Rewire Your Brain To Get What You Want

Every Sunday, I send you something to THINK about, a question to ASK yourself, something to TRY and invite you to SHARE.

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THINK

“I find no better life purpose than to perish in attempting the great and impossible.”
Friedrich Nietzche

Over the past few weeks, we’ve spent time reviewing how to unlock mediocrity, identify your best self and your perfect life, and move towards the person you know you can be.

We’re committed to our 2024 Goals by writing them down and breaking them into monthly, weekly and daily actions.

What’s next?

Now we do the work.

(Gulp!)

Many of you might still be stuck in your heads. Wondering how you’re going to step up and become the best version of yourself. (I was 10 years ago!)

Over the past 12 months, I’ve digested a lot of content around rewiring the brain. Numerous sources from Business, Sports, Motivation and Psychology have conducted scientific studies that all come to the same conclusion…

Rewiring your brain is not only possible, but you can start the process immediately, the results are instant and it can have a MASSIVE impact on your life.

This stuff works. I just wish I learned about it earlier.

In this week’s Newsletter, we’re going BIG. It’s packed full of transformative information. We’re going to cover:

Rapid Transformation
How to Change How You Take Action INSTANTLY
The 4-Part Behaviour Loop
The 3 Things You MUST Know About Your Mind
How to NEVER Get Tired
How To Get Anything You Want
How to Boost Motivation

Read it. Do it. Reap the rewards.

Enjoy!

Rapid Transformation with Marisa Peer

Marisa Peer is responsible for my recent deep dive.

Marisa is a world-renowned speaker, Rapid Transformational Therapy trainer and best-selling author. She has three decades of experience as a therapist treating clients including rock stars, CEOs, elite Olympic athletes, royalty and Oscar-winning actors.

I’ve read one of her books and consumed multiple talks on YouTube.

Thoughts Come First

Marisa says the mind is made out to be very complicated, but it’s actually quite simple.

If you wish to change your behaviour, you must start with your thoughts.

Think of behaviour change as a 4-part loop.

1) Thoughts come first.

2) Then feelings.

3) Then action.

4) Your behaviour follows, and the loop continues.

If you think you’re not enough, how will that make you feel?

Sad, dejected, demoralised, angry, resentful, bitter, etc.

What actions will come from you having those feelings?

Often nothing or you’ll avoid risks, you won’t go on dates, you won’t go for the promotion or start that side hustle, and you won’t go on adventures or seek experiences… what’s the point?

These actions become behaviours.

You become subdued, bitter, offensive, prickly, pessimistic, insecure, unlikeable, lonely, lazy, etc.

Happy Sunday!

Now, let’s do a 180…

What would you feel if you thought you were enough and worthy of everything life has to offer?

Optimistic, confident, hopeful, happy, reassured, excited, etc.

What actions would you take if you felt like that?

You’d take risks, ask that person out, you’ll go for the promotion, start that side hustle, go on adventures and seek experiences, etc.

These actions become behaviours.

You become confident, generous, patient, happy, optimistic, likeable, loved, active, etc.

Positive thoughts are more powerful than you realise.

Optimistic, empowering and inspiring thoughts make you feel something.

You act on how you feel and your behaviour follows.

If you want to change your behaviour, you must start by changing your thoughts.

You aren’t born with beliefs. You acquire them.

Anything you acquire, you can release.

And here’s how you can do that…

3 Things to Know About the Mind

According to Marisa, there are only 3 things you need to know about the mind:

1) The way you feel about anything is down to the pictures you make in your head and the words you use.

2) Your mind is hardwired to return to what’s familiar and run away from what’s unfamiliar.

3) The mind does what it thinks you want.

Marisa believes you can have anything you want in life if you look for these 3 things and make them work for you.

1) Words and Pictures

One of the fastest ways to change your behaviour is by changing the words that you use and the pictures you make in your head.

Which you are free to change.

If you have a strong feeling about something, consider the PICTURES and WORDS you associate with it.

IF YOU CHANGE THEM IT CHANGES EVERYTHING.

Words

The words you use define how you feel. Your words shape your reality.

You can tell yourself that you’re “stupid” and “worthless” or you can tell yourself you’re “capable of anything” and “phenomenal”.

You get to choose.

You can’t succeed by beating yourself up.

Catch yourself saying negative or disempowering words like “I can’t”, “I’m rubbish” or “I’m stupid”.

Replace them with “I can”, “I’m amazing” or “I can learn anything”.

You might feel disingenuous doing this. But the mind doesn’t know or care if what you’re telling it is true or false. It lets it all in.

So, in the words of Marisa, tell yourself a better lie.

One that makes you FEEL better, which will result in more optimal ACTION.

Pictures

We create visual representations within our minds.

Some of them help us. Some of them harm us.

Like the words we use, we can change our inputs, which impact our outputs.

Create powerful images of yourself being strong and courageous. Imagine yourself succeeding at anything you want. Visualise yourself working through likely challenges, stepping up, overcoming the odds and celebrating your victory. Feel it!

If you have an upcoming date, sporting event, speech or a business you’re trying to get off the ground, fuel yourself with positive images.

Catch yourself visualising negative outcomes and replace those images with ones where you win. Imagine yourself making mistakes and encountering issues but laughing them off or dealing with them like a pro.

2) Seek Familiar and Avoid Unfamiliar

Your mind is primed to keep you safe. It naturally seeks the familiar and avoids the unfamiliar.

Those who stay in abusive relationships, remain overweight and stay in the job they hate do so because it’s familiar.

The mind is more comfortable with a pain that’s familiar than an unknown outcome.

The good news is, you can make anything familiar over time.

Marisa explains that shoving silicon into your eyes seems alien and wrong, but putting contact lenses into your eyes becomes effortless over time.

KNOW that your natural impulse is to avoid the unfamiliar.
REASSURE yourself that you can make anything familiar with practice and repetition.
OVERRIDE the impulse to avoid the unfamiliar and keep moving forward. Each step is progress towards making it familiar and effortless.

3) What it Thinks You Want

If your images about starting a side hustle, going for a promotion or a date are negative, your mind will find reasons NOT to do it, to protect you.

It’ll suggest you’re too old, you need to do the dishes instead, that thing is not for you, you might feel too tired or ill, just watch Netflix instead, etc.

Remember #1 and #2.

Instead, sit down and think about what you truly want in life. Dig deep to find the true cause.

Tell your mind very clearly what you want.

“More money”, is not enough. It’s too vague.

Tell it a number.

Tell it how you plan on obtaining that with 100% certainty and by what date.

Your mind does what it thinks you want. Tell it exactly what you want.

“You can have whatever you want in life if you look at these three things and make them work for you.” – Marisa Peer

Change your life by:

Changing the pictures and the words you use.
Making the unfamiliar familiar.
Tell your mind what you deeply want to achieve and be very clear. You will get it.
The mind doesn’t know or care if what you’re telling it is true or false. It lets it all in. Tell yourself a better lie.

How to NEVER Get Tired

Jesse Itzler is an exceptional entrepreneur, best-selling author and charismatic motivational speaker.

He helped make David Goggins famous by asking him to live with him for 31 days to improve his mental toughness, which he documented in his book “Living with a Seal” in 2015.

Jesse gave an inspiring talk the day before his “29,029 event”, where participants have 36 hours to climb 29,029 feet (the equivalent height of Mt. Everest).

It’s a 30-minute speech where he attempts to fire up the participants, and I highly recommend checking out the full video – “Empty The Tank”.

At the end of the speech, he shares his experience of working with another Navy SEAL, Chadd Wright.

Chadd took a guy who had only run 10km in his life, to complete a 100-mile race by having him repeat the words “I will not quit” over and over.

Jesse didn’t believe that was possible. So he invited Chadd to work with him.

Chadd debriefed Jesse before their 38-mile training run. He said, “Jesse, we’re not going to give our pain a voice.”

Jesse wasn’t sure what that meant.

Chadd explained, “I know it’s going to be hard tomorrow, man. I know we got to climb up and down this mountain 13 times. We’re going to have blisters, we’re going to be tired, we’re going to be like ‘what are we doing out here?’ but we’re never going to speak those words cuz if we speak those words we give them power.”

He continued, “If I ask you how you feel tomorrow your only answer is ‘outstanding’.”

Jesse smashed the 38 miles.

Fast forward 30 days later, Jesse had a 100-mile race and Chadd is running it with him.

Jesse gets to mile 74, and he’s broken. He’s got toenails rattling around in his trainers and he’s freezing.

The end is near and Chadd could sense it.

Jesse starts walking.

Chadd walks with him.

Chadd says, “Jesse, I’m gonna tell you something that nobody knows man… It’s a miracle… I never get tired.”

Jesse replies, “Nah, not now Chadd.”

Chadd says, “No man, I can’t explain it either. I want you to say it.”

Jesse felt too broken to say it. “No, not now Chadd.”

Chadd persists, “Go on and say it.”

Jesse relents, “Fine Chadd. I never get tired.”

Chadd responds, “No man, say it like you mean it.”

Jesse tries again, “Ok. I NEVER GET TIRED.”

Chadd says, “I’ll let you walk a 1/4 mile to the aid station. When we get to the aid station, you tell them the miracle of Jesse and Chadd.”

They hobble to the aid station. The volunteer passes them electrolyte drinks, and Jesse introduces the duo.

“Hi, I’m Jesse, this is my good friend Chadd. This is going to sound crazy, but Chadd and I don’t get tired.”

The volunteer is confused, “Excuse me.” Jesse looks like death.

Jesse continues, “I know, Chadd and I don’t get tired.”

Chadd grabs Jesse by the shirt and says, “Let’s go!”

Mile 75, Chadd asks, “How do you feel?”.

Jesse Replies, “Outstanding!”

Mile 85, “How do you feel?”

“Outstanding!”

Mile 93, “How do you feel?”

“Outstanding!”

Mile 99, How do you feel?”

“Outstanding! I don’t get tired Chadd.”

They complete the race.

THE WORDS THAT YOU SPEAK MATTER.

If you have a goal or a challenge you want to overcome, in the words of Chadd Wright, “Don’t give your pain a voice.”

Believe in the power of the spoken word.

He doesn’t say these things to sound cool or tough. He does it solely for him because it gives him strength and so many others he’s worked with.

He speaks his words into reality.

Your Expectations Become Your Reality

I’ve previously shared my thoughts on one of my favourite books of 2023, “The Expectation Effect” by David Robson.

You can read my takeaways here – How To Get Anything You Want

Most of us have heard the famous Henry Ford quote, “Whether you think you can or can’t, you’re right.”

The power of the placebo and nocebo effect is undeniable. ‘The Expectation Effect’ is packed full of scientific studies demonstrating both outcomes.

What you believe to be true can help you or harm you.

The placebo effect is so strong that it works even when you know it’s a placebo.

Despite knowing you’re “tricking yourself”, you can still “trick yourself”.

Why wouldn’t you use this to your advantage?

Stop Waiting For Motivation

Don’t wait to ‘feel’ motivated to act.

Act to ‘feel’ motivated.

Just start. It’s the hardest part.

Lie to yourself to start. Do one minute, one sentence, one task, one application. It’ll inspire you to do more.

Motivation begins when you take action on what you don’t want to do. Motivation follows action.

Sometimes you dread doing something you know you need to do and you’ll find excuses to do anything else.

I can relate to this when it comes to writing.

Then I listened to Marisa Peer…

Your dread is telling your mind you don’t want to do it. Your mind’s job is to do what it thinks you want. So, it helps you escape.

Instead, use dynamic positive words and imagery. It’s rewarding, absorbing, fulfilling.

“I’ve chosen to write this newsletter and there’s nothing else I’d rather be doing. I love the writing process.”

The words you use will define how you feel.

Your words shape your reality.

In the words of Marisa, “Lie to your mind, cheat failure and steal back success.”

Entering a New Dimension

Marisa shared a belief that I found inspiring and empowering.

It gave me hope, optimism and strength, and I hope it has the same impact on you…

“Once your mind moves into a new dimension, it doesn’t go back. Your potential expands as you move towards it. Once you move forward you don’t go back. You couldn’t know what your full potential is because it continues to expand as you move towards it. Your potential is unlimited, and so are you.”

Once you’ve seen and experienced something amazing, you’re never the same again.

You know.

Once you know, your horizon expands once again to previously unknown limits.

And the process continues.

Anecdotally, I can tell you that this has been true for me.

Summary

Who else do you need to hear it from to start implementing this stuff?

The words that you use matter. Choose empowering ones.

You can’t succeed by beating yourself up. Eliminate harmful words.

Tell yourself a better lie.

Talk yourself into greatness.

Make the unfamiliar familiar.

Rewire your brain to get what you want.

I want to remind you of the quote at the top of the Newsletter:

“I find no better life purpose than to perish in attempting the great and impossible.” -Friedrich Nietzche

Reflect and share this with someone.

ASK

“Do you use words and pictures that bring out the best in you?”

“How could you make the unfamiliar more familiar?”

“How do you feel?”…

Write down what comes to mind.

TRY

Start the process of rewiring your brain today:

Use inspiring, motivating and positive words to invoke energy and action.
Eliminate all negative, self-defeating and disempowering words.
Talk yourself into greatness. Not to sound cool or tough but because it serves you.
Visualise yourself working through challenges, stepping up, overcoming the odds and succeeding.
Make the unfamiliar familiar through practice.
Tell your mind exactly what you want.
The mind doesn’t know or care if what you’re telling it is true or false. It lets it all in. (The Placebo Effect works when you know it’s a Placebo)
Utilise the power of the spoken word.
When faced with a challenge you wish to overcome, don’t give voice to your pain.
Don’t wait to feel motivated. Act to ‘feel’ motivated.
Once your mind moves into a new dimension, it doesn’t go back. Move into the NEW YOU.
Your potential is unlimited, and so are you.

Were there any lines or takeaways that struck a chord with you?

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