Everything in life is a mind game. Everything.

Consider this…you have to go to the gym and your only aim is complete as many reps of pull ups as you possibly can day after day. On the first day, after a little while your forearms will hurt, your hands will tire and fingers will being to ache until you get to the point where you will eventually fail. You will then do the same the next day and the next day and the day after that for many more days to come. After maybe a week or so the pads at the base of your fingers will begin to form callous. It will hurt at the start but it’s purpose is to aid in protecting your hands. As such; it’s true purpose of it is to strengthen you. But, interestingly, most people will pick at it…file it down, tear it and do everything in their power to eliminate it.

What we fail to recognise it that callous is power.

We need to build callous on our minds. Callous can either strengthen you or it will weaken you. Your subconscious will test you to build callous on your mind. Will it weaken you? Or will you embrace it and come out a stronger person? Through repetition and friction is how we all become better. This is how you callous your mind. Keep testing yourself, taking yourself to another level and facing fears head on – the callous on your mind will begin to work for you.

The subconscious mind makes up 88% of our brain matter; all of which we have complete control over. Complete control. So why is it that our subconscious creates so many  elements that completely breaks down the ultimate control we have on our lives?

For example – let’s consider the scariest moment you have ever watched in a movie..one that had you tightening your grip on the the arm of your chair or to the point that you couldn’t bear to watch..you had to look away..your anxiety was through the roof and you were scared. Like really scared. This is where our subconscious mind is completely engaged. At any point of time you could have easily told yourself that these people are just actors. They’ve got make up on, there’s some dramatic music and mood lighting to heighten that moment and they are following a script. But it’s not real. It’s merely an entertainment source.

This moment is a perfect example where your sub-conscious takes over. It has taken control of the film and you are so emotionally invested that you feel like everything is real. Your thinking.. your emotions.. your hormones.. you are completely invested in the characters and the situation with little control over how you act or perceive the situation.

We need to be fiercely protective of our mindset.

Through a process of creating small habits, we can begin to have greater control over our subconscious. These 4 rituals will start to solidify habits to change the way in which you think…

1. Make precision affirmations every morning. An affirmation is nothing more than making a positive statement to ourselves in order to believe it. Affirmations are good in theory however the severe lack of specificity with most of them will often hinder our results. Instead; use absolute precision in this process. Make a clear definitive statement about yourself as if it is already true right now. Your subconscious mind will take over and act in accordance with that belief. Rather than say “I will be….” state that “I am….”
2. Identify your chief aim. Your chief aim is a specific, clearly-defined statement of purpose. It will create a neural pathway to guide your subconscious mind. It will transform your attitude from pessimism to positive expectation. Write down your chief aim, put it on the mirror in your bathroom and look yourself in the eye and say it out loud every morning and night. What is it that drives you in life? What is it that gets you out of bed at 5am every morning? What is the number one purpose you have in this life?
3. State your intentions. Review and document your intentions for the day ahead whilst lying in bed before you go to sleep. Whatever intentions you make immediately before closing your eyes will pass into your subconscious thoughts once you fall into REM. Have you ever heard someone tell you to keep a notepad beside your bed in case you have an idea or thought so you can jot it down? This comes back to strengthening the neural pathway between having a thought and capturing it within your conscious mind. Your mind will begin to powerfully process this information and optimise its execution for the day ahead.
4. Just breathe and be present. Take 5 minutes out of your day, every day, just to close your eyes and begin to follow your breath. Focus on your inhale and your exhale. As you relax, your mind will wander. Thoughts will flow from your subconscious mind to your conscious mind. Note these thoughts, but don’t make judgement on them. Allow these thoughts to pass. When you recognise that your mind has wandered, return your attention to your breathing. After time, your mind will begin to wander again. Always continue to come back to your breath. 

We change soo many things in our life. Constantly. The way we dress, the people we associate with, the foods we love, the places we go, the jobs we do, the lifestyle we live. But very few of us ever change the way we think. If we don’t, your mind will become an obstacle. Don’t let it defeat you. Are you willing to change the way you think?

Live the life you love.