In November of 2016, we introduced a new format that we are putting alongside our regular episodes called “Lessons for Hannah.” Hannah is my daughter and one of the main inspirations for the Misfit Entrepreneur. I wanted to have a place where she could go and learn from her daddy and his Misfit friends throughout her life….even after I am gone. If you haven’t listened to the first episode of Lessons for Hannah, I urge you to as it gives some more background and tells the amazing story of how Hannah came to be in our lives.
Lessons for Hannah are short, very useful, and sometimes comical lessons, that I have learned which I want to share with you and give to Hannah to help in your lives. Because I want Hannah to have these for her life, I’m going to speak as though I am talking directly to her. These episodes are a lot of fun and if you think there is a lesson that we should include in these episodes, please don’t hesitate to send it over to us at support@misfitentrepreneur.com. We’d love to share it.
This Week's Lesson for Hannah
Hannah, sweetie. I want to speak to you about the power of your mind and most importantly, the power you have to create the thoughts and habits that you want to have in life. A lot of people go through life with the attitude that “life happens to me.” They think they just need to deal with things because they don’t have control over them. While, it is true that there are things you cannot control – one thing you can control is the way you think and act.
Here’s the big secret that many never realize. We are taught and conditioned to be who we are in life. This comes from a variety of sources – parents, friends, family, media, culture, religion, and a host of other things. Yes, you mother and I are teaching and by default conditioning you to learn certain thought patterns, habits, etc. We do this because we love you and want to pass on everything good we have learned in our lives – and from our conditioning.
But, here’s the thing. Your mother and I are not perfect…none of the sources of your conditioning are perfect and thus you will learn things that become part of your everyday habits and traits, that as you get older you will find, may not align with who you truly want to be or truly believe.
I know because I became aware to it at a young age and set out to recondition my mind for the ways I wanted to think and for what I wanted to believe and have. You can do the same. Here’s how…
First, you need to realize that you have two minds – your conscious and your subconscious. The conscious mind is that part of you that you think with. When you take a test or read a book or go search the web for something, you are thinking, you are deciding. That is your conscious. The subconscious is different. It is the part of your brain that runs you without you even knowing it. Think about it. How much do you think to throw a ball or brush your teeth or many times what you say? You don’t because it is automatic. It is a reaction that your subconscious does based on your conditioning.
This is why many people go through life thinking life happens to them, because they are a product of their subconscious just reacting from their conditioning all the time and thus they don’t truly consciously control their lives. And that is why they end up having the feeling that they are lost or helpless.
But, for all the credit we give the subconscious, it is actually pretty dumb. It is the animal part of our brain. So, it can be reconditioned. A great example of how easily it can be conditioned is when you decide you want something in your conscious mind and then all of a sudden you start to see it everywhere. Maybe it is a certain type and color of car or a hairstyle. Whatever, it is, because you decided you want it, your subconscious files that away and starts looking for it and pointing it out to you. Knowing this, you can retrain your subconscious to go after what you want. Once you are aware, you can analyze your automatic reactions to things and follow this simple formula, - Stop, Ask, Choose.
Stop yourself when you think you are saying or doing something you don’t believe is you. Ask yourself if you truly want to respond or act in that way. Then choose if you want to continue and keep that conditioning or change it to what you want and move forward. Put that way, it sounds easy…and it is when you actually catch yourself and do it, but it is a lifelong process that you will need to always be aware of and do. Once you begin to do this, you will be amazed at how you can retrain your mind and the power you will have to create the thoughts and habits that you want.
I’ll leave you with this anecdote – Your beliefs lead to your thoughts, your thoughts lead to the way you act or react, and your actions and reactions determine the results you get in life. If you take out everything in the middle, you get “Your beliefs lead to your results.”
Understanding this can give you the ultimate in personal power and control over your life and help you to be the best that you can be. I hope you find as many ways to use it as you can and live from your true beliefs… I love you, Daddy.
Best Quote: "Your beliefs lead to your results"
Misfit 3: