Mind Traps-Overcome the traps that stop your success

 

 

 

 

 

Mind Traps Notes

Mind Trap #1 Expectation – This is a problem when you expect things to always go terribly wrong, and either let that stop you from moving at all or go into the situation with your state so screwed up that it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

  • What do you expect to happen?
  • How does that affect you?
  • Is it reasonable?

Example – If I approach that girl, she will laugh at me and humiliate me in front of everybody.

Mind Trap #2 – Contingency – This is when you make one goal or act dependent upon another goal or goals happening first.

  • What does doing this allow you to avoid?
  • When you address the goal directly (think about taking step one toward the actual goal) how does that feel?

Example – Before I quit smoking, I need to lose 20 pounds and wait until spring so I will have things to do.

Mind Trap #3 – Projection – Letting others take the lead in your life by accepting their projections of what they think you should do.

  • Are you asking everyone else what you should do because you have a lack of confidence in your own ability?
  • What feelings come up when you think about doing what you want to do, without asking others what to do or thinking about what others expect of you?

Mind Trap #4 – Perfection – This is the most powerful avoidance mechanism. By waiting until you know everything you can know about something, you can infinitely avoid any movement. When you sit and wait to find that elusive last piece of information you need before you try something you are in the perfection trap.

  • If I am perfect, then I am not X.
  • What does it allow you to avoid feeling?
  • If I am perfect, it means I am X.

Example – I will go out and anchor someone when I find the best way to elicit that state.

Mind Trap #5 – Comparison – This is when you compare yourself to others to avoid moving forward.

  • I can’t be them.
  • I am not them yet.
  • I look stupid next to them.

Example – I can’t go back to grad school, because I don’t have enough energy to keep up with all of the younger people who I will be competing against.

 

Mind Trap #6– Invalidation – This is when you find an exception to the rule to prove that you are correct in not moving forward or in your assessment of the situation.

Here are a few examples

  • Not everyone
  • Not always
  • It can happen