Soundtracks

1. Overthinking is when your thoughts hinder your goals

Overthinking is when what you think gets in the way of what you want.

Overthinking wastes resources. It consumes time, creativity, and productivity that could be used to achieve your goals. Overthinking often leans towards negativity, making you feel inadequate and drained. It can create a vicious cycle:

• Overthinking leads to inaction
• Inaction leads to more overthinking
• More overthinking leads to further inaction

Your brain can be unreliable. It tends to:

• Lie about memories
• Confuse fake trauma with real trauma
• Believe what it already believes (confirmation bias)

However, you have the power to change your thoughts through neuroplasticity. By consciously choosing new thoughts, you can physically reshape your brain and break free from the overthinking cycle.

2. You can control your thoughts by retiring, replacing, and repeating

If you can worry, you can wonder. If you can doubt, you can dominate. If you can spin, you can soar.

Retire broken soundtracks. Identify thoughts that aren't true, helpful, or kind to yourself. These are often negative, repetitive thoughts that hold you back. Ask yourself three questions about each thought:

1. Is it true?
2. Is it helpful?
3. Is it kind?

Replace with new soundtracks. Create positive, empowering thoughts to replace the old ones. These should be aspirational yet believable. For example, instead of "I'm a failure," try "I'm learning and growing every day."

Repeat the new soundtracks. Consistently reinforce your new thoughts through daily repetition and action. This rewires your brain over time, making the positive thoughts as automatic as the old negative ones were.

3. Turn down the volume on negative thoughts with practical techniques

A list is the fastest way to bring clarity to chaos.

Develop a toolkit of techniques. When negative thoughts get loud, use these methods to turn down the volume:

1. Physical activities:

   • Exercise (running, gym, etc.)
   • Deep breathing
   • Taking a walk

2. Mental activities:

   • Making lists
   • Completing small tasks
   • Reading fiction

3. Social activities:

   • Talking with friends
   • Volunteering
   • Joining a class or group

Personalize your approach. Experiment with different techniques to find what works best for you. The goal isn't to eliminate negative thoughts entirely, but to manage them effectively when they arise.

4. Borrow positive soundtracks from successful people and role models

You're better at picking out great thoughts to listen to than your feelings are.

Collect inspiring thoughts. Pay attention to motivational quotes, advice from mentors, or insights from books and podcasts. Write down phrases that resonate with you.

Adapt and personalize. Take borrowed soundtracks and modify them to fit your specific situation and goals. For example:

• "My life is dope and I do dope things." (Borrowed from Kanye West)
• "Everything is always working out for me." (Borrowed from James Victore)

Apply borrowed soundtracks. Use these new thoughts in your daily life, especially when facing challenges or doubts. The more you repeat them, the more natural they'll become.

5. Win the week by identifying where you want to succeed

Where do I want to win this week?

Focus on specific goals. At the start of each week, ask yourself where you want to win. This could be in relationships, work projects, personal development, or any area of your life.

Create targeted soundtracks. Develop positive thoughts that directly support your weekly goals. For example, if you want to improve your sales performance, you might use "I'm somebody's LEGO" to remind yourself that your product or service is valuable to the right customer.

Take action. Identify concrete steps you can take to achieve your weekly wins. Break larger goals into smaller, manageable tasks. This approach helps you maintain focus and build momentum throughout the week.

6. Don't fight negative thoughts, flip them to positive ones

If you want to create a new soundtrack, pick a broken one that's loud and flip it upside down.

Identify loud negative thoughts. Pay attention to the most persistent and disruptive negative thoughts in your mind. These are prime candidates for flipping.

Flip the thought. Take the negative thought and create its positive opposite. For example:

• Negative: "I always fail at new things."
• Flipped: "I always learn from new experiences."

Reinforce the flip. Actively look for evidence that supports your new, positive thought. This helps cement the new soundtrack in your mind and weakens the old, negative one.

7. Repeat positive affirmations to rewire your thinking

Good days start with good thoughts.

Create a personal affirmation. Develop a set of positive statements that address your specific goals and challenges. Include both identity statements ("I am...") and reality statements about how life works.

Establish a routine. Repeat your affirmations at least twice daily, ideally in the morning and evening. This bookends your day with positive thoughts.

Overcome initial discomfort. It's normal to feel silly or skeptical at first. Push through this feeling and focus on consistency. Over time, the affirmations will feel more natural and start influencing your thoughts and actions.

8. Gather evidence to combat your "pocket jury" of negative thoughts

A pocket jury is a collection of broken soundtracks that judge your life whenever you dare to be more than you currently are.

Recognize your pocket jury. Identify the negative thoughts that repeatedly judge and criticize your efforts to grow or change.

Actively gather positive evidence. Look for and document instances that contradict your pocket jury's claims. Keep a journal or list of your successes, no matter how small.

Present your case. When negative thoughts arise, mentally present your gathered evidence to counter them. This process helps build confidence in your abilities and progress.

9. Use symbols to make new soundtracks stick

Symbols, and the meaning we attach to them, are powerful tools for living out our new soundtracks.

Choose a meaningful symbol. Select an object, image, or action that represents your new soundtrack. This could be a rock, a piece of jewelry, or a daily ritual.

Key characteristics of effective symbols:

1. Simple
2. Personal
3. Visible

Associate the symbol with your soundtrack. Whenever you see or interact with your symbol, consciously repeat your new, positive thought.

Place symbols strategically. Put your symbols in locations where you'll encounter them regularly, such as your desk, phone background, or car dashboard. This provides frequent reminders to reinforce your new soundtracks.

Last updated: October 5, 2024