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The Law of Substitution: Rewiring Negative Self-Talk
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Hi friend, There’s a voice in your head that tells you I can’t do this. That says I’m not this person. I don’t believe in myself. That voice gets louder the more you let it sit in the driver’s seat. The more weight you give it, the more it becomes the default program running in the background of your mind. But here’s the truth: not every thought you have is real. Not every thought is true. And you don’t have to act on every single emotion. You only get one thought in your mind at a time. That means you have the power to substitute it. This is the law of substitution. When those negative thoughts creep in, you can’t just softly whisper, “stop.” That does nothing. You need to yell it. Slam it down. Make it abrupt. Picture yourself slamming your hand on a table, yanking a lever, or shouting STOP in the middle of a crowded coffee shop. Everyone would stop and stare. That’s what you need to do inside your own head. Fry the circuitry. Because if you’ve been training your brain to feed self-doubt, then all you’re doing is getting better at running that script. You’re rehearsing it. You’re defaulting to it. So first, create the break. Make the ruckus. Detonate the system. Then you can substitute. The second the negative voice says: I can’t do this, I always fail, I’m not this person… You snap. And immediately, you swap it out for something different. Because you are the architect of your own mind. You decide what holds space, what dominates the arena of your thoughts. The most powerful words in the world are two words only you can own: I am. No one else can say them for you. I am strong. When you declare “I am,” you’re not just describing yourself. You’re programming your identity. You’re shaping who you become. Think of your mind like a muscle. It needs reps. That’s it. At the beginning, it might feel like you’re fighting a dragon with nothing but a stick. But over time, as you keep repping substitution, you get stronger. The dragon stays the same, but you’re no longer holding a stick. You’ve got a sword, armor, and an army at your back. Each rep makes you more equipped. Each rep builds skill. And just like in training, the work compounds. Because if you don’t do this, you’re not in control. You’ll be shackled by your thoughts. Stuck in the loop. And if you stay there, you’ll grow bitter. You’ll wonder “what if.” You’ll meet the ghost of the person you could have been, the wasted potential, and they’ll look you in the eye and say: you could have been us. That’s not a ghost you want to meet. Don’t be chained by negative thoughts, especially when they were never yours to begin with. A schoolteacher. A parent. Someone in your community. Old words that stuck. Those are just thoughts. And thoughts don’t define you unless you let them. You get to decide what is true. And that’s the beginning of everything. If you like'd this, you can do a deep dive into my previous articles here. Until next time, Much Love, Calvin P.S - How we can work together: → 1:1 Online Coaching: If you're looking something more personal, I also take on a small handful of people for 1:1 online coaching. This is for those who want direct guidance, accountability, support and programming built around their unique goals and lifestyles. Follow me on social: |
Unexplored Letters
Short letters, sent a few times a week, on mindset, psychology, and how high-caliber people think. If you're into that, it's free to subscribe.
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