⚡ Get All Content for 20% Off ⚡

Don't Read This! (It's Only the Most Valuable Psychology Hack You Can Learn.) Changing self-defeating thought patterns is easier than most people think.

By Daniel DiPiazza

entrepreneur daily

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Shutterstock

"Don't touch: wet paint."

How many times have you seen that and wanted to touch the wet paint? How many times have you seen that sign, ignored it, and done the thing you've been explicitly told not to do?

If you're anything like me, I'm guessing a lot! (But maybe I'm just a rebel like that.)

Don't think of a blue tree.

Did you think of the blue tree? You thought of the tree, didn't you! Even though I specifically told you not to think of a blue tree…that's what you did.

Weird, right?

Maybe this seems funny. (That's because it is.)

But it also touches on deeply rooted psychological forces that influence our everyday experience and our relationship with ourselves. For example…

How many times have you said to yourself..."Don't mess this up," or "Don't be an idiot," or "I don't want to fail"?

Psychologically, what do you think happens when you say these things?

Your mind latches onto messing up, being an idiot, being a failure.

The unconscious mind can't handle the word "don't." It concept doesn't compute. The math doesn't make sense.

When you say "I don't want to fail," you're giving your brain nearly infinite ideas to ponder over.

Related: 5 Thoughts That Crush Success

...Infinity minus one, to be precise. (The one being "don't fail.")

Not very good odds.

Because your brain can't possibly comprehend all of these possibilities, it focuses on the one thing you have given it: failing.

You end up focusing on the one thing you didn't want to focus on.

Related: 6 Questions to Answer Before Deciding You Can't Stand Your Job Another Day

The irony.

What would happen if you changed "I don't want to fail" to "I want to succeed"?

It would be like changing "don't think of a blue tree" to "think of a blue tree."

Related: Stop Listening to These 5 Self-Limiting Beliefs Stunting Your Business

When you don't want to think of a blue true, you end up thinking about a blue tree because "infinity minus one" possibilities is too many to handle. You're setting yourself up for failure. You're directly undermining your intention. Yikes.

On the other hand, when you want to think of a blue true, it's easy to call it to mind. You choose to think of something you want. You choose to be specific over being abstract.

If you live your life saying "I don't want" you will be thinking a lot about all the things you don't want, which is exactly what you'll end up with.

If you live your life saying "I want", you will be thinking about all the specific things you do want, and that's exactly what you'll end up with.

But don't believe me.

Daniel DiPiazza is the founder of Alpha Mentorship and the director of the Profit Paradigm accelerator for agency owners.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

The Remote Side Hustle a 43-Year-Old Musician Works on for 1 Hour a Day Earns Nearly $3,000 a Month: 'All From the Comfort of Home'

Sam Ziegler wanted to supplement his income as a professional drummer — then his tech skills and desire to help people came together.

Business News

Costco CFO Reveals Uncertain Fate of $1.50 Hot Dog and Soda Combo

CFO Richard Galanti reveals that the price will stay the same — but only "for a while."

Business News

The Most Unexpectedly Popular Side Hustle of the Decade Has Low Startup Costs and High Markups

A new report shows that vending machines are a popular investment — and the industry is set to grow up to $3 billion by 2031.

Marketing

Ever Wonder Why Certain Websites Rank Higher Than Yours? This SEO Expert Reveals The Secret to Dominating Search Results

It's often the smart use of SEO, now supercharged with AI, particularly in keyword optimization.

Business News

AI Is Impacting Jobs. Here Are the Gigs Affected the Most, According to an Analysis of 5 Million Upwork Postings

The researcher said in the report that freelance jobs were analyzed first because that market will likely see AI's immediate impact.

Leadership

Former Interrogator Shares 5 Behaviors Liars Exhibit and How to Handle Them

Five deceptive behaviors to look for and how to respond to those behaviors when you encounter them.