How to Destroy Mental Weaknesses

Say you suck at talking to people. Wait, make that: You believe you suck, so you suck. <ol> <li>You think you're socially awkward.</li> <li>So, you mess up your words.</li> <li>You ultimately have absolutely zilch confidence socially.</li> </ol> So, how do you overcome that mental suckiness? You do it by manipulating your brain into believing: "Hey, I don't really suck at all!" But, wait, you're thinking: <ol> <li>"I've already heard that advice some over-and-over-and..."</li> <li>"I tried the positive thinking already! It never works for me!"</li> <li>"I always return to my old habits, anyway."</li> </ol> El Solucion? Positively lie to yourself every-frickin-day, until you actually believe what you're saying. We'll explain. <h2>How People Manipulate Their Brains</h2> Think back to an argument about something you absolutely-positively-100% knew for certain your stance was correct. <ol> <li>You studied the topic for years.</li> <li>You knew it cold.</li> <li> You had the facts to back it up.</li> </ol> Then comes Know-It-All-Ernie. The conversation might have went a little something like this: <ol> <li>You: "Dude, you can't predict the future."</li> <li>Ernie: "Bull! You can predict the future."</li> <li>You: "I have the facts to back it up. Here's some hard data from the HBR, WSJ, and several peer-reviewed journals."</li> <li>Ernie: "Bull! See Steve Jobs. He can tell the future."</li> <li> You: "But what about the Apple Lisa, the Apple Cube, etc.?"</li> <li> Ernie: "Uhh....no, dude. You are wrong."</li> </ol> Then Ernie rambles on about how Richard Branson, Bill Gates, Larry Page, Walt Disney, Malcolm Goldman, etc, etc, etc, could tell futures -- and how we would do the same, and get frickin' rich. When you handed him hard data, experimental studies, and empirical evidence disproving his argument -- why did he ignore the data, stuck with his original argument? It's because of this: When Ernie repeatedly tells himself "X causes Y", he'll believe it's an absolute fact that "X causes Y" -- even if evidence tells him otherwise. You repeatedly tell yourself something, you'll believe it. That's why logical fallacies abound in: <ul> <li> Political arguments.</li> <li> Health care.</li> <li> Cults.</li> <li> Teens.</li> <li> Business strategies.</li> <li> Paris Hilton.</li> </ul> Repeatedly tell yourself "X causes Y"? You'll soon believe it as fact. The great Napoleon Hill calls that "autosuggestion": <ul> <li>"Your mind will believe almost anything (true or not) that you tell yourself repeatedly."</li> </ul> <h2>How to Brainwash Your Mind for the Good</h2> If you can easily trick your brain by repeatedly telling yourself something, how do you use those krraaazzy powers positively? Attack mental weaknesses. Regularly tell yourself positive lies. <ul> <li> You're a "lousy" presenter? "I move mountains with my voice."</li> <li> You're a "horrible" finisher? "I'm a badass finisher."</li> <li> You "suck" socially? "I'm a great talker, bitches."</li> </ul> Repeat those 'lies' until you start believing those them as facts. You'll not only freakishly boost your confidence, but more importantly: You'll act accordingly to how you perceive yourself to be. Brainwash yourself for the good: <h2>Lie positively, daily.</h2>   2007-08-26T19:33:00-07:00 true 575 how-to-destroy-mental-weaknesses

2009-11-06T21:45:46-08:00