| 12 Tricks Your Brain is Playing on You Posted: 27 Dec 2010 12:09 AM PST  Is your mind playing tricks on you and robbing you of your happiness? Our minds are complex and are often our own worst enemies when it comes to being happy. Really. Our own brains that we know and love deceive us into thinking something is right when it is really wrong, that we're in love when we're not, etc. Recognizing and debunking these traps your mind leads you into is essential to realizing a lasting happiness, into creating stronger relationships, and to succeeding in your career.
Check out this list to see if you are being deceived by your own mind! I'd be willing to bet that you have been.
- I'd be happier if I just had less to do
Our minds often try to trick us into thinking we'd be happier if we didn't have to work. We imagine a life of leisure and deceive ourselves into thinking this kind of lifestyle would make us happy. However, the truth is that idleness often leads to boredom and depression. We are industrious, creative beings. We need challenge and accomplishment to be happy. Get up and invest yourself into something significant and you will find that your happiness factor will rise!
- It's not me, it's you
Many times our minds lead us to believe we are unhappy due to our spouse, parents or some other person in our lives. We throw blame around like food in a middle school cafeteria. Of course, it takes two to tango. As Dr. Phil asks, "How's that workin' for ya?" Generally, we are as much, if not more, to blame than others in our lives. We need to accept responsibility for our situation and do our part to make the best of it. Taking personal responsibility for our actions is the beginning of true happiness.
- I just need to discover the secret to success to be happy
I am convinced that there are no "secrets" to happiness or success. As much as authors, publishers and our own minds would like to convince us that shortcuts exist, they do not. Living a successful life is pretty simple. You create a vision for the future, formulate a strategy and then work hard to achieve it. There are no shortcuts or secrets to this formula. Accepting this will get you much further down the path to happiness than anything else.
- If I just had...
Our minds deceive us into thinking we'll be happy when we get the right job or the right house or the right car or whatever. There is nothing wrong with wanting better things or circumstances, but these do not automatically make us happy. They may create a temporary high, but this quickly wears off. Those wanting a lasting happiness must acknowledge that this is a bottomless pit that we can never fill.
- I like things just the way they are and never want them to change
Believing this is just letting yourself be set up for a fall. Life is a journey of constant change. Some of which we control and some we don't. Resisting change or trying to control the change out of life is self-defeating. It will drain you and rob you of your happiness. Change is inevitable. You must accept this and learn to go with the flow. Being adaptable is very important to your happiness.
- If it hasn't happened yet for me, it never will
Our minds often get discouraged and disillusioned when success is just around the corner for us. Colonel Sanders didn't start franchising his KFC restaurants until he was 65, forty years after he started serving chicken at his service station. Perseverance is very important in achieving happiness. Never let your mind trick you into giving up. You don't know what tomorrow holds. One more day may be all it will take to realize your dream!
- I'll just avoid the things I don't like doing
It is usually the difficult tasks that our minds try to trick us into avoiding. Unfortunately, these are oftentimes the very things that would result in the greatest rewards for us. What do you put off doing? Why? Procrastination and avoidance of completing important tasks or resolving nagging issues only delays your march to happiness. Attack these head-on and you will find a deep sense of gratification that will fuel your happiness.
- The world is scary and something bad might happen to me
Our minds tell us there are a lot of things beyond our control. For instance, the way that crime and terror is sensationalized on television might lead us to think that bad guys are lurking around every corner waiting to do dastardly deeds to us. However, crime rates have actually fallen in recent years. According to FBI statistics, violent crime is lower now than it was 20 years ago! Fear is a powerful emotion our brains use to get the better of us. We must seek and trust the facts to break free and be happy!
- I'll decide when I know for sure what to do
Over-thinking every decision will leave you stymied. Weighing the risks, analyzing the possibilities and making a plan are important, but nothing ever happens until a decision is made and action is taken. We very rarely have perfect information when making choices. Stop sweating it so much! Failure is not the end of the world. Napoleon Hill writes, "Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit." Don't let your mind trap you into over-analyzing everything!
- I know I shouldn't , but
Our minds try to trick us into denying the effects of our bad habits and rationalizing our behavior with flimsy excuses. This seems especially common with health issues. For example, have you heard someone say, "I know I shouldn't smoke, but it helps me keep the weight off." Or, how about, "I know I shouldn't eat this, but life just isn't worth living if I can't enjoy it." A major health issue like cancer, heart disease, or diabetes will certainly challenge your happiness. Don't let your mind get away with this trick!
- Dreams only come true for those that are lucky
Thomas Jefferson said, "I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it." Our minds will sometimes trick us into thinking we are victims of fate. They will lead us to believe "nothing good ever happens to me". What our brains credit as the luck of others, generally is the result of years of practice, hard work and preparation. Pursue your dream with your whole heart and you might be surprised at the "luck" that comes your way.
- I could never
Our brains often trick us into thinking we can't. For example, have you heard, "I could never go back to school. I don't have the money." or "I can't learn to do that. I'm too old." Don't fall for this trick! Your mind is very persuasive in the way it uses this one. It will lead you around like a dog on a leash if you let it. You are full of potential and although your circumstances might add a degree of difficulty, it is nothing that a little persistence and ingenuity can't overcome. Henry Ford said, "Whether you think that you can, or that you can't, you are usually right."
Don't let these tricks steal your happiness!
See how our minds play tricks on us? If you identified with one or more of the cons on this list, don't despair! The truth will set you free! You now have the power to overcome these deceptions because you can see right through them. Enjoy your new found happiness!
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| 21 Excellent Tips For an Amazing & Productive New Year Posted: 26 Dec 2010 08:36 AM PST  This is that time of the year when your mind is ruled by the thoughts of the upcoming year and what it might bring for you. You start making plans and resolutions to make the most of the next 365 days. You want to be more enthusiastic, more energetic and more productive next year. You want to achieve what you couldn't achieve this year. You want the year to be just awesome. Nothing wrong with the above thoughts, except that most of us fail to achieve even half of our resolutions and goals. If we could be more productive in what we do every day, and understand how to get the most out of our professional and personal lives without stressing ourselves out, I think only then we might come close to achieving the targets we set for ourselves.
In the past 2 years (more than two in fact) of my association with this site, I have produced a number of articles to help our readers get better at what they do, and enjoy life. In this article, I have decided to revisit those, and also include some other gems by my fellow DLM authors.
There are tips, tools and advice to help you have a better year ahead. Read it through, choose what's relevant to you, and implement it. I'm sure this list has something for every one. So, lets get started!
- Set the Right Goals
Setting the right goals at the beginning is important. Here are some tips to help you do that. If you are not sure what you want, and hence don't know what should be your goals, we've got you covered here too.
- Track Your Progress Towards Your Goals
Setting goals is the first step. Tracking your progress towards them is the next, and the more important step. Here are some great ways to do it.
- Get Your Finances in Order
Most of you would have one of your new year's resolutions as getting better at your finances. For the ones in a hurry, we have some five minute finance fixes. I also published a list of excellent web apps for managing your personal finances. That's something you should check out.
Oh, and never make these financial mistakes.
- Manage Time
Wish you had more than 24 hours in a day? You wouldn't if you knew how to make the most out of those 24 long hours. So, improve your time management skills and get started with one of these time management tools.
- Get Healthier
Start the new year by implementing one of these 50 ideas for a healthy lifestyle. Also check out this quick 60-second guide to healthier living.
- Shop Smarter
Shop often online? Check out these online shopping tools to help you shop smarter.
- Manage Email
Did this year feel like being a slave to your email? Well, then make sure that the next year we see you managing your email like an expert.
- Deal With RSS Overload
RSS feeds are a boon but too much of them...a big hassle? Not if you know how to read them productively. Learn to avoid RSS overload and know how you can use Google Reader productively.
- Use Your Cellphone the Right Way
Just can't keep that phone away for a second? Too hooked to it? It's time you free yourself from its shackles. And learn how to use it productively.
- Get Productive While Working On Your PC
This new year switch to Windows 7 if you haven't yet, and start working productively on your computer.
- Get Productive At Writing
It's not just about writing articles like this one. It could be writing emails, notes, letters, documents...so, in a sense, each one of you might need to do a good bit of writing next year. Here's how you can improve your writing and get it done efficiently. And if you are ever short of ideas, here are some tips to get going.
- Speed Up Web Browsing
Needless to say, a major chunk of your time next year will be consumed in browsing the web. Hence these power tips to speed up your web browsing are sure to come in handy.
- Use Wikipedia Like a Pro
This huge repository of knowledge is likely to be a site most of you visit every day next year. So, learning how to get more out of Wikipedia would make sense.
- Use Twitter Like a Pro
If you aren't on Twitter yet, there's a 99.5% chance that you'll be next year. And when you are on it, you won't be like any other Twitter newbie. You'd know how to be an expert at using it right from day one. And that applies to searching Twitter too.
- Use Facebook Like a Pro
As I have mentioned in the past, you can actually use this so called productivity-eater productively. Here are the Facebook productivity tips you need to know. And please, don't have a Facebook profile that jeopardizes your job.
- Learn Mind Mapping
Get started with mind mapping with one of these feature-rich tools.
- Beat Information Overload
Yes, absolutely. You cannot get consumed by this beast called information. Information is going nowhere and it'll continue to reach you in greater proportions. So, better learn how to deal with it.
Here are some smart ways to beat information overload.
- Manage Passwords Like a Pro
Too many online accounts and passwords? Overwhelmed? Use one of these amazing tools to manage passwords.
- Go Paperless
Get things done efficiently (and save the environment) by going paperless in 2011.
- Productivity For Web Workers
Being a web worker myself, I've got a soft corner for all you web workers out there. So, especially for my web worker/freelancer friends, here are is some useful advice on staying fit, saving money, managing time, avoiding loneliness and being more disciplined when working from home.
- Have Fun!
Finally, all the above mentioned tips are meant to make you productive enough to take time out now and then, and have fun. Don't be Jack, the dull boy. Have fun on these cool sites, get involved in these simple and entertaining activities and just make sure that you live, and not merely exist. :)
Wishing all DLM readers a happy and prosperous 2011!
Cheers,
Abhijeet
 | Written on 12/26/2010 by Abhijeet Mukherjee. Abhijeet is a blogger and web publisher from India. He loves all things tech as long as it aids in productivity. He edits Guiding Tech, a blog that publishes useful guides, tutorials and tools. Check it out and subscribe to its feed if you like the site. You can also find him on Twitter. | Photo Credit: mescon |
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