The Powerful Mind

Upon finishing Atomic Habits by James Clear, I have been left with the overwhelming feeling that the goals I once relegated to the realm of impossibilities may become realities for me today. The notion that illuminated this idea is the power of the mind—something we all possess.

There is not a single thing we do that our mind does not dictate, not a single action we take that our brain does not plan out. This is not a difficult concept; it is one we all know and accept. And within this concept lies the ability to transform our lives into something we admire.

Let’s examine two different descriptions of the same action: One is boring, causes a little pain, is difficult to perform, and drains your energy. It is the last thing you want to do after a long day of work. The other makes you feel healthy, improves your mood, allows you to feel the pain and exhaustion of your body growing stronger, and serves as the perfect way to end the day while preparing you for food, rest, and sleep. Which of these two sounds more appealing? Most of us would choose the second description as the preferable one—and rightly so. As you may have guessed, these two descriptions refer to the same action: exercise.

My purpose in outlining these descriptions is to suggest that, since one is pleasing to our minds, we can consciously attach ourselves to that perspective to generate motivation for exercising. Our minds are powerful, and the way we choose to think about anything in this world directly affects our behavior toward it.

When was the last time you happily did something you thought negatively of? Or the last time you begrudgingly did something you anticipated with excitement? This correlation between mindset, mood, and action forms the foundation for using the power of your mind to accomplish your goals. This is the essence of a powerful mind.