Mindset

Mindset is everything.

Almost everyone has heard this phrase before - but very few people know what it really means for them.

What do you dream about? What does your dream life look like?

Everyone has dreams. But while some people realize their dreams seemingly effortlessly and are presented with one opportunity after another, others tread water without getting one step closer to their goals.

But what makes them successful?

Their mindset.

They are convinced that they will achieve their goals and pursue them with all their might. Of course, there are always circumstances that make this difficult. But the people who don't have the resources to do this probably won't have the opportunity to read this article either.

So the only thing standing between you and your dreams are your own thoughts.

Many of the beliefs you live by are not ones you have chosen - they have been instilled in you by your environment and society.

But these rules are not set in stone.

Think about how our grandparents saw the world. Would they have thought it was possible to communicate with people around the globe in a matter of seconds? Probably not. But there were people who believed in it - and who made it a reality.

So what if you stopped letting your own thoughts work against you?

“Everything you're trying to achieve [...] you could have right now, this moment. If only you would stop thwarting your own attempts.” ¹ ~Marcus Aurelius

How thoughts affect your perception

Your thoughts and beliefs are the glasses through which you see the world - they have a direct influence on your perception.

We do not simply perceive things in the world objectively and then assign meaning to them. Rather, we perceive their meaning directly. We always look at things from the point of view of how they help us find our way in the world.

And since we perceive meaning directly, what we see depends on what we believe.

Responsible for this is the reticular activating system (RAS) in our brain, which acts as a filter for the huge amount of information we take in every day. It specifically selects what is relevant to us - based on our convictions and beliefs. The RAS does not care whether this information is true, false, beneficial or harmful. The only thing that matters is whether the information matches your beliefs.

Have you ever come across a new idea or concept and suddenly noticed it everywhere?

This effect is also known as the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon - and is your RAS in action.

So your brain is like a spotlight: it shows you what you believe in.

However, the same also works in reverse. Our brain blocks out information that is not the focus of our attention - a phenomenon known as inattentional blindness. The experiment “Gorillas in our midst” by Daniel Simons and Christopher Chabris illustrates this: Here, participants watched a video in which two teams - one in white, the other in black T-shirts - threw a basketball to each other. Their task was to count the passes made by the white team. Meanwhile, a person in a gorilla costume walked through the scene, stopped briefly, drummed on his chest and then left the scene. Surprisingly, about half of the participants did not notice the gorilla.²

This example shows how selective our perception is and how your thoughts and beliefs determine your perception.

What you believe in and what dominates your mind will be what you see - whether positive or negative, consciously or unconsciously.

Thoughts and their influence on physical reality

However, the influence of thoughts is not limited to influencing perception, but is much more profound.

Because mental impulses have direct physical effects - whether consciously or unconsciously.

Don't believe me? Then I have a little experiment for you.

1. Take a thread and pass it through a ring or similar object with an opening.

2. Hold the thread so that the ring hangs still and try to keep your hand completely still.

3. Now imagine intensely how the ring moves from right to left.

4. After a short time, you will notice that the ring actually starts to move in this direction.

5. Coincidence? Try again with a circular or vertical movement.

This phenomenon is an example of the ideomotor effect - our thoughts unconsciously influence the smallest muscle movements, even when we are trying to keep still.

A more well-known example of the physical effect of thoughts is the placebo effect:

In a study by Dr. Ellen Langer, 84 chambermaids were examined. One group was told that their daily work was effective exercise, while the control group was not given this information. Although neither group changed their behavior, the informed group showed measurable health improvements after four weeks, including weight loss, lower blood pressure and a lower body fat percentage. ³

As this example shows, just a change in mindset can result in positive changes in the body.

The impact of negative thoughts

So both your perception and your body are influenced by your beliefs and convictions.

And just as a positive mindset can lead to improved health, negative thoughts can also have serious consequences.

A well-known example of this is the story of Oedipus, who was told by an oracle that he would kill his father and marry his mother - and out of fear of this fate, acted in such a way that the prophecy was fulfilled. The fear of his fate became a self-fulfilling prophecy.

A more everyday example of this phenomenon is social anxiety. People who fear being rejected in a group often behave insecurely, avoid eye contact and hold back in conversation. This makes others seem distant or uninterested, which reinforces the original fear. The fear of rejection therefore leads to the very behavior that makes rejection more likely.

Your brain is constantly looking for things that confirm your beliefs.

So if you let your mind be dominated by negative thoughts, you will notice that these will be reflected in your life. If you only think about problems, you will only have problems. If you only think about not being good enough - for your job, your partner or your dream life - you never will be. If you believe that you will never achieve something, your RAS will find enough evidence to confirm your belief.

Growth-Mindset

If you want a better life, you have to replace your negative thoughts with positive ones.

They need to cultivate a mindset that promotes confidence and growth - not one that prevents happiness.

“Your soul takes on the color of your thoughts” ⁴ ~Marcus Aurelius

So how can I control my thoughts?

In a way, you are in a prison of your own thoughts. The difference, however, is that the door is open. The first step is to realize that you can leave it.

Everything is internal.

You are in control of how you think about things. All the things around you are neither good nor bad at first. It is our thoughts about them that give them this meaning. In the same way, it is up to you whether you want to think about something at all.

This also means that everything that seems bad at first glance can be transformed into something good through your thoughts. It is up to you to see the possibilities as such.

But control over your thoughts does not come through realization alone - it requires practice.

How to reprogram your thoughts:

1. Develop mindfulness

   Become aware of how you think about things. Meditation and mindfulness help you to recognize your thought patterns.

2. Question your beliefs

   Ask yourself: Does this belief help me? Is it in line with my goals? If not, replace it with a positive, beneficial thought.

3. Reinforce new beliefs

   Beliefs need to be reinforced through action. Small daily habits help you to establish your new way of thinking.

Example:

You want to become more open and friendly.

• Notice: You notice that you are often envious of other people.

• Question: “Does this thought help me?” - No.

  • Replace: Instead, think: “I can be inspired by others instead of comparing myself.”

• Reinforce: Give a sincere compliment to a stranger every day.

Your thoughts influence your life - whether you like it or not.

Either you control your thoughts or your thoughts control you.

The door is open. Will you walk through it?

Sources:

¹Marcus Aurelius. Meditations: A New Translation. Übersetzt von Gregory Hays, Modern Library, 2002, S. 161.

²Simons, D. J., & Chabris, C. F. (1999). Gorillas in our midst: Sustained inattentional blindness for dynamic events. Perception, 28(9), 1059-1074.

³Langer, E. J., & Crum, A. J. (2007). Mind-set matters: Exercise and the placebo effect. Psychological Science, 18(2), 165-171.

⁴Marcus Aurelius. Meditations: A New Translation. Übersetzt von Gregory Hays, Modern Library, 2002, S. 58