Brain Hacks For Motivation

Today on Hypnotic News we are going to learn to hack our brains for motivation. Just like someone would a computer. We can all do it. There are even some things that we can do without help. That’s what we’re going to focus on today.

Motivation

People often wonder how to stay motivated. Which is a part of what we do. In hypnosis we work hard to help people find, access or even create motivation to achieve their goals. It can be a constant struggle to stay motivated, even when its something we really want. So what stops motivation and what do we do to keep it?

Today I’m going to share 3 brain hacks to help you get and stay, motivated.

Hack Your Brain

Our brain is like a computer. A wonky computer that requires a great IT guy to make sure it continues to do what we need it to do. In most cases we can do this ourselves, but as with anything sometimes we need an extra hand. That is where these tricks come into play.

NLP- The Linguistic Brain Hack

NLP (Neurolinguistic Programing) is essentially linguistic brain hacking. Anything you think about is somehow coded up in what NLP specialist would call “submodalities.” Our perception of how big something seems, how light or dim. Whether its moving or still, near or far, loud or quiet. The list goes on. While there are many, the main ones we focus on in hypnosis are: kinesthetic (movement based), auditory, and visual.

So how do we use this to our advantage? Let’s take a look at how your brain codes things so that you can learn to enact change where possible. The activity I’m about to describe is part of an intervention we use during sessions. While far more powerful in trance, working directly with your unconscious, many have found benefits doing it even outside of trance.

I want you to take a moment and this about something you need to do but have put off. I want you notice the first few things you think about when you imagine going to do that task. Do you imagine how hard its going to be? Or how long it may take? Are you worried that something will go sideways?

Now, its great to recognize your worry, but we cannot let those be our focal point. When you focus on the problem, your mind magically deletes the positives that could be found. Sometimes change or something going wrong leads to innovation. And sometimes avoidance leads to missed opportunity.

But, often, we can fix all that ourselves.

“All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.”

Walt Disney

Now lets change it. Read the instructions below before trying to picture that task again.

See the negative images that have, in the past, stopped you from acting. Then lets do the following to change it:

1. First, mentally push those images away in your mind. See it in front of you getting smaller and smaller as it moves into the distance. You may find that the further you push it away, the easier it becomes to manage.
2. Change the colors. Maybe they need to be dimmer or pastel. Or maybe it needs to turn black and white.
3. If the image is like a video imagine the color draining from it down a tube. Or maybe its easier to rewind it.
4. As you do these things continue to push the image further and further away until its just a dot on the horizon.
5. NOW, heres the important part. Pick an image to replace it. A image or video of how you would like to see that task going.
   1. Of feeling amazing
   2. Easily moving through each step.
   3. See yourself succeeding.
   4. Feel the positive effects this action will have on your life.
   5. Make this image as vivid as possible.
   6. See and feel yourself completely within it.

Your visualization does not have to be perfect. This is not something we have a ton of practice doing. We don’t get as many changes to use our mind or imagination in this way. But just for a moment think more like a child you know. It’s okay if its not a pure image or specific. One person I know gets stick figure drawings and another has blobs of feeling that he knows are a particular person. Whatever works for you is fine. But there is something about those words, those mental shifts that shifts how you think and feel about those images.

Now think about how you feel. Ho much more do-able, exciting and inviting does that task feel. We can all do it. So go for it.

Stop Overthinking- The Mental Brain Hack

Many times stress is caused by overthinking. We get stuck in a rut and we create more stress and anxiety for ourselves. We make it harder for us to succeed, thrive, and move forward. Putting roadblocks in our own paths.

In fact, did you know, that when you are stressed out, the brain actually contracts, shrinking a bit? Suffice it to say that’s not helpful. This is caused by an overproduction of mylin sheathing in the white matter of the brain. When this becomes unbalanced it can lead to lasting changes in brain structure and function.

Another study on brain shrinkage, showed that the stress that occurs from overthinking led to reduced gray matter in the prefrontal cortex (LINKS). The area responsible for self control and emotions.

Overthinking

When we overthink things we turn an easy task into a far more difficult one. We find problems where there may be done. Our mind becomes overwhelmed, it balks. Our unconscious is tasked with keeping us safe. When it appears there are more potential downfalls than upticks, it triggers your mind to move into inaction.

Selling A Car

Let’s look at an example. Your Car breaks down. You have to decide what you’re going to do. It’s old. It may not be worth fixing. But you aren’t sure if you can afford a new car. So you may think:

“Okay I need to figure out what its worth so I know what the trade in value is. If I can sell it then I have to clean it out. No one will want to buy it dirty. But if I do that today, well its supposed to rain, so I’ll have to do it again. But I won’t have money so then I won’t get as good a trade value out of it and I need that to figure out if or what price range I can get a new car at. And if I go into a dealership without that they’ll try to pressure me to buy something and I’ll feel rushed. But if I don’t buy a car, I won’t be able to go to work and I’ll loose my job and everything will be so….”

I tensed up just thinking through all that to write it. And I’ve been there in real life too. I’m naturally an anxious little thing, so I get it. It is just too easy to get overwhelmed by all the things and how it could go wrong. But, really can you control everything? No, you can’t. Nor does it help to create problems where there may not be any. It may not rain. You are trying to account for more variables than you need to right in that instant.

Now Let’s Try This:

Instead lets break it down instead of rambling through. Lets make a list of things we need to do.

• Get the car cleaned
• Find out the trade in value
  • check blue book.
  • Get in person estimate
• Buy replacement vehicle

Now how much more manageable does that feel. Sometimes just having the feeling of something being manageable creates motivation.

Find Solutions- Problem Solving Brain Hack

Humans are the most innovative creatures on the planet. We’ve moved from stone age technology to what we have today in what is a relatively short period of the Earth’s life span. It seems like a long history to us, but in the span of the universe, it may be nothing.

This step is essentially moving from an understand of a problem to finding the solutions. This is helpful when you get stuck due to a lack of prior experience in similar situations. It’s demotivating when you can’t readily find a solution. You focus so hard on the problem that the solution hides in your own mind. Which is frustrating. You may have an answer but cant find it. Yet.

You feel like you should know what to do, but can’t find the path through the maze. It’s a pretty common mental block. The solution is fairly simple. Trust your unconscious to be the wonderful creative and innovative machine it is. And give it the tools it needs.

This may be:

• Time– focus on something else for a bit. Your unconscious will continue to work on it in the background (like a background app on a computer).
• Information– Make sure you have all the info to the best of your ability. Sometimes you may just be missing that one bit of information you need.
• Communication– Just ask it for help. Sometimes you just need that extra mental push to get your mind working on the problem.
• Confidence– (LINK) Know that you can solve the problem. It may just take time. Getting stressed about it won’t change the facts. Don’t let your confidence waver just because the solution is taking a bit more time to find than you’d like.

Personal Experiences

I often find myself stuck, especially when it comes to solutions for the household. Truth is, I don’t have a lot of experience with a smoothly run household. When I lived with my parents that wasn’t a thing and with my grandmother, she didn’t really show me what she did. So I knew what needed to happen theoretically, but not how to do it. I never had that example just an end goal.

So now, as I try to manage my own, I struggle. I often come up with problems that I never realized I would have. And sometimes, it makes me feel like a toddler. But the truth is that I just haven’t built that skill set strong enough to develop solutions as quickly as I would like to. It’s not that I’m awful at it (well I sort of am), but we’re building the skill set so that I do better each and every time I solve a problem. It’s the same thing with a new job or anything else that we do.

Sometimes when I find myself struggling I manage to just put it aside. I have a bad habit, just like anything else of being like a dog with a bone. But when I do manage to:

• STOP!
• Take A Breath.
• And Set It Aside.

I often find that things go much smoother and my unconscious finds a solution…even if it isn’t the perfect or final solution. Each time I get one step closer. Just like Edison with his light bulb. And the inspiration will strike at the oddest moment. Maybe you’ll wake up in the middle of the night or it could happen during a shower.

Joe Vitale, an author, says that his mind composes entire books for him and just lets him know when they’re done cooking. He sits down and takes dictation for his mind, as he describes it. And I’ve had this experience myself a few times or more during NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). I’ve woken up with a fresh idea for the story or non fiction work I’ve been working on that year.

Truth is that we often know more than we realize. The solution may already be neatly packaged in your unconscious. But you aren’t listening or able to access it. And you likely won’t be able to until you stop focusing on it. When you focus so hard on the problem, it does to. Instead give it signals that it should work on the solution and let it come to you when its percolated.

Can We Do It…Yes We Can

Now I already hear you across the internet going, yeah that sounds good. But can I really do it? I know you can. I’ve been there. There was a time that I failed to do all of these things. It’s fair to say I spent a good deal of my life before finding hypnosis as your stereotypical hot mess. I’ve been down the lanes of depression, anxiety, stress, fear, and more. I wouldn’t be here telling you that you can do it, if I hadn’t already either done it or working towards improving it already by these methods.

I won’t say I’m perfect. None of us are or ever will be. That’s not the goal. The goal is just to be our best selves. The best selves that we can possibly be despite our own limitations and flaws. To turn those things into strengths where we can and to overcome them where we cannot.

But if you still aren’t convinced let me share a few tips and tricks I’ve learned over the years. I can just about guarantee at least one of them will work for you, if not all of them. They aren’t a cure all any more than hypnosis. However, both hypnosis and these tools will help if you’ll just keep an open mind and give them a chance.

Tips and Tricks

• Make a choice to focus on finding a solution. Stop thinking about the problem. See the problem solved and moving forward.
• Start by asking solution oriented questions like “how can I (insert problem here). How can I is a different message that asks for creativity and innovation. It also supposes that the solution exists (because it does!)
• Allow yourself to day dream. this allows your mind to focus on your motivations and goals. Which will ultimately move you closer to a solution.
• Relax which is not the same as procrastinate. Sometimes a little intentional procrastination is good. It allows you to be open to ah-ha moments. It also gives your brain a chance to synthesize brand new ideas for you.

Everyone can use these ideas to boost their ability to problem solve. Try a few and see how you do.

Our Powerful Tools

We each have a powerful tool within us. Our minds. We can make any changes we want to if we just reach for it. While contacting and communicating with the unconscious is difficult it is not impossible. We each have the ability. With the personal and hypnotic tools we’ve learned about today we can do it.

Try these skills and see how you do. But if you still find yourself struggling call for a free consultation. For more information on hypnosis and our services, check out All About Hypnosis, your epicenter for Hypnotic News.