The Mind Code

Introduction — The Invisible Force That Shapes Your Life

The final page of the application form glows on the screen. Your name is filled in, the date works for you, and you could find the money. All you need to do is press one button. Instead, you open another tab. You check the news, reply to something unimportant, and eventually close the computer. You tell yourself you will think about it some more.

From the outside, almost nothing has happened. Inside, an entire conversation has unfolded in a few seconds. What if I am the worst person there? What if it is too late for a change like this? And would it not actually be wiser to stay with what I know? Nobody has forbidden you to do anything. Yet you have behaved as though someone closed a door in front of you.

What interests me is precisely that quiet point where a possibility turns into a retreat. Not because I want to convince you that you should always take the leap. Signing up for a course can be a good decision or an unnecessary expense. The difference is whether you decided on the basis of the actual situation, or an old idea of who you are allowed to be answered for you.

Chapter 2 — The Beliefs That Guide Your Life

A belief is something you consider true enough to think or act on. It need not take the form of a sentence you can immediately express. Sometimes you only glimpse it in a choice that seems self-evident. You do not apply for a certain position. You do not ask for a certain thing. You assume the answer before asking the question.

Try to notice words such as always, never, everyone, and no one. They are not forbidden. They simply often point to a place where a few events have grown into a general law. "I was interrupted in the last two conversations" offers different room for action from "Nobody cares what I say." The first sentence can lead to a change in how the conversation is conducted. The second can easily close down the entire subject.