What if I told you that the part of your mind that you think is in control actually isn’t?
That there’s a whole other system running in the background, quietly making your decisions for you without you realizing it – even the ones you think you’re in full control of.
This sounds like science fiction, but in reality, it’s just how your mind works.
In this article, I’m going to break down the difference between your conscious mind and your subconscious mind, and show you why that difference actually matters.
By the end, you’ll see how, if these two parts of your mind aren’t working together, it can cause a whole lot of unnecessary challenges to perpetuate in your life. From stopping you from achieving your goals, to hindering you in your relationships and forcing you to continuously repeat the same negative patterns over and over again, no matter how much you want to stop.
So first, let’s start with the basics
When your intentions and actions don’t match (why you feel “stuck”)
Have you ever noticed how sometimes, when you set your sights on something important (like, say, you want to start a new business, or make a big change in your daily routine), even though you want to take action, any time you actually go to do that thing, you can’t get yourself to do it?
You might even be really excited to make the change, but when you go to try, it’s almost like there’s another “part” of you that’s digging in its heels, forcing you to stand still.
When this happens, it might be confusing because, as far as you know, you should be able to get yourself to do the thing you want to do (set an intention, map out a plan, then take the action steps you need to take to get yourself to where you want to be) but for some reason, you just don’t take action. You’re stuck.
Then there’s the flip side, where you have the opposite thing happen – you’re trying to stop yourself from doing something you don’t want to do, but you can’t stop. This can be as simple as reaching for junk food after promising yourself you wouldn’t, or constantly replaying the same worries over and over again in your mind because you just can’t let go of them, even though you really want to.
When stuff like this happens, it can start to feel like your mind is against you, like your brain keeps slipping back into autopilot mode, forcing you to keep repeating the same unwanted behaviours even when you promised yourself you’d change them.
Both of these types of scenarios are classic signs that your conscious intentions and your subconscious programming is out of sync.
It’s a lot like being in a canoe, trying to make your way down a river, but then you notice that no matter how hard you paddle, no amount of effort will take you to where you want to go – the river’s current is much stronger than you and it pulls you in the direction it chooses, even if you wouldn’t have actively chosen to go that way.
To understand why these kinds of scenarios happen, first, we need to take a look at the two different parts of your mind and find out exactly what each one of them does.
The conscious mind (your “thinking” mind)
This is the part of your mind that you’re fully aware of – it’s known as the “thinking” mind. It’s the voice in your head, the part of you that sets goals, makes plans, and tries to steer your life in a specific direction. Some of the things it’s in charge of include:
- Logic and Reasoning
- Analysis and Decision Making
- Willpower and Self-control
- Setting Goals and Making Plans
- Problem-solving
- Focusing Attention
The subconscious mind (the autopilot that runs the show)
This is the hidden part of you that’s really running the show. It works behind the scenes, silently controlling your thoughts and actions, even when you aren’t aware of it. It controls your:
- Automatic Bodily Processes
- Instincts and Gut Feelings
- Deeply Held Beliefs, Values, and Memories
- Emotional Reactions
- Habits
- Self-Image, Identity, & Motivations
Now that you know a little bit more about what each part does, let’s look at how these two parts of the mind relate to one another.
The unseen influence (why willpower isn’t enough)
Think of your mind like an iceberg. The conscious mind is the tip above the water – the part that you’re aware of that everyone can see. But the bulk of what exists is hidden underneath the surface – that’s your subconscious.
This is why so many of your choices can feel like they’re happening on autopilot (because they actually are). You might consciously set an intention, but in reality, depending on your subconscious programming, you’re much more likely to act in whatever way your subconscious mind wants you to act, since it’s the bigger part of you (by a long shot!).
So remember all of this the next time you catch yourself feeling stuck or wondering why you can’t seem to make a certain change in your life – there’s a lot more going on beneath the surface than you might think.
Making changes in your life isn’t just about having willpower. Willpower is just the very tip of the iceberg.
The true key to change is in understanding how to work with the subconscious part of you. That way, you can start using that massive force to your advantage.
I hope this helped give you a clearer understanding of how your “two minds” relate to one another and why it all matters in your life.
Nikki