"Subliminal messages…can have an impact on our emotional life and we cannot control it because we are not even conscious of it." – Tariq Ramadan
Before you read any further, there is one basic principle that you need to clearly understand. Subliminal messages are real, powerful and very effective! Many people in today's society still believe that the overall concept of these messages is based on foolish trickery. This is not the case whatsoever. The subtle strategy of subliminal messages is used in a wide variety of different ways by a wide range of different people and even companies today. Once you understand what they are and how they work, you will be able to use them effectively to break through the security barriers that are protecting your subconscious mind.
What is a Subliminal Message?
The word "subliminal" is derived from two basic Latin words that can be translated as
"under threshold." Therefore, the literal meaning of a subliminal message is one that connects directly to the subconscious
"under the threshold" of a person's conscious awareness. Through subliminal programming, pre-arranged ideas and t h o u g h t s a r e p l a c e d w i t h i n t h e subconscious mind.
This process can also be used to reinforce information that is already stored within the subconscious and enhance an individual's selective attention.
As mentioned earlier when we were discussing the subconscious mind, subliminal messages are not coincidental and neither are the effects that these messages have on a person. You are just not responding to these strategically placed messages coincidentally because you were simply unaware of them. These
react to advanced forms of stimulation that extend much farther above your physiological boundaries and below your thresholds of perception. How is that even possible?
Have you ever been in the shower and thought that you heard the phone ring, even though it may have been on the other side of your home? You would likely turn the water off before realizing that the phone was actually ringing. You have just been a victim of subliminal programming.
How so? The sound of the running water flowing from your showerhead was responsible for drowning out the ringing sound of the telephone. Your conscious perception was not able to detect it primarily because of the running water.
However, the ringing still reinforced your subconscious desire to take the necessary action and answer it.
The Value of a Subliminal Message
Regardless of where you come from or where you are at in your life right now, these minor details are not the significant factors that will determine whether or not you will be happy and successful or a frustrated failure in the future. The thoughts, beliefs, behaviors and attitudes that are buried deep within your mind as well as your conscious thoughts all played important roles in where you are today.
Your own thoughts are either the stepping stones that will take you down the road to success or the roadblocks that prevent you from taking that route.
Even though it might be quite easy to blame other influences and circumstances, we have to remember that we are all
by-how to effectively use subliminal messages will allow us to gain direct access to our subconscious minds in order to flush out all of the negative programming that has become embedded within it over the years. This negative programming includes such things as the doubts, fears and uncertainties that may have been plaguing our lives for many years, preventing us from being able to reach our full potential.
The Danger of Habitual Behaviors
As we learned from the previous chapter that discussed the various rules of the subconscious mind, once something is in there it is nearly impossible to get it out.
All of our habits (including our habitual thoughts) are secured deeply within our subconscious minds. Regardless of the conscious decisions that we make, the vast
majority of them will never be able to achieve the same level of depth that is needed to reach the subconscious. This explains why the average drug addict struggles to stay clean, regardless of how much he or she may think about getting clean or even desire to remain sober. Their minds are simply just programmed to continue using those drugs.
It does not matter how many stories they read or documentaries that they watch about people that have suffered grim consequences of habitual drug abuse.
These different things may convince them to stop using drugs but the programming will remain the same until it is completely changed at a subconscious level.
Conscious thoughts and the conscious desire to change are not going to go deep enough to stick within their subconscious
with all of the other thoughts that failed to complete the same journey.
The Danger of Habitual Thoughts
This trend does not just stop at habitual behaviors, but also includes habitual thoughts as well – the more subtle of the two different types of habits. Unlike habitual behaviors, you may not even know that you have habitual thoughts that are holding you back from achieving success in life.
If you grew up in a low-income household that struggled to pay bills, had an abysmal credit rating and could barely afford basic sustenance and covering, this habitual way of thinking will follow you for many years after you have already left the house and started a family of your own. Studies have proven that this type of subconscious
pattern of habitual thoughts can actually sabotage any opportunities that you have for financial success until you are right back where you started -- broke.
Are you constantly bringing yourself down with your own negativity? Even though you may be very talented, do you seem to always doubt your own abilities? These are examples of habitual thoughts that will make you believe that the ways things are now is how they are going to be later. If you are stuck in a deadbeat job now, you'll be stuck in the same deadbeat job later. If you are out of shape and overweight now, there is really no need to even go to a gym or work out since this is the way that you will always look. These habitual thoughts may seem small and insignificant at first until you realize that many years have passed and you are still trapped in the
Why Do Subliminal Messages Work?
Knowing that subliminal messages work is great, but that is just enough to continue becoming a victim of its power. If you truly want to gain a position of power and control over subliminal messages when it comes to your life and your future success, then you need to fully understand just why they work in the first place.
As discussed earlier in this chapter, these messages are able to enter your brain at a high enough point for your subconscious mind to detect them clearly while still remaining undetected by your conscious mind. Otherwise, the conscious security system would have stopped them at the door. These messages are the key to being able to identify, isolate and eliminate all of the negative thoughts, attitudes, habits and behaviors that are currently dwelling
within your subconscious because they provide you with a direct route of access that the conscious mind cannot provide.
By bypassing all of your conscious filters, these messages can influence you and direct your behavior, thoughts and habits accordingly.
Studies have proven over the years that subliminal programming can affect your behavior in three key ways:
• Activate healthy thoughts and wishes t h a t a r e b u r i e d w i t h i n y o u r subconscious
• Impart new information that is useful and beneficial within the subconscious
• Increase one's selective attention within the subconscious while enhancing overall awareness
You have to want to make those changes – your subconscious cannot do all of the work for you. Keep in mind that subliminal messages are specifically designed to reinforce and trigger motives, values and drives that are already there within you – allowing them to finally influence your conscious behavior through the process of positive reinforcement.
However, you have to be able to meet it halfway and wholeheartedly want to make these changes.
Once you have mastered the art of subliminal messages, you will be able to get rid of those negative thoughts, habits, ideas and behaviors and finally fill your mind with positive messages and inspiring suggestions that can change your life forever simply by changing your subconscious mind. How? The concluding chapter will discuss just how you can
structure these subliminal messages effectively and how they can benefit you by changing your life for the better.
CHANGING YOUR LIFE THROUGH