You’ve probably often heard that most of the time we are not using our brains. In fact we’re told that we use less than 10% of our brain capacity. While neuroscience is now saying that that percentage is a “neuro-myth”, it continues to be accepted that most of our thinking is automatic or unconscious.
So where does that automatic or unconscious thinking come from? Most of it is based on what we absorbed as kids, ideas that we simply absorbed from the people around us: our primary carers, teachers, the culture we were immersed in, the schools and any faith communities we were exposed to. At that time, we were simply sponges, just absorbing everything without executing any real conscious decisions as to whether what we were absorbing was true or not, whether we believed it or not.
Thereafter, our experiences simply confirm that thinking. We think that we think the way we think because of what we see around us. But what we see around us is in fact an output of our thinking! One way of understanding this is that it is our confirmation bias at work in effect.
That is how two people can have the same experience but think about it very differently and create different outcomes.
We all experienced this during the pandemic! Some businesses closed and some expanded, even within the same sectors. It wasn’t the pandemic that forced any particular outcomes, it was our own thinking and our reactions based on that thinking.
As Henry Ford said,
Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.
This is not to create blame or judgment for any of us. It is simply to raise awareness of the power of our thinking and to invite you into this huge opportunity whereby you can create new results you love. And it starts with your thinking. You don’t have to wait for any external conditions to change first.
If you want to create new results in your life, it starts with new thinking! As Einstein is quoted as saying: “The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.”
What’s cool about that is that you have that power available to you right now! Nobody gets to think your thoughts but you. You have dominion! So what would you love to be thinking about?
You’ve heard me say before that knowing where you want to get to is the starting point of all successful achievement. That’s why I am constantly reminding you of the importance of your vision! Having a clearly defined vision allows you to think from new results, ones that are based on outcomes you’d love.
Your vision is an anchor for your new thinking.
The trick then becomes to make your new thinking your dominant thought pattern.
We all have paradigms, i.e., a collection of habits, based in our beliefs about ourselves and our world that generate our circumstances , experience and results. To all intents and purposes these paradigms are running the show and the pull of those paradigms is very powerful.
As soon as you start to think more about your vision, your paradigms, in the words of Bob Proctor, will put up a “royal battle”.
This can come in the form of limiting beliefs like:
- ‘Who are you to think you can have [add details from your vision]’, or
- ‘remember last time you tried [add your details] you got hurt, you don’t want that to happen again’ or
- ‘where will you find the time/money/support for that?’.
Know that in all instances it is fear talking. Your paradigms want things to stay as they are, within the confines of the known and the familiar, and it always sounds imminently practical!
The way forward is to think consciously in those moments.
Your key tool is to notice what you’re noticing! Oh, I’m thinking in old and familiar ways here, it’s keeping me stuck. Use your breath to calm the nervous system if you’ve been triggered by fear. Then shift your thinking to your vision, what new thoughts do you want to entertain, what new results do you want to create?
When fear is present, it’s often in the form of What if’s… what if you fail? What if it all goes horribly wrong? What if you get hurt?
Consciously take control of that thinking and turn it into positive what if’s… what if it all went great? What if it was easy? What if I were guaranteed success?
As you tune your thinking to your vision and tune to the more positive options and outcomes, what is an action you can take, from where you are with what you’ve got? By when can you take that step?
As you consolidate your new thinking with an aligned action, you start to actively teach yourself and your paradigms that you are creating new results. You are on your way, now keep going!
When I say to you that transformation is an inside out job, this is what I mean. You have to change your thinking on the inside to create new experiences, new results on the outside.
Yes, it’s that simple! And yes, I know, it’s not easy!
Photo by Bruce Dixon on Unsplash
One of the ways you can make it easier on yourself is to surround yourself with others who are on the same journey of transformation and immerse yourself in positive emotional impact experiences!
And you’re in luck! That opportunity is available to you in April.
Wouldn’t you love to join me for a 3-day immersive experience where you can learn more about the fundamentals of transformation, create a compelling vision, overcome and replace limiting beliefs and do it all with a community of heart-centred, supportive people just like you?
Then, the Vision Workshop Live is made for you! It’s all happening in Cork, Ireland from 19-21 April. Details and bookings here.
Early bird tickets of just €199 for 3-day teaching, resources, lunch and refreshments each day. What’s not to love?! Book here now!
Cover photo by Kazi Mizan on Unsplash