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Have you ever set a goal with full excitement, only to watch your motivation slowly fade away? Maybe you promised yourself you’d wake up early, eat healthier, or start a new habit. For a few days, you stuck with it. But then, somehow, you slipped back into your old routines. It can be frustrating and confusing. You might even start to think you’re just lazy or not disciplined enough. But what if the real reason is something deeper—something hidden inside your own mind?
“Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.” – Carl Jung
That something is your subconscious mind. Most people are not aware of how powerful it is or how much it controls their daily behaviour. It often works against our goals—not because it wants to hurt us, but because it’s simply doing its job. The subconscious mind is like a silent force that drives our habits, beliefs, and reactions. If you don’t understand how it works, it can easily sabotage even your best intentions. But if you learn to work with it instead of against it, you can achieve more than you ever imagined.
The Two Minds Inside You
Your mind has two main parts: the conscious mind and the subconscious mind. The conscious mind is the part you’re aware of. It’s where you think, analyse, plan, and make decisions. When you say, “I want to lose weight,” or “I will start saving money,” that’s your conscious mind talking.
The subconscious mind, on the other hand, is always working in the background. It stores your past experiences, emotions, memories, and most of your habits. It controls your automatic behaviours, like how you brush your teeth or drive a car. You don’t think about these actions consciously—they just happen. That’s the subconscious in action.
The tricky part is this: the subconscious mind is much stronger than the conscious mind. It runs about 90–95% of your daily actions. That means even if you consciously want something, if your subconscious mind doesn’t agree, it will quietly steer you in the opposite direction.
How the Subconscious Mind Sabotages You
Let’s look at a common example: trying to lose weight. You might set a goal to eat healthy and exercise. For a week or two, you follow your plan. Then, slowly, you find yourself eating junk food again or skipping workouts. You didn’t plan to do that—but it just happened. Why?
Because your subconscious mind still believes in the old pattern. Maybe, growing up, you were comforted with food when you were sad. Or maybe you believe deep down that “dieting is hard” or “I’m just not the kind of person who can stay fit.” These beliefs were formed over time and now sit in your subconscious. When your conscious efforts fade, your subconscious beliefs take over and pull you back to what feels familiar and safe.
It’s the same with money, relationships, career goals, or any other area of life. If your subconscious beliefs conflict with your goals, they will create resistance. You might procrastinate, doubt yourself, or feel unmotivated—without fully understanding why.
The Subconscious Loves Familiarity
One important thing to know is that the subconscious mind doesn’t care about your goals—it cares about safety and familiarity. Its job is to protect you and keep you alive. And it does that by repeating what it knows, even if those habits are harmful or outdated.
If you’ve been poor all your life, your subconscious might think wealth is unfamiliar and unsafe. If you’ve always been shy, your subconscious might see confidence as risky. That’s why you might feel anxiety when stepping out of your comfort zone. The subconscious is not trying to harm you—it’s just trying to return you to what feels “normal.”
This is why change is hard. You are not just trying to build a new habit—you’re also trying to rewire a system that has been running for years, sometimes decades. It’s like trying to steer a massive ship that’s been going in one direction for a long time. It takes effort, patience, and the right tools.
Awareness Is the First Step
You can’t change what you’re not aware of. So the first step in mastering your subconscious mind is to notice your patterns. Pay attention to how you react in different situations. What thoughts come up when you try to change? What do you tell yourself when things get hard?
Start writing these things down. Journaling can help you bring hidden beliefs to the surface. For example, if you often say, “I’m not good enough,” “I always fail,” or “Success is not for people like me,” these are subconscious beliefs that need to be addressed.
Be kind to yourself during this process. You didn’t choose these beliefs—they were often picked up from childhood, past experiences, or even society. But now that you’re aware of them, you have the power to change them.
Reprogramming Your Subconscious Mind
Once you’ve identified the beliefs that are holding you back, you can begin the process of reprogramming. This doesn’t happen overnight, but with repetition and emotion, you can plant new ideas into your subconscious.
1. Affirmations
Positive affirmations are simple statements you repeat to yourself daily. They should be in the present tense and emotionally strong. For example:
- “I am confident and capable.”
- “I deserve success and happiness.”
- “I attract opportunities and take bold action.”
Say them with feeling, preferably in front of a mirror. It might feel awkward at first, but over time, your subconscious will start to accept these new ideas.
2. Visualization
Your brain doesn’t know the difference between a real event and a vividly imagined one. That’s why visualization is so powerful. Close your eyes and imagine yourself already living your goal. See it, feel it, believe it. The more real it feels, the more your subconscious will accept it as your new reality.
3. Hypnosis and Meditation
These techniques help quiet the conscious mind and open the subconscious to new suggestions. You don’t need to be an expert—there are many free guided meditations and hypnosis tracks online designed for specific goals like confidence, wealth, or weight loss.
4. Repetition
Repetition is the language of the subconscious. Just like how a song gets stuck in your head after hearing it many times, your subconscious absorbs beliefs through repeated exposure. Be consistent. The more you practice your new thoughts and behaviours, the stronger they become.
Replace, Don’t Resist
One of the biggest mistakes people make when trying to change their habits is resisting their old behaviour with brute force. The more you try to fight a thought, urge, or habit, the more power you give it. This is a psychological effect often referred to as the “ironic process theory”—when you try to suppress a thought, it actually becomes more persistent.
That’s why trying to stop a bad habit without replacing it is rarely successful in the long term. If you’re used to snacking at night because it helps you cope with boredom or stress, telling yourself “don’t eat” might work for a day or two. But unless you fill that emotional or psychological void with a healthier substitute—like journaling, stretching, or even calling a friend—you’ll eventually go back to what your subconscious finds familiar and comforting.
Instead of resisting, redirect. Replace negative self-talk with empowering affirmations. Replace harmful habits with productive ones. If you’re trying to build a new routine, make it enjoyable so your subconscious accepts it without resistance. The goal is to make the new behaviour feel safe, satisfying, and natural. That’s when the subconscious mind will begin to adopt it willingly.
Over time, your brain forms new neural pathways through this process—a concept known as neuroplasticity. As you consistently replace old reactions with new ones, your mind rewires itself to support the change effortlessly.
Environment Matters
We often underestimate how much our surroundings influence us. Your subconscious is like a sponge—it absorbs everything from your environment, including the language people use around you, the attitudes you see, the media you consume, and even the unspoken energy of a room.
If you’re trying to change your beliefs about money, but you’re surrounded by people who constantly complain about being broke or who say “money is evil,” those messages will slowly seep into your subconscious. Similarly, if you’re trying to build self-confidence but regularly hang around critical, negative individuals, your progress will be much harder.
That’s why your environment should reflect your goals. Surround yourself with people who uplift, challenge, and believe in growth. Curate your inputs—read inspiring books, watch educational videos, follow positive influencers, and listen to empowering podcasts. Even changing the visual cues in your space can help: a vision board, motivational quotes, or a clean, organized workspace can send powerful signals to your subconscious.
One simple habit is to declutter your space. A messy environment often mirrors a chaotic inner world. By cleaning and organizing your surroundings, you signal to your subconscious that you’re ready for clarity, control, and a fresh chapter.
Your environment can either support or sabotage your success. Choose wisely, because your subconscious is always listening and learning from what it sees and hears every day.
Be Patient With the Process
Mastering your subconscious mind is not a quick fix—it’s a journey. Many people give up too soon because they expect instant results. But remember, your current habits and beliefs took years to form. Rewiring your subconscious takes time, repetition, and compassion.
Think of it like growing a plant. You plant the seed (a new belief or habit), but you don’t see results right away. You need to water it daily (with repetition and action), protect it from weeds (negative influences), and give it sunlight (positive reinforcement). Eventually, with consistent care, it grows into something beautiful and lasting.
It’s also natural to face setbacks. There will be days when old habits creep back in or when doubts resurface. Don’t see these as failures. They’re part of the process. The key is to stay consistent and keep moving forward, even if progress feels slow. Every step you take—no matter how small—signals to your subconscious that you’re serious about change.
Practice self-compassion during this time. Be gentle with yourself. Celebrate the small wins, like choosing a healthier meal, saying no to a temptation, or catching a negative thought before it spirals. These moments matter more than you think.
Patience is more than just waiting—it’s the act of trusting that your daily actions are building the life you want, even when you can’t see the results yet. Keep going. Your subconscious is learning, growing, and adapting with every conscious effort you make.
You Are in Control
This may be the most important truth of all: You are not a victim of your subconscious—you are its master in the making. While it may feel like your subconscious is working against you, remember that it is programmable. And the one holding the controls is you.
You have the power to choose what thoughts you entertain, what beliefs you challenge, and what actions you take each day. The more you consciously practice new thoughts and behaviours, the more your subconscious will align with them. Over time, the gap between who you are and who you want to be begins to close.
This doesn’t mean you’ll never struggle or that all your problems will vanish overnight. But it means you’ll no longer feel helpless. You’ll understand that setbacks are not signs of failure—they’re just opportunities to redirect your focus and strengthen your inner programming.
One of the best tools for reclaiming control is intentional living. Start your day with purpose. Set a daily intention. Visualize your goals. Feed your mind with empowering thoughts. Speak to yourself like you would to someone you love. Little by little, you train your subconscious to support your vision rather than resist it.
Final Thought
In the end, your subconscious mind is not your enemy—it’s a loyal servant. It will carry out whatever instructions you give it repeatedly. Make those instructions strong, positive, and clear. Because once your subconscious becomes your ally, the success you once dreamed of becomes the reality you live in.
Dr. Joseph Murphy, the author of The Power of Your Subconscious Mind, once said, “Just keep your conscious mind busy with expectation of the best.” That means keep focusing on what you want, not what you fear. Speak to yourself with kindness. Imagine the life you want. Train your mind to believe that it is already yours.
Because once your subconscious and conscious minds are working together, there’s almost nothing you can’t achieve.
The Wealth Code: Volume 1 is a personal development and financial education book written by Vinod Singh. It is designed to empower readers by teaching them principles of wealth creation, financial freedom, and personal growth. The book offers practical strategies to achieve financial success, with a vision to uplift and transform the lives of millions by promoting financial literacy and entrepreneurial thinking. Singh’s approach is rooted in inspiring individuals to take control of their financial destinies while cultivating a mindset focused on long-term success and abundance.
