Intrusive thoughts are involuntary and unpleasant thoughts, images, or ideas that pop into our mind.

They are a common symptom in those with anxiety, depression, OCD, and PTSD; however, the truth is most people experience intrusive thoughts from time to time.

A belief reflects our “map of the world.” It helps us navigate through reality. And the kind of map we have is going to greatly affect the paths in life that we choose to take. A bad map may lead you into dark and muggy territory, while a good map leads you to warmth and sunshine.

The fact of the matter is, however, that we all need these beliefs to help guide our lives. Without them, we wander around mindlessly, without direction and purpose.

Everyone has a belief system.

Everyone has a belief system whether they choose to acknowledge it or not. The human mind is a “belief factory,” we are constantly observing our world, inferring things about it, and choosing what to do with this knowledge. We need to. Without beliefs, we’d never be able to make decisions or take action in our lives.

Therefore, every decision we make, and action we take, reflects a conscious or unconscious belief.

Beliefs aren’t perfect.

In general, the human mind isn’t perfect.

A lot of recent psychology research over the years has demonstrated that our minds are incredibly prone to error and bias. Very often, we aren’t capable of being 100% certain in our beliefs, so we have to make the best with what we have and hope it’s a good enough model of the world, despite our imperfections.

The map is not the territory.

There’s a popular mantra in self-help literature which says that “the map is not the territory.”

This is actually an idea first put forward by the Polish scientist and philosopher Alfred Korzybski. His view was that whenever we try to represent something in reality (whether through thoughts, concepts, or even physical representations like a map of a geographical region), we have to remember that the representation is never the thing we are trying to represent.

Instead, our representations of reality are always “best fits.”

Think about it: if you actually had a 100% accurate map of Iceland, then it would have to be the size and shape of Iceland.

Obviously, this is impractical. And our minds know this. So we take the information that comes through our senses and we generalize some of it, delete some of it, and manipulate some of it so that it better serves our practical needs.

Instinctually, your mind isn’t concerned about “absolute truths” about the universe – it just wants “truths” that help you function effectively throughout your immediate environment.

What influences our beliefs?

We often like to think that we come up with our beliefs solely on our own, and without any kind of outside influence, but the truth is that there are a wide array of different factors that shape our belief system. Some of the big ones I like to pay attention to include:

• Authority figures, especially from an early age: parents, teachers, priests, etc.
• Culture, like movies, music, TV, books, religion, tradition, politics, etc.
• Role models, such as the personal lives of musicians, authors, comedians, actors/actresses, philosophers, scientists, artists, celebrities, and even fictional characters.
• Our past experiences, even just one really memorable and/or traumatic event can condition us to have certain beliefs that persist for a lifetime.
• Knowledge, learning and discovering new things about reality can cause us to reshape our beliefs in the face of this new evidence
• Reflection and contemplation, actively introspecting to better understand our beliefs, thought patterns, and how they affect us.

All of these influences can affect our beliefs in a positive or negative way. The key is to be more aware of where our beliefs come from and what factors are shaping our map of the world. If we discover that we learned something unhelpful as a child, or from an old TV program, or whatever, then it may be necessary to filter out some of these negative influences and replace them with something that better suits our values and goals.

Beliefs must be subject to change.

Beliefs must be subject to change for two reasons.

One, as I mentioned before, our minds are imperfect and incredibly prone to error. Therefore, it is very reasonable that we will come across new evidence that will challenge our old beliefs and assumptions. When that time comes, it’s important to acknowledge that we may be wrong about something, and only then can we update and correct our map of world.

Note: This can be difficult, because it requires us to put aside personal biases and be honest with ourselves when we discover new information or evidence that challenges our existing beliefs.

Two, every individual has a different window into reality. That’s why our society has such a diverse range of different beliefs. Remember, your mind prefers truths that serve a function within the context of your life, not universal/absolute truths that are often disconnected from practical reality. Therefore, a belief may work perfectly well with one person, but not so well for another person.

The lesson here is that if you only determine your beliefs from outside influences – like your parents, schools, or government – then it is very likely that your “map of the world” won’t suit your interests, values, and goals. Those beliefs ultimately serve the people who found them to be useful in the first place, but they may not serve you in the same way. In the end, you have to think for yourself and question past authorities – this could mean that you will later abandon old beliefs that were taught to you from others.

If you want to read about some personal experiences I’ve had unlearning old and unhelpful beliefs, check out: 5 Lessons I Learned in School and Now Want to Forget.

If you’d like to learn more about changing beliefs and some of the tools you can use, then I recommend my other recent post: Personal Development Reprogramming.

Questions.

• What are some old beliefs that you have later needed to change because they didn’t help you?
• What has had the biggest influence on your beliefs?
• How often do you actively introspect and reflect on the beliefs that drive your behavior?

Leave answers in the comment section below!

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Before I knew anything, I actually had no idea that our minds could be reprogrammed and modified to better serve our needs.

Instead, I used to just believe: “this is the brain I have, and this is the brain I will always have.” It was a passive thing – something I had no control over. It just was.

But the more I learned about personal development, the more I learned our mind is actually very flexible and very capable of changing itself.

In fact, our mind is always changing. Every new experience we have, and every new thing we learn, changes the neural pathways and structures in our brain. Today, scientists call it “neuroplasticity.”

The key to personal development is to actively change the structure of our brains by conditioning and reprogramming our mind in new ways. And we can actually achieve this using a variety of different strategies. Here are some things you can start working on right away:

Change your perspective. Try having more solution-oriented thinking instead of problem-oriented thinking. When you think only about the stuff that sucks in your life, it’ll often make you feel worse. But when you start feeling capable of finding solutions and overcoming obstacles, you condition your mind to find the answers you need.

Modify your self-talk. We all talk to ourselves inside our heads – that’s what thinking is. The problem is some of us talk negatively about ourselves, while others talk positively about themselves. The more you tell yourself something, the more likely you are to believe it and act on that belief. So the more you feed yourself healthy and motivating thoughts, the more those thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes can have a positive effect on your life.

Take risks. Sometimes the best way to learn something is to step outside of our heads and experience it. You might be used to getting a cheeseburger at every restaurant you go, but until you take a risk and try something new you’ll never know what else life might have to offer. Will you fail and make mistakes sometimes? Sure, but it’s a part of the growing process.

Use your imagination as practice. Studies show that imagining yourself taking a course of action is a really good way to motivate yourself to take that action in the future. So by practicing visualization techniques on a regular basis we can actually reprogram our thoughts and behaviors. One great example of this is professional athletes mentally rehearsing before a game or match.

Stop victimizing yourself. One of the most common traps our culture teaches us is that we are helpless victims of circumstance. In other words, we have no control over our destiny; instead, reality rears its ugly head and we get whatever we get. As a result, we become programmed to shift blame to external factors and never seek responsibility for our lives.

Stay present with your goals. By taking small and gradual steps on a daily basis, we can end up covering a lot of ground in the long-run. The most important thing to remember, however, is that the only real power you have is in the present moment. Only in the “now” can you think, decide, act, and make changes to your life. Don’t dwell on the past or wait for the future – start making progress today.

By applying these things in my own life, I have improved myself dramatically over the years. I now have a different perspective about life, I think and talk to myself differently, I take smart risks more often, I visualize my future more clearly, I take responsibility for the direction of my life, and I stay focused on what matters the most to me in each and every moment.

And in return – I’m happier because of it.

Social Dynamix covers all the bases for how to reprogram your mind more effectively, but it also makes a crucial point about achieving happiness for yourself:

“The only person that your happiness is dependent upon is you. You have to start being happy from within, and not look toward externals things or people to make you happy. Even when you’re in a relationship you want to be a whole person instead of this ‘you complete me’ thing. External things may make you happy for a little while, but it often doesn’t last. People and things can be taken away from you in a moment – but if you are happy from within then that is a very hard thing to take away.”

You have to remember that your happiness can only be achieved by you and you alone. No one else can take control of your mind and make you happy.

Program yourself for happiness.

Everyone from Buddha to modern day positive psychologist like Dan Gilbert understand that we synthesize our happiness by reprogramming how we think about ourselves and our world. As the William James quote adequately puts it, “The greatest discovery of any generation is that a human can alter his life by altering his attitude.” If you understand this simple fact, then you are halfway down the path to personal development. The other half is now taking action and making it all happen.

Social Dynamix

Before I mentioned Social Dynamix. It’s a personal development product I just recently got a copy of and I’ve been really impressed with the breadth and depth of information in it.

So far, I’ve only watched the first module – “Mind Jack” – which is three 20 minute videos explaining how your thoughts, perception, and attitude affect your life (a lot of the stuff I’ve been talking about in this article). The 2 other main modules are “The Shyness and Social Anxiety Annihilator” and “Social Re-Boot.”

I’ll definitely be sharing more about these in the future once I watch them. You can stay updated by joining my newsletter.

The product also comes with a slew of other related bonuses that I would like to write about at some point (about a dozen other PDFs, audio files, videos, etc.) If you want you can head over to the page and check it out.

Buyer Awareness: If you happen to buy it, I will get paid a % of the commission for referring you. But please remember that I don’t work for the company (so please don’t send me e-mails for customer support – but you can send me an e-mail if you want to talk about the content in more depth) and I only recommend it because I have tried it out myself and found it to be valuable.

Questions.

• What do you do to help reprogram your mind to be healthier and more positive?
• What were some old thought patterns and beliefs you needed to change in the past?

Please answer these in the comment section below!

The researchers also looked at some of the specifics of self-talk that can improve performance. Some of these findings included:

• For tasks requiring fine skills or improved technique, “instructional self-talk” was found to be more effective than “motivational talk.” In other words, when about to drive a golf ball onto the fairway, it would be better for the golfer to use self-talk such as “keep your knees bent” or “swing with your hips” rather than motivational speech like “you can do it!”
• On the other hand, motivational self-talk was found to be effective during tasks “requiring strength or endurance, boosting confidence and psyching-up for competition.” So those motivational speeches your football coach gives you before a big game can definitely have an effect, especially if those motivational messages stay inside your head throughout the game. In this case, “Let’s get ‘em!” can be an empowering thought.
• Some studies found self-talk is better for novel tasks rather than well-learned tasks. This is probably because during early stages of our sports development we are learning so many new things, and self-talk can help us become better learners by repeating important concepts to ourselves as we play. On the other hand, if someone is already a well-learned baseball player (where everything is already second-nature), forced self-talk may disrupt the natural flow of their game.
• Athletes often practice self-talk by preparing scripts that they read to themselves before every game. They may also incorporate visualization exercises where they mentally rehearse different aspects of their game. Sports psychologist believe this helps condition athletes to be more effective on the field.

Sports psychologist Antonis Hatzigeorgiadis who conducted the meta-analysis with his colleagues at the Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences at the University of Thessaly says, “The mind guides action. If we succeed in regulating our thoughts, then this will help our behavior.”

Affirmations are one way to develop new beliefs that can eventually become second-nature. Every morning or evening we can repeat these affirmations with a clear and focused mind, and with practice these beliefs can take hold inside our brains.

One caveat, however, is to make sure that the affirmations you repeat to yourself are congruent with reality, and aligned with your core values. I’ve seen many people come up with delusional affirmations and then attempt to ingrain them into their minds. Even when they do succeed, those beliefs can be detrimental.

Please be aware of the meaning and intention behind the affirmation before you decide to “program it” into your mind.

The following is just a list of suggestions on some of the affirmations you may want to practice. Feel free to use the ones you think will benefit you, and disregard the ones you disagree with. Hopefully this list can also motivate you to think of some unique affirmations of your own.

I recommend only practicing 1 or 2 affirmations at a time. And the affirmations you choose to practice should largely depend on your current goals in personal development.

75 Affirmations for Personal Development

1. Everyday, in every way, I am getting better and better.

2. Every failure is a learning experience.

3. Live in the present moment.

4. I create value in other peoples’ lives.

5. I am always changing.

6. I am worthy of positive relationships in my life.

7. I wish the best for everyone.

8. I learn something new everyday.

9. am genuinely interested in other people.

10. I have many strengths.

11. I don’t worry about the things I can’t control.

12. Listening to my emotions can help guide me to make better decisions.

13. My anxiety is motivation to change or improve.

14. I can overcome obstacles in my life.

15. I am a positive role model to others.

16. I will try something different today.

17. Stepping outside of my comfort zone is necessary for growth.

18. People are generally good.

19. I forgive anyone who has hurt me in the past.

20. I have a rich and supportive social circle.

21. What doesn’t kill me only makes me stronger.

22. My past is one big learning experience.

23. I must be the change I wish to see in the world.

24. I will try to be more understanding of others.

25. Depression is just a stepping stone.

26. This too shall pass.

27. I can find happiness in every moment.

28. I’m a proactive problem-solver.

29. When I open my mind and senses, I’m much more creative.

30. I can create my own positive energy.

31. When people get to know me, they really like me.

32. Just do it.

33. I can see the bigger picture.

34. I see money as a useful tool for helping myself and others.

35. I take small steps everyday to be more healthy.

36. I’m dedicated to my passions in life.

37. I have the resources to take care of my family.

38. My negative emotions can serve a positive function.

39. I determine the meaning of my life.

40. Every decision I make helps shape my destiny.

41. No risk, no reward.

42. I remain focused on what matters.

43. I participate in life, I don’t wait for it to happen.

44. I will be more conscious when acting and making decisions.

45. I can think rationally and intelligently.

46. I’m dedicated to self improvement.

47. I treat others with kindness and respect.

48. If I want something I’ve never had, I must do something I’ve never done.

49. I know when to relax and not take life so seriously.

50. Nature doesn’t hurry, yet all is accomplished.

51. I can accept criticism without taking it personally.

52. I love and accept my body.

53. When I love myself, I allow others to love me too.

54. Most of the limitations in my life are fictional.

55. I narrate the story of my life.

56. I exude purpose and joy.

57. All is well, right here, right now.

58. Today, I open my mind to the endless opportunities surrounding me.

59. I am grateful for the people in my life.

60. I am my own best friend.

61. I can find balance in my life.

62. I am mindful of my health and well-being.

63. I exercise freedom in all aspects of my life.

64. I know when to trust my intuition.

65. I can gain knowledge in anything if I’m willing to learn.

66. strive to achieve my goals and values in life.

67. I can only give happiness to others once I have found happiness in myself.

68. I’m optimistic about the future.

69. I have all the material luxury I need.

70. I’m thankful for everything in my life.

71. I’m interconnected with everything in the universe.

72. I’m productive in achieving what I want in life.

73. Small changes on a daily basis lead to big changes over time.

74. of the time there is nothing to fear.

75. When life gets tough, I can persist.

Question

What are your favorite affirmations? Share them in the comments section!