The subconscious mind is a beautiful slave.
Why a slave, you would ask? Because, by nature, it is designed to be programmed throughout life based on the master’s instructions. We are the masters here- the creators of our life.
Understanding this, it is now up to you whether you program it to become your best friend or your own worst enemy.
And how do we program our subconscious?
Through the conscious self-talk we engage in.
It’s not what others tell you that matters; it’s what you tell yourself that truly counts!
Understanding The Mind
Let’s delve deeper into how the mind works. The mind is not a single entity; it consists of two aspects:
1. The Conscious Mind– The part we are aware of.
2. The Subconscious Mind– The part we are unaware of, yet it exists.
Many of our behaviors, emotions, fears and phobias stem from the subconscious. It is essentially the seat of all our emotions. Let me explain this with an example:
A young child falls into a swimming pool at the age of four, experiencing a terrifying moment. Over time, he moves past it, but the fear embeds itself in his subconscious. Later in life, whenever he sees water, this deep-seated fear resurfaces as hydrophobia.
This illustrates how vast the subconscious is- it stores even the minutest details of our experiences from birth. Think of it as a hard drive, capturing everything- images we see, emotions we feel and experiences we encounter. It is a fertile garden, and the thoughts we plant in it shape our reality.
Programming The Subconscious
If we constantly tell ourselves, “I am not good enough” or “I can’t achieve anything,” that is precisely what our subconscious will accept as truth. This is because the subconscious mind believes whatever we tell it without applying logic- because that is the job of the conscious mind.
Hence, without realizing it, we are always programming our subconscious, either for success or failure.
A famous example of this is the Four-Minute Mile:
For decades, people believed it was impossible to run a mile in less than four minutes. Doctors and experts warned that attempting to do so could cause cardiac arrest. To avoid the worst, even athletes subconsciously accepted this belief and never broke the limit.
Then came Roger Bannister, a student of physical sciences in England, who changed the narrative. He trained his subconscious mind to believe it was possible, and in 1954, he finally broke the four-minute barrier.
What happened next was astonishing: Within that same year, 23 more runners broke the barrier, and within a year, 235 athletes had achieved what was once thought impossible. The only thing that had changed was the belief embedded in their subconscious.
So, the next time you question your belief and your conscious mind warns you that it’s dangerous or that no one has done it before, just remember this story. Take the first step with full faith, because nothing is truly unachievable.
The Power Of Self-Talk
The subconscious is our dutiful servant. We either program it to work for us by instilling optimism, confidence and faith, or we program it to work against us by feeding it negativity, doubt and fear.
But how do we shape it?
Through self-talk.
Just as we converse with others, we also have ongoing dialogues within ourselves. Even as you read this, your inner voice is commenting, agreeing, doubting, and analyzing.
This self-talk is crucial in mind management.
Many motivational speeches, wisdom from mentors and inspirational books can provide us with meaningful and valuable insights. However, unless we reinforce these insights through our own self-talk, they will not take root in our subconscious. To ensure this, we must keep repeating positive words and affirmations to ourselves throughout the day- not just at one or two specific times.
My secret, which always works for me, is this: Whenever I experience a low moment, instead of focusing on the negatives, I say to myself what I need to hear at that moment. Think about how your parents, siblings or best friend would talk to you. What would they say to make you feel better?
When you think from this perspective, you naturally shift to a calmer state, reminding yourself of your worth and strength to overcome challenges.
Self-talk is extremely powerful, and one must mindfully ensure they always use respectful, loving, positive and motivating words.
The moment you change your self-talk, you change your life for the better- because everything begins with you. What’s within is what manifests outside!
Realization Spurs Change
A disciple once received advice from his guru: “Live a simple life. Practice discipline.” He nodded in agreement but internally dismissed the advice, thinking, “This isn’t practical.”
However, when diagnosed with a serious illness, the same disciple immediately embraced all the lifestyle changes prescribed by his doctor without question. Why? Because the realization had hit home. His self-talk changed in an instant: “If I don’t do this, I will suffer.”
Similarly, in our daily lives, the moment we shift our internal dialogue, transformation becomes effortless. The only hurdle always comes from our conscious mind, which doubts, questions and worries about everything. But let us not misinterpret it as our enemy- it is, in fact, quite the opposite. The conscious mind is our protector; it questions our decisions and actions based on past experiences to ensure we are safe and on the right path.
It then becomes our duty to be so mindful and aware that we can bypass these blocks and move forward with confidence- reminding our conscious mind that we are safe and worthy of experiencing the best in life. Every step will either teach us something or push us ahead- there is no failure, only growth.
Remember, the biggest obstacle to self-growth is not external- it is the internal resistance created by our subconscious beliefs. No matter how much wisdom we receive from others, it is what we tell ourselves that truly shapes our reality.
As the saying goes: “You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make it drink.”
A teacher or mentor can only guide us, but real change happens when we internalize knowledge through our own self-talk. If you believe miracles happen, they will happen time and again for you. But if you keep telling yourself that magic is just a fairytale concept, then guess what? You will block abundance and opportunities coming your way.
So, tell me- how will you choose to speak to yourself today?
