Some people argue that the secret to success is having a grand vision, above par intelligence, learning from failure, and luck. Though these are important and do play a role, the real secret lies in your mind, and specifically your subconscious mind.
The subconscious mind regulates body functions from breathing and heartbeat. However, it also governs the mind through the reticular activating system. The RAS acts as a filter of the more than 8 million bits of information flowing through your brain. Only relevant information enters the cerebrum and further converted into conscious thought.
But this begs the question, what does the RAS consider relevant? Well, whatever is important to you. So by keeping your desires top of your mind, your subconscious mind will work towards getting them. Below are five ways you can hack your subconscious mind to get what you want.
1. Meditation
One of the ways to hack your subconscious mind is to meditate. Researchers at Harvard found that meditation increases the cortical thickness of the hippocampus which is responsible for learning and memory. Thus you learning new skills will be a breeze and you will retain more of what you read.
Moreover, it reduces fear, anxiety, and stress, by decreasing the cell volume in the amygdala. Finally, seeing as meditation involves focusing on the same object for extended periods, it improves concentration and cognitive skills.
2. Hack your Subconscious Mind through Positive Reinforcement
Neurons that fire together, wire together.
When neurons in our brain communicate, they create a neural pathway connecting distant parts of our brains. One common path is the reward pathway that automatically encourages us to seek activities essential for survival.
Positive reinforcement releases dopamine which strengthens the pathway thus driving the desire to do that activity again and again. We are compelled to repeat the thought-word-action pattern leading to success.
So, change your alarm message to “YOU ARE GREAT,” read books and listen to music/podcasts that bring you positivity and hopefulness. Keep an inspirational note on your computer, and make your newsfeed a place that catalyzes your growth.
3. Positive Affirmations
Another way to hack your subconscious mind is through positive affirmations. According to Dr. Phil Shapiro, “they work by implanting powerful commands in your subconscious mind, which, over time, reprogram it at the core level.”
Therefore, make a definitive statement about yourself daily, as if it is already true. Over time, your subconscious mind will take over and start acting by those beliefs.
4. Visualization
Visualization is one of the ways athletes hack their subconscious minds. They visualize running a course in a particular time and are later able to accomplish the feat. Visualization stimulates the same region of the brain as when we act. Lifting your right arm and visualizing lifting your right arm stimulate the same area.
If you can envisage yourself as successful, your mind will subconscious mind will process that as reality.
Seeing is believing.
5. Start a Gratitude Journal
Finally, hack your unconscious mind by starting a gratitude journal. The fastest way to put yourself in a headspace where you have over want is to practice gratitude. Appreciating what you have is shifts your mindset to one where you are satisfied, and magnetizes abundance to you.
Once you believe you have enough, you will receive more and more.
Wrapping Up
Hacking your subconscious mind takes practice. Don’t feel the need to put all the methods above into action simultaneously. Pick what works for you, and incorporate the rest as you advance.