiencing the good. Just some thoughts on that. So for now, I just want to share some ideas that might be of use about not only intelligence, but also...

pattern recognition and kind of how we reason and we move from an average or an assumption and it's not always from the assumption of safety but rather an assumption based on the information that we know and we go on faith in a big way not in the spiritual sense but faith and expectation that somehow the data and our experience and our assumption are on our prediction is somehow reliable so those things do break down it's not always perfectly reliable but that's generally how we move through life

But when we stop and take things in and do things and experience them as they are, not as we expect them to be or how we interpret them, or by looking at them through our bias, our own lens, then we start really experiencing some serious information gathering, some capacity for problem solving, and also fewer hangups because we're not interpreting and judging based on how I'm feeling, but rather seeing things how we are. And I think that opens us up to much more rich experience.

in my estimation. for now I want to tell you thank you for spending this Wednesday evening with me and let me share some information. I love talking to you and I just want to tell you that I've been working on the book that's going to arise from my Running Man model. It'll be out hopefully within the next couple of months and it's

armando (24:17.191)
turning out to be a phenomenal book and I'm looking forward to sharing that with everyone. But for sure, if you have any questions of me, please reach out to me at the email at running man, get skills project at Gmail. I'd love to hear from you. If you have any suggestions or if you have any questions, please send them to me. I'd love to hear from you. And if you go to YouTube, I have my channel there. Please like, subscribe and share. And also I'm available. This podcast is available on iTunes, Spotify.

Heart Radio, Amazon Music and all other platforms that you get your podcasts at and we're certainly going to continue. Look forward to talking to you again. Lots of love. Take care. Walk well.