Think It Chapter 3: How Thoughts Become Beliefs

Understand the Origins and Impact of Your Thoughts on Beliefs in Shaping Your Current and Future Reality.

Jan 13, 2025

Let’s back up and talk about the origin of our deepest, most common negative thoughts—our subconscious beliefs. It took me a long time to understand the concept and process of embedded beliefs and why they play such a critical role in how we’ve manifested our current reality. The incredibly frustrating thing about these beliefs is that you probably have no idea they even exist. Talk about annoying. And what’s worse? They’re often the opposite of what we think we believe. In other words, they are tricky little fuckers!

It’s so important that we align our beliefs with our actions so they’re both pointing in the same direction. When they’re in sync, we get our desired result—often far more easily than we ever imagined. When they’re in conflict, or going in opposing directions, all the effort in the world won’t deliver the outcome we’re trying to achieve.

So, what happens when our beliefs and actions are in conflict? You can’t get the results you want—because while your actions are trying to help you take a right turn, your beliefs have pre-programmed your mental GPS to take a left. When those signals are opposing each other, you’re stuck, it’s impossible to move forward, you're stuck in the preferable roundabout.

How Beliefs Work

The foundation for our beliefs begins when we’re very young. They come from what we see and hear in our environment—at home, in the media, at school—and from the people around us. As we grow, they become solidified by the voice in our head repeating the things we’ve absorbed. Then we unconsciously internalize all those voices, turning them into personal labels, our identity, our “personality,” and the stories we tell about who we are.

EXAMPLE: Let’s start with a simple example. Imagine that when you were five years old, you overheard your parents casually telling someone that you were “clumsy,” because you tripped over your feet a few times. No big deal to them, and maybe not even to you at the time. But a few years later, your middle school basketball coach sees you trip getting off the bus and calls you clumsy in front of the whole team. Everyone laughs. Now people at school start calling you a klutz. Eventually, you adopt it as part of your identity. You start believing you’re clumsy and bound to embarrass yourself at any moment. You believe it’s just who you are.

That belief now plays like a loop in your head, showing up in all kinds of moments—especially where you fear embarrassment. The thoughts say things like, “You’re too clumsy to dance, you’ll trip and fall,” so you don’t dance at prom. Later, you’re afraid to eat on a date because you might spill something down the front of your white shirt. You even start warning people by saying, “I’m such a klutz,” hoping it’ll soften the blow if you do something awkward. And the cycle continues, shaping your decisions and reinforcing the belief that started with an offhand comment years ago.

A slow transformation takes place when we absorb and internalize outside opinions. And the more we think about them, wonder if they’re true, or replay them in our heads, the more deeply rooted they become.

Think of our beliefs as the root system of a giant oak tree. Without strong roots, the tree can’t stand. Healthy roots mean a healthy tree. Our beliefs hold up the whole operation—they drive our thoughts, fuel our actions, and ultimately shape our results.

Beliefs + Thoughts + Actions = Results

How do we change beliefs that no longer serve us?

First, we need to identify what those beliefs are. That takes some digging and honesty. Then we need to change the thoughts that have been reinforcing those beliefs. Why? Because repetitive thoughts create beliefs. And consciously repeating new, empowered thoughts is how we rewire those beliefs.

But naturally, your mind might resist this change, arguing that the new thoughts aren’t true and will never become true. That’s okay, we don’t need to believe them on day one.

Think of every time you’ve retold a story—how little embellishments creep in over time with each retelling. Eventually, you can’t remember which parts are factual memories and which are the embellishments. It’s this same principle of mental pliability that we tap into here, knowing that if you say something often enough, you’ll begin to believe it.

Our brain doesn’t know the difference between truth and a lie—when the lie is repeated over time.

There are many scientific studies (thinkers, go check them out on Google—there’s tons!) that proves our brains quickly adapt and modify reality when we repeatedly, and with conviction, tell it a new story. It’s called Neuroplasticity, brain cells that fire together, wire together. With repetition, our minds overwrite the truth, replacing it with the new “modified” reality, and start believing it to be true instead.

So, why wouldn’t we use this existing process to our greatest advantage? This is the best brain hack—it’s mental training at its finest.

And mental fitness is the ultimate form of self-care.

The more you use these positive statements and focus on the outcomes you want, the quicker you’ll begin to believe them, and the faster they’ll begin manifesting. Over time, your mind will get fed up with the internal argument, and those negative thoughts will start to decrease. As they recede and the positive statement takes their place, you’ll feel much more motivated to take action. The more motivated you are, the more work you’ll put in. The more you hustle for what you want, the more opportunities will come your way—and the faster you’ll get it.

It’s a simple, connected formula that we can implement to get anything we want.

Can you see how a motto or affirmation, even one that felt like a lie at first, sets off a positive domino effect? It has the power to impact motivation, actions, words, beliefs, hustle, and ultimately your results. It’s so freakin’ cool!

Personal Work

Take a moment to uncover your beliefs. Write down anything and everything that comes to mind about the following topics—or anything else that feels important. Be 100% honest. Don’t filter. You can’t rewire a belief you haven’t identified.

What do I believe about myself?
What do I believe about my capabilities?
What kind of person, parent, friend, partner, or co-worker am I?
What do I believe about money?
What do I believe about my potential for success, happiness, or getting what I want?
Generally speaking, what do I believe about people?
What do I believe about God, the Universe, or my faith?
What do I believe about love?

Now that you understand how your beliefs are formed and how they shape your reality, it’s time to take the next step in our knowledge and understanding of the fundamental building blocks of Think It. In chapter 4 you’ll be learning my revolutionary concept of mental offense and defense. Understanding this is the key to getting new results using the Think It tools.

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