Ten Simple Ways to Take Back Your Brain and Own Your Life

Do you ever feel like you’re not in charge of your own life, that you’re just a cog in the machine of life? Or, maybe you think there is nothing you can do to change the world; there are a lot of big problems, but there’s nothing you can do about that. If so, that’s probably because your brain is running on software uploaded by the world around you, not your own. It doesn’t have to be this way, though, because you are the one who has true ownership or your brain, and through it you can create and live the life you really want. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Believe in your brain.
   Most people have amazing brains, but few people act like that’s true. Instead, our world of endless competition and social comparison has taught them the idea that some people have amazing minds, such as Einstein or the class valedictorian, and everyone else is ordinary, but this is not true. Every brain has the capacity to learn, create, and solve problems, but you cannot use its full potential if you don’t believe in it first. That’s why you must always tell your brain, no matter how hard things get, “I can do it!”
2. Drop preconceptions.
   As we grow older and experience more of the world, it is easy to say to oneself, “This is how it has always been. This is how it will always be.” We apply that kind of thinking to ourselves, thinking our lives can’t change or that our abilities are limited, and we apply it to the world and other people, too. In reality, though, these are simply patterns of behavior and thinking that we have come to accept. If we want anything to change, we must first realize that something else is possible.
3. Set a lofty goal.
   If you want to become a truly admirable person, set a worthy goal for yourself. This should not be an ordinary, simple goal, however. It should be something that genuinely excites and motivates you, and it should be something that really stretches and challenges you since otherwise you will not truly grow. It should be something that make you feel joyful to think about and that seems almost beyond your reach.
4. Use your imagination.
   You cannot change anything if you do not use your imagination. Imagination is the human brain’s most special and powerful ability; every great idea in both the arts and the sciences started with this. First, use it to imagine who you can be and what you think you can do in the world; use it to find your highest vision for your life. Then, use it to overcome obstacles you face along the way.
5. Develop positive habits.
   It has been said that choices are what separate successful from unsuccessful people, so habits are vitally important. Habits determine how we use our precious time; good habits are time well spend for our betterment, while bad habit waste our time and suck away our time and our health. It takes only 21 days to ingrain a positive habit into our brain, thanks to our brains “plasticity,” which allows us to learn and change.
6. Take actions toward your dream now.
   Procrastination is the greatest enemy of change, so change that habit now, if you have that tendency. You do not have to take a big, flying leap toward your dream; just develop a habit of taking small steps in that direction until you have arrived where you want to be.
7. View failure as a blessing.
   Too often, people think that, because they have made mistakes or their plans never worked out like they had hoped, they are simply a failure in life with no chance to succeed. Really, failure is just an important learning experience in disguise. Failure is a chance for your brain to say, “Okay, now I know that doesn’t work. What can I do now that’s better?” Failure is never a problem, unless you use it as an excuse to give up.
8. Never give up.
   If you have chosen a truly worthy goal for yourself, it will be hard sometimes. There will be times when you feel like stopping because it is harder than you ever imagined, and sometimes completion will seem impossible. But, this it the most important time to keep going toward your dream because this is your chance to really grow, the chance to go from ordinary to extraordinary.
9. Stay in the moment.
   Whatever difficulties you face, it is important to stay focused within the moment. After all, this moment now is really the only time we ever have; both past and future are out of our control. While it important to have a goal to visualize for your future, there is no use in dreamily thinking only of that without acting in the present moment. By the same token, dwelling on the past, whether negative or positive, is of little use. The accomplishments of the past are nice to celebrate, but whatever we need to do now is far more important, if we want to move forward.
10. Be true to your True Self.
    Shakespeare famously said, “Above all, to thine own self be true.” That might sound selfish at first but remember that you can not be any good to anyone if you aren’t first true to yourself. This means finding out what your True Self, your unadulterated, pure self, needs and wants for your life.

All of these actions are facilitated by a clear mind. A steady meditation practice, such as the Pineal Gland Meditation techniques I talk about in my book, Connect: How to Find Clarity and Expand Your Consciousness with Pineal Gland Meditation helps you clear away the past and see your True Self in the present. That clarity also helps you move forward into the future.

“Take back your brain” is another way of saying, “find your purpose and live your happiness.” You are a unique human being with a unique brain that is perfectly suited to the mission you are meant to fulfill in this lifetime. So, just as you would never let someone highjack your car or take over your home, don’t let anyone try to take control of your brain away from you. Don’t let them feed it unhealthy and negative information that is of no use to you. Find out who you are meant to be and use your amazing brain to work toward that vision of yourself, day by day, minute by minute.