We have all taken decisions in life that we regretted later. Decisions those result in totally different outcome from what we want to achieve. These ineffective decisions surprise us.
This is often the case with teenagers. However, this can also be true for adults who repeatedly take a series of wrong decisions without realising how counterproductive it is for them. It is like a pattern in their life.
We are often quick to judge such people. Especially when it comes to teenagers who find it difficult to match their intentions with actions. It is frustrating.

So, what is the science behind this?

We are all aware that our brain has both conscious and unconscious functions. But what is the difference between the two?
Here’s how it goes.
Our conscious brain is the part that does most of the ‘thinking’. Its capacity is to intensely focus on one thing at a time.
For example, think of searching for something with a flashlight in the dark room. The light just focuses on one particular circle at a given point. That’s how our conscious mind works. It is extremely powerful in focussing on one thing and at what it does. Nonetheless, its scope is very limited.
Let’s prove it. Take your phonebook. Randomly scan through three phone numbers. Close the book and see if you remember even one of them.
Not even one. Right! It’s ok not to be ashamed at this point.
That’s what the conscious brain is.

Let’s come to our subconscious mind now. If the conscious brain is like a flashlight, then the subconscious brain is a floodlight. It can see, focus and remember lots of information at the same time. The subconscious floodlight lights up everything at once. Though, at a subconscious level. It means, you consciously don’t have access to this or are not aware of it.
Our conscious brain is easily distracted.
Did you know that an average person loses focus six to 10 times per minute? It is true!
Now, how often does your subconscious lose focus? Try never!

So, what are we missing here?

We think that we are consciously functioning – taking decisions consciously, our will, thoughts. We think that this is ‘us’. That our conscious thought is who we are.
And that our subconscious is what is under the surface, happening in some mystic sphere of our brain, which may or may not be important to our conscious decision making process.
The key most people don’t realise is that it is not our conscious, but our subconscious that runs literally everything in our lives.

Did you hear – SUBCONSCIOUS RUNS EVERYTHING.

That is why we see so many people in negative situations and they don’t even know how they got there.
We live life we don’t want, and we ask – How did I get here even after taking such smart, thoughtful and conscious decisions?
Well, the answer is – we are where we are because of our AUTOMATIC PILOT.
All our actions program us into the life we end up with. Likewise, we just think we are conscious of our choices. Most of the time we aren’t. That’s the truth.

How do we program our life then?

Is there a way to tell the subconscious brain to take right decisions, make right choices?
Yes. There is. Think how you learnt how to walk. Or ride a bike? Tie your shoes or skateboard. The answer is by taking small positive steps repeatedly, over and over again.
It is simple right? But we do not have patience to make that effort. Lack of patience is our ‘habit’. Anything we do over and over again repeatedly is handed off to our subconscious. Moreover, it is true for developing both positive and negative habits.
If you are the kind of person who worries a lot about things in life, it just suggests that being constantly tensed, worried or for that matter having a positive behaviour is your subconscious habit where you take steps without thinking. This is where they have become your habit.
Got it!