Step 1: Identifying The Tricks of The Subconscious Mind : The Frenemy Within

In our last article, we learnt about the importance of thoughts and how our thoughts have been limited by the traditional education system. Then we designed our roadmap to change ourseves. In this article, we will understand the tricks of the subconscious midnd that keeps us stuck in life.

In our daily lives, the subconscious mind plays a significant role, yet its workings often remain shrouded in mystery. While we’re inundated with strategies to control it, the lack of understanding about why these strategies work renders them seemingly futile.

In this article, we’ll embark on a comprehensive exploration of the brain, dissecting the roles of the conscious and subconscious minds. We’ll delve into the intricacies of the subconscious, unravel its tricks, and chart a course towards mastering its influence.

Unveiling The Subconscious Mind

Our brain operates through two distinct systems: the conscious and subconscious minds. While the conscious mind governs a mere 10% of our brain’s activities, the subconscious wields staggering control over 90%, often operating beyond our conscious awareness. Despite its dominance, the subconscious remains an enigma, its subtle effects shaping our daily experiences.

The Subconscious Mind: A Powerful Force:

Renowned psychologist Daniel Kahneman aptly labels the subconscious mind as the “Fast Thinking System” in his seminal work, “Thinking, Fast and Slow”. The fast system orchestrates vital functions effortlessly, from breathing to digestion, while also guiding our physical actions through the intricate web of emotions.

Consider:

Your body signals hunger > You eat.

You Encounter a venomous spider > Feel fear > React (scream, jump, or smash).

The Origin of Emotions

Emotions, rooted deep within our subconscious, originated as primal survival mechanisms.

For Instance,

 Millennia ago, encountering a predator triggered fear, prompting immediate flight for survival.

 Similarly, confronting a threat invoked the fight response, ensuring our ancestors’ survival.

These automatic responses ensured our safety and  became deeply embedded in our subconscious through repetition.

The Role of the Conscious Mind:

In contrast, the conscious mind, a newer development in human experience, operates as the “Slow Thinking System”. While adept at rational problem-solving, it demands greater energy and effort. Hence, the brain, inclined towards efficiency, never keeps the conscious mind active by default,

The Lazy Brain

Kahneman’s insights reveal the brain’s affinity for efficiency. Content with comfort and safety, it resists expending extra energy on complex tasks. Thus, when comfort reigns, change becomes unwelcome, and the subconscious assumes control, rendering the conscious mind dormant.

Decisions Of the Lazy Commander

Coherently, the brain designates the subconscious as our default mode, putting the conscious mind to the sidelines. In the absence of active intervention, the subconscious seamlessly orchestrates our actions, rendering routine tasks—like showering, eating meals, brushing our teeth, combing our hair, doing regular office work—automatic and devoid of conscious thought.

Limitations of the Subconscious Mind:

Despite its prowess, the subconscious harbors limitations.

1.  lacking critical reasoning skills, It blurs the line between reality and imagination.
2.  Its sole focus on physical survival often triggers flight or fight responses, even in non-threatening scenarios.

These limitations can be problematic in modern life, when facing unfamiliar nuanced challenges, which require strategic thinking and reasoned decisions.

Tricks of the Subconscious:

Festinger’s theory sheds light on the brain’s quest for consistency. Our brain likes to keep things consistent and feels uncomfortable when facing unfamiliarity. To runaway from the unfamiliarity, it employs it’s tricks.

For example:

When facing leadership opportunities for the first time, the subconscious might trigger emotions such as fear that in turn triggers thoughts like

 “I can’t do it”,
“I will fail”
“It will go wrong” 

The opportunity seems like a problem, and most first timers choose do nothing.

The Endless Loop

The subconscious’s subtle influence entraps us in a cycle. Unaware of these mechanisms, we remain stagnant, thwarted by self-imposed limitations.

Navigating Towards Light

Understanding the subconscious marks the first step in transcending its limitations. In our subsequent exploration, we’ll dissect real-life manifestations of its tricks and strategize pathways to harness the full potential of our conscious mind.

Step 2 – Understand How Default Thinking keeps Us Stuck

Step 3 – Understand How Change Can Happen

Step 4 – Understand Why Transforming Your Mindset is Necessarry And How to Do it