Mastering the Mindset
Mastering the Mindset
From Survival Mode to Success Mode
Are you letting your past dictate your future? Lving in the past keeps you stuck. How do we shift our focus to the future we actually want. Your brain is wired to protect you by replaying old patterns. This is a survival that can sabotage your growth, goals, and dreams. It’s time to create the future you deserve.
Watch on YouTube
Become a supporter!
Make a one time donation?
VENMO
PAYPAL
CASH APP
Losing myself and finding my strength came to the conclusion that I want it all. Feeling that pressure of tryna do better. I wanna reach heights, but too scared to fall. Too scared of failure, way more scared of feeling regret. I'm not even trying, that's terrifying. I understand that chasing my goals, I bury my clocks because it takes time. I gotta go. I already know if I wanna grow, you reap what you sow. That be the case. Planting my seeds and water my base. Yeah, I make mistakes. Yeah, I know you grow in your garden, but watch for the snakes. The people that act like you're crazy, but trying this, they far away. They don't think it's possible. I think it's possible. That is just hate. They hate themselves, cause they on the shelf. While you create a life that you love. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. A life that you love. Loving the fact to improving yourself. Decided that you would not settle. Decided that you got the drive to do it. The road got bumping your foot on the pedal. You go up a level, you turn up whenever it's time for you to go put in that work. I know my work, huh? I know it ain't gonna be easy, yeah. I know it hurt, but thing is for sure. Yeah. Until it put me in this earth. Before I ride in that hearse, I'm chasing my goals. I'm chasing my goals. Love enough that you're improving yourself. Alright, welcome back to another episode. Like I always say, thank y'all so much for being here. If you are on YouTube, go ahead and like and subscribe to the channel. If you are listening on a podcast platform, leave me a review. Those things help me out a whole lot. Also, please become a monthly supporter of the show. It helps me keep this thing going. It does not cost a whole lot of money. You can choose the amount. It can either be three, five, eight, or ten dollars. Which, if we all are honest, you spend your money on a lot of things that are less important that you will never even see any benefit from than this. So please go ahead and become a supporter. You can cancel at any time. But why would you ever do that? But let's go ahead and get to this episode. Today I want to talk about your future and your past. More specifically, why you need to stop living in the past and why you need to start living in the future. And the analogy I'm going to use for this is from a quote I heard. And it says, The wake of the boat doesn't steer the boat. And of course that makes sense, right? You're in the boat, you look behind you, and you see the wake, the wave behind you, and it shows you where you've been. And that's really just it. The wake can't steer the boat. It just shows you where you have been. And a lot of times we look at the wake in our lives and we try to use that to steer. We try and predict the future. We look at what we already been through in the past, things we had to work on, work against, things we have to struggle with, and we make predictions. And the actions we take fall in line with the actions to the future that we don't want based on what we see in the wake. But the problem with that, and I know the fact that you listen to a podcast like this means you're probably a person who doesn't want your future to look to look like your past. But if you live in the past, your past is going to look a lot like your future. Let me say that again for the folks in the back. If you're living in the past, then your past is gonna look a lot like your future. If you keep looking at that wake, looking back, eventually it's all gonna look the same. Don't try and predict the future by living in the past. You know how you can predict the future? And I say it all the time on here, but your actions. Your actions today, right now, tomorrow, the next day, and so on and so on, that's what's gonna determine what your future looks like. Everything you've been doing in your life has gotten you to this point right here, right now. All the things you've been doing in life have led up to this moment, right here, right now. And if you keep doing the same things, then you'll still be here. You'll just be right here just in the future. And the reason why we keep doing this, why we keep looking to the past, uh, looking to the past to change the future, is because our brains, right? It's because of our brains. The brain's main thing, our human instinct, is to do the things that will keep us alive, that will keep you safe. And the main way our brain does this is by trying to predict the future. Because if you can predict the future, you have a better chance at staying alive. It's a survival mechanism. And it comes from when humans lived in tribes out in nature, right? Your brain knows, okay, there was a big lion at this water hole last time. I don't see one right now, but let me make sure I'm aware and be ready to get my tribe out of here. Your brain remembers, okay, the last big storm that came through here was destructive and knocked down a whole lot of trees. There was flooding, there was lightning and thunder. It was scary. But we were in this cave and it kept us dry and safe. It remembers this is a good place to grow food. And these are the times of year that it grows. These are the times of year that the food stops growing. Our brains have been wired like this for thousands of years. It wants to avoid harm and death. The brain wants to take the past and project into your future to avoid negative outcomes. And yes, you can say, but okay, Dotch, that sounds like a good thing. That sounds like the right way to survive. And to that I say, yeah. It is a great survival mechanism. It's great for survival, but it's horrible for creating the life you want. It's horrible if you want to start doing things you've never done in order to get the things you've never had. It's great for keeping you in your comfort zone. That's what it's really best at. But your comfort zone is where your dreams go to die. We can't keep living in that energy from our past. And we done all have some bad stuff happen to us. We done all been through it. We you've had trauma, the grief, the breakups, the hard times, family issues, lost jobs, maybe you've been homeless or struggled with addiction, depression, you've been done wrong, you had failed careers and or failed business. And if we decide to live in that energy of the past, it's gonna create a certain future for us. It's gonna be the same old, same old. Will we learn from the past? You damn right. But will it hold us back? You better believe it will. If you let it. The past will hold you back from taking action out of fear. And I talked about this uh on the last episode, so I'm gonna talk about it briefly. But so if I asked you if you felt like you know yourself, do you know yourself? Would you say that you know yourself? Most of you would say yes, you feel like you know yourself, but knowing yourself is based on the past, you're basing your knowledge off of things that happened to you. Knowing is based off knowledge, and knowledge is based off things you've learned from things that happened in the past. And what we need to transition to is making the change from knowing ourselves to learning ourselves. Knowing yourself is based off the past, based off the past. Learning yourself is based off the present. Your brain wants to predict the future for you, and like I said, it looks to the past. So, what should we be doing? We need to give it a new thing to predict. Instead of letting your brain use the past to predict your future that you don't want to happen, why not use your brain to predict the one that you do want? And this is where intentionality comes in. And of course, I'm always on here preaching all the time about changing the way you think. Damn near every episode has something to do with changing the way you think and changing it to help you find success and happiness. So get intentional. Get intentional with the future you want your brain to see. Your brain, and a lot of times this happens without you even realizing it, really the majority of the time, but your brain is gonna look for validation around whatever you tell it. So if you tell yourself that something is gonna fail, that something is hard, that you don't have the resources you need to make it work, that you're too short, that you're not smart enough, that you ain't in the right location, your brain is gonna look for all the evidence to support those thoughts, and you'll start to see all the things that validate it and reinforce that negative belief. And I'm telling you to do the opposite: visualize that future you want, that goal you want to achieve, really visualize it, because for one, it works. This is scientific fact. If you can visualize your future and really get focused on it and really make that conscious effort to change the way you think and tell yourself all the ways it will work out, your brain is eventually gonna catch up to that and start to show you all the ways, all the signs why it will work. To your brain, that thought is gonna feel like a reality. That all the things you went, all the things you want, are on the way, that they're coming. Your brain, it gets tricked and it doesn't know the difference between reality and what's not real. Let me say that again. Your brain has trouble telling the difference between reality and what's not real. Sounds crazy, right? Let me break it down like this, because this is fact. Your brain, the majority of the time, doesn't know the difference between something that's actually happening right now and your present moment from something that's visualized. And the easiest example to give you is dreams. Better yet, nightmares. Let's say you're having a bad dream, and in this dream, you running from somebody trying to kill you. And I'm using this example because it's a recurring dream that I have. I probably should look into this, but I'm gonna take you through a nightmare I had recently. So let's say you find yourself in this dark neighborhood, and you walk in on the street with friends, and it's a dream, so stuff happens out of nowhere, and your friend gets in an argument with some dude that kind of came out of nowhere. And this dude looked kind of crazy, like he could be a some kind of serial killer, and it's kind of foggy outside, and this dude is a tall white man, long-sleeve dress shirt, thick mustache, work boots, the whole nine. Clearly, this is what my brain thinks a serial killer looks like. Anyway, they start to argue, and all of a sudden, in the calmest way you can think of, this creepy-looking white man pulls out a machete and your friend don't see it, and before you can warn them, you see his arm start to swing that machete, and you can't look, so you turn your head. You don't see it, but you know it ain't good for your friend. And you look back, and now that white man is right there in your face, face to face with you, and that scare the hell out of you. So you start running in this dark neighborhood, and then you come to this dark house, of course, it's abandoned, and of course, you go in, because it's a nightmare, you hide in the darkest closet possible, because again, it's a nightmare, and you think you hear him walking through the house looking for you, and you think, okay, maybe he don't know where I'm at. It's really dark. Maybe he gave up on it. Then all of a sudden, you feel somebody grab you by the waist from behind you in the closet with you, and it almost feels sexual. Then you wake up. What do you think your breathing is gonna be like? What do you think that did to your fear level? What do you think your heart rate is gonna be at? You think you might be sweating? Maybe. But all that stuff didn't actually happen. It was all in your brain. You just imagined it. Now, of course, it's a dream. A dream ain't real life. In a dream, you don't know it's a dream. I get it. But if you use your brain and predict that future you want, just like in that dream, if you can feel some of those things that make it real, don't you think you can imagine in the present moment a future you want and start to feel some of that stuff? Some of what it'll be like? Because you can imagine in the present moment things you don't want and you still feel it. If you have a fear of clowns or fear of spiders like me, I ain't scared of them, but I don't like them. Or heights or whatever phobia. Sometimes, just by thinking about it, you feel something. You can just think about waking up early the next day and start to feel tired. You can be excited to have sex later and you think about it and your body starts to feel things. I should have laid with that one, with that example. We all been there. Or anxiety, right? We can think about something and start to feel anxious. Again, our brains have trouble telling the difference between what's real or imagined or visualized. That failed business you had or that project that didn't go so well, your brain is gonna make predictions. It's gonna predict the future of that business or that project based off what happened in the past. It wants to protect you, keeping you safe from pain, from disappointment. So you'll look for that evidence. Better yet, it'll show you that evidence of why you shouldn't do it, why you shouldn't get in that career, why you shouldn't trust a man again, why you shouldn't pick up that project again. And if you do get in those situations, your brain is gonna make those predictions and you'll start to self-sabotage. Self-conscious, subconscious, self-sabotage, like the person who's been cheated on, right? And the next relationship they get in, you don't trust your partner, right? Let's say you they go out with a friend and you text them like, hey, what are you doing? And they say, I'm out with friends having a drink. Then an hour goes by and you text them again, like, hey, are you still at the bar? And if you don't hear from them for like an hour, your mind starts wondering. You feel those feelings deep down, like, damn, could they be out there doing stuff behind my back? And then you text and call and you question them. And then eventually they feel like you don't trust them, and it either causes problems in the relationship or you break up. Right? Self-sabotage from your brain, just trying to predict the future. So, what do we do? If our brains are always trying to predict the future, we create our own future. All the things you do today, right now, tomorrow, all the actions you take will affect what your future is gonna look like. As easy of a concept as it may seem, but about taking action, it is still a lot easier than done, right? So many times we know we need to be taking action, yet we just don't. But the actions are so important. If you don't take action, there is a 99% chance you will never get it. Probably a hundred percent. So take the action. Another important thing is believe it or not, believe that you are getting closer. See it, believe it, and put it in your brain that you're making it happen. That those actions you're taking, that it's a process that no, it won't happen overnight, but you're taking and making steps and getting closer and closer. Like for me, I want to grow this podcast, and it's been a slow process. I also know that as I have growth in my acting career, I will see growth with my podcast. The more I elevate, the more people will know who I am, which means the more people will know what I do, and one of the things is this podcast. And one of the things I've been telling myself and believing in is that my acting career will take me places, that I'll be at that next level, that I'll be highly successful. And first of all, I am. I've had a great acting career, I've done a lot. I can look back at all the things I've done, look at my resume, and feel extremely proud. And I am. Like my auntie always says, she said, Your mama will be proud of you, your mama must be so proud of you. But yeah, I'm believing that I'm elevating. And I have been. Just last year, I experienced uh a huge peak in my career. Uh I booked a huge gig uh starring in Skeleton Crew at Guthrie Theater, right? And for those of you listening um and don't live in Minnesota, the Guthrie Theater is a very well-known theater across the whole country. Actors everywhere in the country want to be on that stage. And not only was the role I played an amazing role, it was an iconic play. A really great play, and no doubt will be will look good on my resume for future things, right? But I've been manifesting and visualizing my success. And I don't think me having that big gig was a coincidence. And again, get clear on what you want your future to look to look like. Get crystal clear on what those details look like. Visualize it every day. Visualize what it looks like, what it feels like. Use your brain to project that future you want instead of allowing your brain to keep using the past to show you all the future things you don't want. It's time to stop living in the past. Time to let that feeling of excitement of that future you do want be what drives you to take the actions you need to. Again, your brain is gonna take those visualizations and make them feel real. And unfortunately, it won't happen if you just have one visualization, if you just try it one time. No, it takes time. It ain't gonna happen overnight. You have to do it every day. Every day. And over time, your brain is gonna have you excited about that visualization. It'll start to feel like it's real, like it's about to happen. And subconsciously as well as consciously, you'll start to act accordingly. You start to do things and move in a way that'll get you closer to that future. Based off your perception of the future, you will start to become that person you want to be. And this is a big reason why a lot of folks are big on affirmations and speaking things into existence. Your brain will adapt. Your brain is such a powerful thing. Just look at the placebo effect, which is so fascinating to me. People believe they're healed and they actually heal themselves. The brain does. They take that pill, they think it's real medicine, and their brain believes it's real medicine, and then it heals them. They imagine they're getting better, and they do, just by thinking it. Diseases get cured, sicknesses get cured. 33% of all medical healings and cures are placebo effect. 33%. Let's say you have bad headaches, and a doctor tells you to take this pill every morning, and it's nothing but a sugar pill, and your brain, if you're a part of that 33%, will get rid of those headaches. Just for believing it, your brain is powerful. So if your brain, if you tell yourself that you may if that you're taking this medicine and it's healing you, then you get healed. Don't you think there's power in visualizing the future, telling yourself that you will do something, visualizing what it will look like? Don't you think if you put those images, enough of those images in your brain, that your brain will start to do things in alignment that will make it come true? The answer is yes. Is yes. Create that future you want. You have to project it, you have to see it, you have to program it. And of course, you have to take action. So that's all I got for you today. Please share this to your social media and tag me in it. Those things help me out a lot. Also, become a monthly supporter of the show. Again, you can choose the monthly amount. It can either be three, five, eight, or ten dollars, and you can cancel at any time. But why would you ever do that? Let's go ahead and get to this music. I got another unreleased song for y'all. This one is called Miss Your Chance. Alright, let's write it. I don't know what music that is. That music is all they have. Uh and this one is my theme. I take it back to the two hours to make this one my ringtime. I disappeared, they was looking for me, they couldn't find me like me. But I'm stopping tonight. Wanna see me this yo change? I'm about to hit my dad light. Yeah, I'm about to take this satellite. Yeah, I'ma take this pit light. Yeah, I'm about to do it like this, Joe Chang. I coach you with little, bitch, yeah, yeah. I coach you with little for me. Like I know pictures don't I keep, I feel like you're close to me. But the thing is great on you in my face. I love when you close to me. And your body language got mad. That's how it's owed to me. That's how it's supposed to be. I think talking about rosaries, that deal was so old to me. I know they've been waiting on my new still like old to me. Don't worry, won't be. Cause this one is my theme song. I take it back to the 2000s and make this with my ring time. I disappeared, they looked for me. They couldn't find me like me. When I'm poppin' out at night, wanna see me miss your chance. I'm about to hit my dance light. Yeah, I'm about to take this shot like Yeah, I'm about to take this pick light. Yeah, I'm about to do me like Yeah, you better not miss your chance. I told you with little teams. You better not miss your channel, yeah, yeah. I put you with the team. Yeah, I be so smooth on the beast. I be that dude, you'll do on the beast. I be so cool, you're cool like these. And it's my summer. You go back to me, go on the high street like blue on the beast. I'm on the wave, I'm blue with the beat. Not to be hot, know I didn't drop my fan. Just had a lot of my brain. So I got coat. Just know I like that training, know I am not the same. I'm in the coat, and I feel like I deserve it, I can be perfect. I know I sound like a coach, I know I'm a coat. That's how I know I'm on coat. Don't make me foam. Cause this one's my thing so I might take it back to the two thousand and make this one my ringtop. I just need it, and it's looking funny. I wanna take this don't die. I'm about to get light, I'm about to take this be light. Yeah, I'm about to take this be light. Yeah, I'm about to do the light. Yeah, you better take a look at the colour.