Harnessing Your Subconscious to be Your Biggest Ally

The human brain is the most powerful machine to exist, it is no wonder that modern technology seeks to create machines and AI in the likeness of the brain. We have the conscious level of the brain, where we do active thinking, and process sensations, memories, and feelings. And we have the subconscious mind, which is basically an unlimited data storage bank! This space is vast, yet contrary to popular belief, you can train your subconscious mind to work for you, not against you!

The Iceberg of Our Mind

We’ve all seen the diagram of an iceberg, with what appears to the human eye to be a huge lump of ice floating on the surface, yet it is only the very tip. The majority of the iceberg penetrates far into the depths of the ocean. That image is the perfect metaphor for our minds. What sits just above the surface is the conscious mind, and to the untrained eye, it can seem like the entirety of the berg is above water. But below the surface and going deep down is the subconscious mind, which is infinitely more extensive than we think!

The conscious mind, the tip of the iceberg is all the things we are currently aware of and thinking about. It can be likened to short-term memory storage, and it is limited in its storage capacity. In this space, we can think, process and talk about things rationally. The subconscious mind has the mammoth job of storing and retrieving data. It’s been shown that by the time you are 21, you have already permanently stored more than one hundred times the Encyclopedia Britannica.

The subconscious mind is also where our pattern of self-belief is embedded. This part of the mind ensures that everything we say and do fits consistently with our pattern of self-belief. Brianna Wiest says, “Your subconscious mind is the gatekeeper of your comfort zone.” This is what I want to explore today, how we can alter that pattern to ensure our subconscious is working for us, and not against us.

Retraining Your Subconscious Mind

We can retrain this part of our brain in endless ways, but let’s just cover a few of them! The first is to create a vision space. It is critical that we can imagine and picture what we want our life to look like, in order to be able to create it! There are many ways to visualise, whether it is a space in your mind you go to when you close your eyes, or it could be a physical mood board. Whatever it is, go to that space often!

The next step is to identify what you naturally resist. Our subconscious mind will often hold us back from pursuing what we truly want, through self-sabotage or opposing actions. Our mind does this because there is a conflicting belief within our subconscious mind. To find the source of resistance we need to question ourselves. Why do I always resort to *this action* when I really want *this result*? Ask the hard questions and ensure those answers are met with a solution before you move on! Meet the needs of your subconscious mind first!

This one is a tricky one for us all but start asking for what you truly want. This can be so difficult when we know that our request may be knocked back or met with resistance. Train your subconscious mind to go after what you truly want. Is there a promotion you want? Or a brand you want to work with? Or do you want to ask for the money you are actually worth for a project? Ask, even if you have no reason to believe that it will be given to you! Eventually, it will come, through persistence and courage.

Does This Really Work?

Yes! These small changes really do have huge impacts. Changing your pattern of self-belief is no small thing! The results speak for themselves, but don’t forget that this isn’t a one-time thing! If you have been building this destructive pattern of self-belief that opposes what you truly want, rebuilding it into a positive one is going to take hard work, persistence and consistency!

A few more things that will help you harness your subconscious to become your ally are not allowing your mind to become doubtful under the weight of other people’s fears. The way that other people react/respond to your news or successes will indicate how secure they feel in their life. For example, when you tell people you got a promotion, those who celebrate with you are secure in their own position at work and in their own competency. Those who warn you that it'll be hard or question your ability, are not secure in their own position and have a way to go in their own self-security. Other people will project their fears of their own situation onto you, but they aren’t reflections of you.

This one sounds strange but it is powerful, oftentimes we need to give ourselves permission to be successful. We can often believe that we’ll be successful when we have that title, or are that weight, or have that house. It is great to have goals, but we can’t tie our ultimate happiness or success to the hinges of one thing! We can be successful now, right where we are while working towards bigger goals.

Your Subconscious Mind Really Can Be Your Biggest Ally

It is essential that we all put in the time and effort to harness our subconscious and make it work for us in better ways than it has been up until this point. Create new habits that affirm the life you want to live, have a clear vision, and don’t let others’ fears become your own! Your subconscious is your most powerful tool. It will hold you back if you don’t make it your ally, can you really afford that?

If you’re looking for another article on visualisation and creating vision, click ‘here’!

Hey! You’re Biased! – #22 Optimism Bias

I would say that this is the most heard of cognitive bias, and it causes people to believe that they are at lesser risk of a negative outcome compared to others. When it comes to predicting what will happen in the near future, people who operate out of an optimism bias will overestimate the chances of positive events and underestimate the likelihood of misfortune. For example, the average driver will believe they are less likely to be in an accident than other drivers. The reality is that we never know what is coming around the corner! We need to be prepared for any outcome.

References

Cherry, K. (2020). The role of the conscious mind. Very Well Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-the-conscious-mind-2794984#:~:text=In%20Sigmund%20Freud's%20psychoanalytic%20theory,about%20in%20a%20rational%20way.

Tracy, B. (n.d.). Subconscious mind power explained. Brain Tracy International. https://www.briantracy.com/blog/personal-success/understanding-your-subconscious-mind/

Vornbrock, S. (2014). The roles of the conscious and subconscious minds. LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20140909214704-25728187-the-roles-of-the-conscious-and-subconscious-minds/

Wiest, B. (2018). 13 Ways to start training your subconscious mind to get what you want. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/briannawiest/2018/09/12/13-ways-to-start-training-your-subconscious-mind-to-get-what-you-want/?sh=781dafcd7d69