Author: John Hargrave
Synopsis |
Mind Hacking (2016) is an ultimate guide to hacking your mind in just 21 days. With the tips in this book, you can develop healthier and better habits and ultimately a lifestyle in less than a month. |
Detailed Summary of Mind Hacking
In Mind Hacking, John Hargrave talks about meta-thinking, mind games, and patterns of concentration. According to him, steering yourself towards a healthier lifestyle is not just about positive self-talk rather it is about changing the whole system through which our minds have been evolving.
It is like learning a new programming language but for your brain. Humans in the modern world have even hacked computers and artificial intelligence systems, so why not learn to hack the most important device that controls us from our birth to death?
Mind Hacking is all about observing when and where our attention goes, grabbing it, and turning it toward the things we need. It will teach you to battle negative behaviors that you have learned over time so that you can replace them with positive and profiting habits.
In addition to that, it sheds light on important strategies like writing, planning, rewarding, and visualizing that bring us closer to our goals and improve the quality of our lives.
Mind Hacking Summary Key Points
What comes to your mind when you hear Mind hacking? Most probably people think that it links with the hijacking of the mind with just positivity. However, mind hacking is related to training your mind to see absolute good, improving mental health, and eliminating negative and pessimistic thoughts. In the following key points, you will learn how to beat negative thoughts to live life more peacefully and meaningfully.
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Take Control of Your Attention
You either pay attention voluntarily or it is reflexive. For example, while reading a book or while preparing for your exam you put all of your attention towards learning. This is a voluntary effort. On the other hand, if something heavy falls near you right now your attention will be quickly shifted towards it. This is a reflex.
According to John Hargrave, if you want to reprogram your brain you need to fully direct your attention toward this task. No more distractions. When we come across a distraction our brain labels it as a ‘pending task.’ So get rid of those board games, social media accounts, Netflix, and Spotify. It’s time to focus, folks!
To improve your concentration, you need to choose any technique that works for you. The author recommends sitting in a quiet place and concentrating on ones breathing then scanning one’s self from head to toe so that the focus remains in one place. You can also try meditation or yoga. The trick is to set up a cue and a reward.
A cue is something that will remind you of that activity. For example, setting up some time for meditation daily and rewarding yourself with a cup of coffee later. By practicing this daily, your attention will improve drastically.
Mend those Loops
Just like a computer works on loops, a human works on certain habits and patterns. Some of these habits are positive while some are negative. Remember that we have the ability to mend these and this ability lies in our brain.
Before we step forward and try to improve our loops we need to step back and analyze them. Which habits work for our benefit and which work against us? Many of these loops are just products of our environments. They are influenced by society and are not much beneficial.
Ask yourself why something is bothering you, why you keep failing in a certain area of life, or why something hurts you time and again. There might be a faulty look at work. Another way to mend these faulty loops is thinking about the ‘worst case scenario’.
If you are scared of something ask yourself what is the worse that can happen. This will allow you to pinpoint the intensity of the situation. Many times our fears are just irrational.
Writing Things Down Can Help
You might observe in your daily life that some people love lists and diaries. They keep track of everything. What they need to do, what they have to accomplish, how much they spend, and what they ate in a day. While this might seem a bit too extensive for you, research shows that you are more likely to achieve your goals if you write them down.
Similar research showed that people who kept weight loss diaries were able to stick to their weight loss goals. They could keep track of what they had eaten and how they could control their calorie intake.
Revisiting what you write can bring you clarity. Things start to make more sense on paper than they do in our heads. As you develop the habit of writing, you can also write your positive thought looks in places that you can frequently see.
Think that You Are Already There
Visualization is one of the most powerful means of achieving personal goals. Audrey Flack thinks that one should visualize what one wants to do before they do it. Visualization is so powerful that when we know what we want, we will certainly get it.
Recalling your goals time and again and visualizing yourself achieving them makes you believe that you have the ability to achieve them no matter what. It is an essential and effective practice if you want to rewire your mind.
Mind Hacking Quotes
“You can’t force your mind to stop thinking negative thoughts…What we are after is not mind control but mind training.” –John Hargrave
“At this point, you have a choice. While you are certainly aware of your mind, the challenge in mind hacking is to increase your powers of awareness” –John Hargrave
Mind Hacking Review
Mind Hacking is a very light, candid, and practical guide. The language used by John Hargrave is very interesting and different from the usual self-help books. You will be learning new stuff like mind movies and mental loops.
To Whom I Would Recommend Mind Hacking Summary
- To the eighteen-year-old nerd who wants to reinvent his whole personality.
- To the thirty-two-year-old who feels trapped in his personality.
- To anyone who is up to the challenge of transforming their minds in just 21 days.
Link: https://amzn.to/3vPwrHp