7 Psychology Hacks to Outsmart Your Brain - That Work
Take Control of Your Brain with These Simple Hacks
Ever felt like your brain was working against you?
No matter how much you want to change, there’s something in you holding you back.
It is frustrating and sometimes feels utterly impossible to get over.
Your brain is just trying to keep you safe and comfortable.
It’s just a matter of knowing how to outsmart it.
Today, I share with you 7 hacks that have worked for me.
Maybe they’ll work for you too.
1. Stop Waiting for Motivation — Rely on Discipline Instead
Let’s get honest. Motivation is a scam.
It’s an untrustworthy feeling that surfaces precisely when you need it least.
Your brain loathes discomfort and uses this as an excuse to stay comfortable.
I know because I have been there.
Waiting for something magical, a jolt of energy, just to watch it never show up.
Discipline gets things done.
Even if you do not want to.
Especially when you don’t want to.
The trick is becoming comfortable in discomfort.
2. Bored and Creativity
You know what’s so funny?
We do our best to avoid boredom.
And yet, boredom is actually the cure our brains need to be creative.
Real creativity happens when there is space in your head and not when TikToks, emails, or notifications are strangling it.
I know this sounds ridiculously simple, and yet nobody ever says it:
We fear being bored.
That emptiness discomforts us, and so we rush to fill it with rubbish.
So here is the thing that matters:
Be bored.
Let your head out.
That discomfort is where your best ideas are born.
3. Cognitive Dissonance Can Be Your Secret Weapon
It’s easy to think staying out of trouble is your goal.
But: Your brain hates conflict.
When your words and actions do not match what you believe to be you, you have that tingle — cognitive dissonance.
It’s not pleasant, but guess what?
It could be your best friend for change.
Don’t turn your back on that pressure.
Let it pressure you to get better, and get your actions to fit who you want to be.
“Discomfort is a message.”
Don’t run from it, work off of it.
4. The Real Reason For Self-Sabotage: Fear of Success
You must be thinking, “I am not afraid of success, I need it.”
Well, let’s take the truth: Success is a new country, and the brain likes familiarity.
Anything it does not know is bad news — it feels too threatening.
That’s why self-sabotage comes in.
It’s not the fear of failure that keeps most of us from succeeding — it’s the fear of what happens if we do.
Success means new expectations, new pressures, and stepping into a version of yourself you’re not used to.
Recognize that fear. Challenge it.
Your brain’s just trying to protect you, but staying in your comfort zone is the real danger.
5. Eliminate Decision Fatigue for More Focus
Think about it:
Every little decision you make all through the day sucks up mental energy.
This is why by evening you don’t even care enough to make good decisions.
You eat rubbish, you don’t get to the gym, you doom-scroll till midnight.
And now, the bit no one talks about:
Decision fatigue exists and is murdering your productivity.
Beat your brain to it: Eliminate trivial decisions.
Same clothes every day.
Same breakfast.
Same boring stuff.
Save your energy for the decisions that actually matter.
6. Stop Fighting Negative Self-Talk
You know what they say: “Just think positive, right?”
Wrong.
Here’s what they don’t tell you: When you suppress negative thoughts, they become stronger.
The more you ignore them, the louder they get.
I’ve tried the whole “fake positivity” route, and it never worked.
This means do not suppress those thoughts; instead, confront them.
Learn to know them.
Learn to understand why they’re there.
Negative self-talk loses all its power only when it is confronted head-on.
This isn’t about erasing the thoughts; it’s about being at peace with them.
The more familiar you become, the less control they have over you.
Let me know if this rings a bell or if you want me to elaborate on any of these hacks.
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