“Your thoughts construct patterns like scaffolding in your mind. You are really etching chemical patterns. In most cases, people get stuck in those patterns just like grooves on a record and they never get out of them.” Steve Jobs
Herein lies the power and danger of our minds. When something significant happens in life, patterns are etched into our psyche. It could be meeting our first love or losing her. It could be a traumatic event or a celebration. And it can be something as small as someone we respect telling us we’ll never succeed.
These types of significant events leave marks on us, and if we are not aware of their power, we might replay them in our minds until permanence sets in.
Think back to your childhood, to a time someone you respected said something to you that’s stayed with you for more than a decade. This is the power of words; it’s how they can etch patterns into our minds.
It’s important to realize we hold this same power. The things we say to others have the power to cut them down or build them up. We get to choose. But, what most fail to realize is we have the same ability to etch patterns into our minds. The power to face ourselves in a mirror and repeat something every day until we begin to believe it and then act accordingly.
Jim Carey’s story is a powerful example. In 1985, he wrote himself a check for 10 million dollars. In the memo line he wrote ‘For Acting Services Rendered.’ He post-dated the check for 10 years later, hung on to it, and referenced it often. In 1994, he was cast in the hit movie Dumb and Dumber.
Can you guess how much he was paid for that role? If you guessed 10 million, you’re correct. Our minds hold more power than we know. We can etch patterns into our thinking if we are proactive with this power. This can be a very positive thing.
So remember, your thoughts construct patterns like scaffolding in your mind. You are really etching chemical patterns. In most cases, people get stuck in those patterns just like grooves on a record and they never get out of them.
Bits of Wisdom Podcast #50