[VIDEO] Duncan Nugget® #350: What You Don’t Want

Your mind cannot directly process a negative.

When told not to do something, your mind has to picture doing it first before it can process not doing it. I’ll prove it to you.

Don’t think about your favorite color.

Don’t think about relaxing on the beach on a perfect day.

Don’t think about a pink elephant with blue polka dots and green wings.

Do you see what just happened? Even if it was only for a split second, you thought about each of those things because your mind processes information using images.

Since your unconscious mind does not distinguish between reality and imagination, if you are thinking “I don’t want to fail this test” then you briefly experience failing the test. Not cool.

Work on telling yourself (and other people) what you DO want.

Million-Dollar Question:
Are you focused on what you don’t want or what you DO want?

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ACTION STEPS & DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. “I don’t want to fail this test” is an example of a goal that is focused on what you don’t want. Write this goal in positive terms so that it is focused on what you do want.

2. Write down 3 of your goals. Look carefully at the language you used to write them. Are you using positive or negative language? If any of your goals are written in negative terms, rewrite them in positive language that focuses on what you want.

3. What are some of the reasons and/or excuses that cause many people focus on what they don’t want? How do you or will you keep those reasons/excuses from having the same effect on you?