Our reality is created by mind, consciousness and thought. The nervous system is continuously coupled with the environment and gives structure to our sensory information. 

Our conscious mind that makes choices about which thoughts make sense for us and which ones to act on (internal logic and conversation). Also what we feel about those thoughts and their consequences (internal emotions and moods) and their impact on our demeanouractions (internal physiology and body movement) to express.

They combine to create our reality, a sense of self with an identity and a personality bigger than our thoughts. But this subjected us to judgement and self-criticism and a belief that there was something wrong with us that we needed to put right.

When we observe such thoughts, we should pause before taking action or making judgements. That way, “we” take control and make wiser choices. It takes practice to use mindfulness techniques to observe our observer.

“When you run after your thoughts, you’re like a dog chasing a stick. Face them like a lion.”  – An old Tibetan saying.

Thoughts can be toxic. We hear an internal voice and react without thinking, allowing our feelings to trigger our actions. Our thoughts reflect our habitual wants. These unconscious stories become the daydreams, plans, and aspirations that shape our preconscious mind and serve our deeper intentions.

Our conscious mind believes it is making the decisions and perceives them being carried out through our body, but how we “turn up” depends on the training we have given to our subconscious mind, not to be triggered by our inner producer, scriptwriter, director, and actor.

The conscious mind communicates to the outside world through our Way of Being, and the subconscious mind holds our programmed thoughts, feelings, speech, pictures, distinctions and physical movement.

The diagram below explains how this happens. The energy that creates our world “out there” is collected as data by our senses that our brain uses to make sense of experiences. Our nervous system places them on a timeline, just like the storyboard for film, that sequences events and memories in the  “movie” we experience.

The brain filters the data, interprets the language patterns, and connects them with emotions so they make sense of the reality embedded in our mind and body. Crucially important for the mind is the mood state we were in when the data was generated, and now it’s being filtered back into our conscious mind.

The diagram below explains how this happens. The energy that creates the environment or world “out there” is collected by our senses as observations that we use to make sense of experiences. Our nervous system places them on a timeline, just like the storyboard that sequences events in a “movie”, that we recall as memories.

The brain filters the data, interprets the language patterns and connects them emotions so that they make sense of the reality embedded in our mind and body. Crucially important for the mind is the mood state we were in when it was generated and now it’s being filtered back into our conscious mind. They are the source of our life leadership energy.

It’s the pattern of relationships between events created between our conscious (observations) and subconscious mind (nervous system) that enables us to give meaning to our perceived world (mindset).

It becomes the paradigm or worldview that produces our habits, feelings, emotions, imagination, sensations, choices and dreams. However, as powerful observers, we can question our programmed assumptions to produce better results by reflecting before we respond and choosing new actions. See The OAR Model.

It’s as if our conscious mind asks questions, and our subconscious mind then digs into its store of electrochemical energy to find some preferred thought patterns for our conscious mind to decide on.

It’s an illusion to think that we have thoughts, which we prioritise and then act on. In fact, neurological science is showing that the choice has already been made by our subconscious which it has already worked out what we will decide to do. It unconsciously considers what’s needed in the moment to make a desired future possible.

When we think we are in “two minds”, our assertions from past experience contribute to our assessments in the present. Our subconscious mind works through them as it revisits past situations that worked for us but are now generating doubts and fears. 80% of our thoughts are negative and we need to consciously generate a positive mood state to overcome them.

More on the Conscious Mind

We may not appreciate that our subconscious mind is bonded to the outside world and constantly influenced by it. Intuition and insights can come from situations that prompt new feelings. For example, how we experience a forest, rough seas, houses, etc., can induce a reaction that cannot be explained by our five senses alone.

We may have experienced driving down a road and not remembering it. Our subconscious is aware and performs key functions to complement conscious awareness. It’s a partnership of equals. We need both to think logically and process subjective observations so they combine to make sense.

Making our assessments

Our conscious mind works in the present, directing our attention and imagining what could be occurring. The feelings and memories that come to mind from past experience generate thoughts. If the language associated with those thoughts is negative, it determines how your world turns out for you. The impact of fear, anxiety, or resentment can produce a negative result. If you consciously tell yourself and direct your focus to more rational, calming thoughts, then the negative thoughts will disappear.

The result depends on the programming your subconscious and unconscious mind have put in place since you were born.

It’s a process known as “structural determinism.” Once our way of being is “hard-wired,” it’s difficult, but not impossible, to reprogram (unlearn) and regenerate with fresh thinking. That’s why it’s important to reflect on what we are focusing on and question the assumptions we are basing our choices on.

Deciding how we think and what thoughts we allow into our minds will determine our destiny, producing good or bad outcomes from our actions. If we take responsibility for our experiences, we can choose how we interpret and respond to them—the essence of life leadership.

Using your Imagination

The other important ability of the conscious mind is to visualise a different life movie. Our mind can imagine something that is new and unique by using our inner producer, scriptwriter, director, and actor. See Movie Makers.

Our subconscious mind offers perspectives from memories it has stored from past experiences. Thinking about what you would do if you won millions on the lottery is enough to produce a new life movie in your subconscious mind as if it were happening. This is you being a powerful conscious observer of your language, mood, and body positioning. See Way of Being.

More on the Subconscious Mind

The subconscious mind holds on to the neuro-linguistic programming and sensory data held in our nervous system to make it readily available to aid our thinking and our imagination. It is a bit like our computer’s RAM of short-term memory and rapid access to the programmes we use every day.

The subconscious works hard to ensure we can access our memories and habits to produce “unconscious competence”. It enables us to drive a car, shave or apply makeup without much conscious thought. It also tests your assessments for meaning, validity, and alignment with your values and beliefs.

The subconscious is always alert to what is occurring, being much more aware of your surroundings than you realise. The conscious mind can only process about 10% of the data it receives from its senses, the subconscious about 60%, and the unconscious about 30%—most of what your brain processes and uses is hidden from your conscious awareness.

Our unconscious mind is inaccessible, but our subconscious can be directed by our conscious mind. That means the subconscious produces emotions and feelings depending on what we think about and the connections made with our memories.

More on the Unconscious Mind.

Our unconscious mind holds on to deeper memories and programmes, usually through metaphors, symbols and emotional predispositions we have held on to since birth. If we want significant change at a deeper level, then this is the place to work on. See Clean Language.

Unconscious is the term Psychologists and Psychiatrists use to refer to the thoughts that emerge continuously and cannot be stopped.  They emerge when given the right trigger, such as a question.

What was the name of your best friend when you started school? You may have to think about it for a while before it reaches your conscious mind. Or, it will not appear no matter how hard you try. Sometimes, hypnosis can help to reconnect the conscious mind to unconscious memories.

The subconscious mind is almost the same, but the difference is that the unconscious is  “closer to the surface” and more easily accessible to the conscious mind. Our ‘phone number will probably be accessed quickly. If not, it will slip out of our unconscious mind, and we will struggle to remember it.

If we want to affect change in our lives at a deeper or “soul” level, we have to work on the neurological patterns and language programs held in the unconscious mind.

As the leader of our life, we are continuously in charge of our own thoughts as we direct our focus of attention and visualise the “movie” we want our subconscious mind to replay. Do this often enough (and with enough emotional energy) and we will start to reprogramme our stories and beliefs to self-author our experience.

When this happens, we’ll experience a change at a very deep level!

It’s very much a top down approach. After all, it’s how our habits, behaviours and beliefs were created in the first place. Give it a try and see how you go – remember to enjoy the change journey!