Pretty odd thought, isn’t it? And I bet your mind doesn’t want to think it, either!

Matthew Ferry, a personal growth professional, describes your mind as being like a drunk monkey – that obnoxious drunk, never stops chattering, always on your back, voice. He also points out that your mind’s only goal is to survive. In other words, your mind’s goal isn’t to make you better, help you achieve, break through old patterns. Instead, your mind’s only function is to help you to survive, and it does this by making sure you don’t do anything too unfamiliar or “scary”.

If that’s the case, your mind isn’t helping you reach your goals, dreams and desires, because, by definition, all of those are located outside what is familiar.

The drunk monkey (your mind) is obsessed with the past. It goes over it again and again and again.
Sound familiar???

Your mind is willing to focus on the past because at least it is familiar (familiar = safe), even if it’s not enjoyable or what you want.

As you’ll see on the video, Matthew says we need to shift from a past-based mindset and begin to operate from the future – that that’s where the inspiration is. It means doing something unfamiliar, uncomfortable – and making it the “new” familiar in the process. Sort of like brown is the new black or 40 is the new 30, maybe “new” is the new “familiar”. Cool, huh?

Watch Matthew’s video and listen to his humorous approach to this pretty significant issue we all face. Then check out his site.  And remember, goals are designed to fix your broken life. What would you focus on to inspire your Great life?

What would happen if you simply used your mind as a tool, rather than thinking of it as “who you are”?