Your Brain Is Running Your Life - Here’s How to Take It Back

Wayne Sutton: Your brain is secretly controlling your life, and here's how to take it back. Welcome to the Prosper with Wayne Podcast. I'm Wayne Sutton, and today I want to talk to you about something that has fascinated me for years. It's the most powerful force in your life outside of God. And you can't see it, you can't touch it, but it influences nearly every decision you make. It determines what you notice, what you ignore, what you believe, how much money you make, the people you attract, the risk you take, everything you interpret. Even your past. What am I talking about? Your brain, your mind. More specifically, the mental programming that's running in the background of your life. And here's the scary part. Most people don't even know what's happening. They think they're making conscious decisions, but often They're simply following old programming. And today I want to help you recognize that program and more importantly, show you how to take back your life. Welcome to another episode of Prosper with Wayne. Have you ever driven somewhere only to realize you barely remember to drive? So you stopped at the stoplights, you changed lanes, you avoided traffic, you made dozens, maybe hundreds of small decisions, but you are barely thinking about them. Why? Because your brain loves efficiency. It will automate anything that it can. Driving, walking, typing, brushing your teeth, even your emotional responses. The longer you repeat something, the more automatic it becomes. And that's helpful. Until what becomes automatic is fear or self-doubt or procrastination or believing you're not good enough. See, those patterns start to run your life without permission. So here's something most people never realize. Your brain isn't just reacting to reality. It's constantly predicting reality. It takes everything you've experienced, everything you believed, everything you've repeated, and it says, okay, this is probably what's going to happen next. If you've been rejected several times, your brain expects rejection. If you've struggled financially, you begin expecting struggle. If you failed in business, well, you start predicting the failure again. Not because it's true, but because it's familiar. And your brain loves something that is familiar, even when familiar isn't healthy. Now, this is where people say, Wayne, I just don't have enough discipline. I've coached so many people over the years that said, Wayne, I keep sabotaging myself. I always quit. Well, maybe. But there's another explanation. See, your brain wants to conserve energy. Anything new requires effort, new habits, new routines, new conversations, new businesses, new relationships. They all require energy. So your brain whispers stay where you're comfortable. The problem is comfort and growth rarely live in the same neighborhood. Every breakthrough begins with discomfort. So I just recently came on board and I'm running a sales team for an organization. But guess what? I know how to run a sales team, I know how to sell, I know how to coach. But what I don't know is their system, their offer, their program. So I'm going in and I'm having to train the brain, right? And that is where. We I guess you would say discomfort comes in, but the discomfort has to come before the breakthrough. So let me say something. So you've heard about it before, I'm sure, but we're gonna talk about the reticular activating system, RAS. Think of it as your brain's filter. Right now there's thousands of things around you, sounds, colors, conversations, movements, and your brain filters almost all of them out. Otherwise you'd be overwhelmed. But here's what's fascinating: your brain filters according to what it believes. Is important. So I'm looking to buy you know, I want a I want a new suburban, a suburban Tahoe, something. I want something that I can load my family into. I have four daughters and a wife and a dog, and I want to be able to throw everything in the truck. And because I live here at the beach, I want to be able to take it out onto the beach, take it out onto the sand. Okay. So I never really wanted one until my buddy bought one. My buddy David bought one. I looked down, I was like, man, this is what I want. So now I'm looking, and now I see that truck everywhere. Yeah, and that the reason is the reticular activating system saying, hey, Wayne, this is important. Remember, you've said this is important, so let me show it to you. If you become interested in investing, day trading, whatever, you'll start noticing articles, podcasts, and conversations about money. Now, on the flip side, if you expect rejection, you're going to notice every disappointed look. If you expect opportunity, you'll start seeing possibilities right in front of you. The world didn't change, your filter changed. So here's the question: What has your brain been told to look for? Have you told your brain to look for problems or possibilities? This is important. And this is back to the stories that we keep telling ourselves. One of the greatest discoveries I've made in coaching is that people don't live according to reality. Let me say that again. People don't live according to reality, they live according to the stories they believe. I've always been shy, I'm terrible with money, I'm not a leader, I'm just unlucky, I could never start a business. Those aren't facts, they're stories. Stories become identities. In fact, I'm gonna do something. If you're listening to this podcast, hit the pause button, grab pen and paper. I want you to write this down. Stories become identities. Identities become decisions. Decisions become habits, habits become your future. One more time, stories become identities. Identities become decisions, decisions become habits, and habits, it's your lifestyle, it's your future. And here's something to think about. If you had to introduce yourself, would you introduce yourself using your potential or your limitations? See, many people unknowingly build prisons with their own words. And here's something also very fascinating and dangerous when you look at neuroscience. This is important. Your brain. wants to prove you right. Once you believe something, your brain starts collecting evidence to support it. That's why people that get involved in cults and get involved in very harmful activities, the brain starts looking for reasons to support it. And if you really go deep into that, you recognize the danger in that, but also the opportunity. So if you believe people can't be trusted, you'll notice every dishonest person. If you believe I'm always overlooked, Yeah. You'll remember every time someone ignored you. But if you believe I find opportunities, you'll begin spotting them. See, your brain isn't objective, it's loyal. It wants to confirm what you already believe. That's why changing beliefs is so powerful. In fact, the word of God tells us renew your mind. It's important. So how do you take control? Now here's where everything begins to change. Number one, you have to become aware. You can't change a program you don't recognize. So start paying attention. What do you say to yourself? What assumptions do you make? What fears show up repeatedly? Awareness is step one. In fact, with my coaching clients, those questions right there: what do you say to yourself? What assumptions do you make? What fears show up repeatedly? We're actually using some voice AI and some AI prompt to make you become aware of. We'll get into that more for our one-on-one coaching if you're working with me. So, number one, let's say it again, become aware. Number two, question your thoughts. Instead of believing every thought, ask, is this actually true? Or is this simply familiar? Those are two different things. Number three, you have to feed your mind intentionally. Most people consume whatever shows up on their phone, whatever algorithm's training you. But successful people are intentional. So when I gave my daughter her phone, in the beginning there was no social media. Now there's one social media app we let her use, but we told her, you I told her you have to train the algorithm. And so I said, they don't know you. The algorithm doesn't know you yet. But as you train it, if there's something you like and is good and honest and trustworthy, click the like button. If there's something you don't, click the negative. Or go in there and say, hey, do not show this post again. You trained the algorithm. Same thing when I'm looking at podcasts, when I'm listening to a podcast, when I'm looking at videos. I have to be intentional. Books, podcasts, conversations, ideas. Protect what enters your mind because what repeatedly enters your mind eventually shapes your life. Number four, I love this one. That's visualize your future. Imagine yourself seceding. Imagine yourself having difficult conversations, closing the deal, being healthier, leading well, living courageously. See, your brain needs a picture that's bigger than your fear. Those who coach with me, we're gonna go through some exercises to help you not only build that bigger picture, but actually anchor it into a way that is automatic. Again, this is important. Number five, take action before you feel ready. Action rewrites identity. Write that down. Action rewrites identity. You don't become confident, then act, you act, and then confidence follows. Every courageous decision tells your brain, this is who I am now. And here's a mindset shift. As we're closing up, one mindset shift that changed my life. Probably more than almost any other. Your circumstances don't determine your future. Your response to your circumstances, that's what does. Okay. I've had seasons in business that was thriving. I've had seasons where I wondered what's next. I've gone through major health challenges and I've started over more than once. What kept moving moving forward wasn't pretending life was easy, it's refusing to let temporary circumstances become permanent identities. I want you to grab a hold of this. You can go through seasons. Even seasons where you're a victim, but you can have a season where you're a victim and not be a victim in all areas of your life. There's a difference in being a victim and having a victim mentality. There's moments where I could have easily said, I'm finished. Instead, I chose to ask, what can I learn from this? What is God doing in this situation? Those questions changed everything. And this is back to my study of neuroscience, psychology, behavior, influence, leadership. I love understanding how the mind works because it helps us make better decisions, but I've learned something deeper. A healthy mind isn't built only by better information, it's built by better truth. So you can have a lot of information, but is it better truth? One of the most profound ideas I've ever encountered is the concept of renewing your mind rather than simply reacting to circumstances. So I go back. What does now, as a Christian, I look back and say, well, okay. This is what I'm facing, but what does the ultimate source, God, what does he say about it? So I go into his word. I find Bible verses that are truth more than the facts. Understand this. There can be a fact, but truth is at a higher level. And I begin to renew my mind on that. I begin to speak that forth. I begin to pray about that, meditate upon that. Okay? Because what you consistently think about shapes who you become. So choose your thoughts wisely. So As we're ending this podcast today, I want to leave you with three questions. And before we end, if you haven't subscribed yet, click that subscribe button, click that share button. Okay. Three questions. What story have you been believing about yourself? Where did that story come from? Who embedded that story into your life? And what story are you going to start living today? Because your brain is always listening, always learning, always adapting. The question is: are you training it intentionally or letting the world train it for you? Just like you train an algorithm. The choice is yours. So if today's episode challenged the way you think, do me a favor, share it with someone who needs to see it. Subscribe if you haven't already, and leave a review. It helps people discover the show. And until next time, guard your mind, challenge your assumptions, keep growing, keep building your health, your wealth, and your happiness. I'm Wayne Sutton. God bless you, and I'll see you on the next episode.