Designing Your Dream Life: The Power of Subconscious Reinforcement

I casually did my organic chemistry reading earlier this evening until I grew bored. Naturally, I craved a fun break. I jumped onto my usual YouTube browsing for entertaining videos related to my interests, like luxury lifestyles, emotional/mental health, healthcare, and creative hobbies. Tonight’s videos included Indian jewelry hauls, Indian wedding vlogs, and designer shopping. As I naturally transitioned back to focusing on my assignments, I had a video of Alanna Pandey, influencer and celebrity daughter, designing her dream wedding look playing in the background. While this video seemed incredibly irrelevant to my work, the background noise of Bollywood stars discussing intricate outfit details at top-notch designer showrooms, such as Manish Malhotra, created an exciting white noise environment. Simply the mannerism of celebrities’ voices that filled the air around me entailed a classy lifestyle I aspire to live one day. It felt like my unconscious got “connected” to that quality of living, changing how I approached my work. I felt more focused and calm as if I was already living that lifestyle and its accompanying luxuries. 

This experience felt like a light-bulb moment because I discovered a way to reinforce my “goals subconsciously.” From the example above, that particular goal would be affording such upscale experiences for myself. Similarly, I can play any video I desire in the background to “set the scene” for my workspace. I could put on a doctor-influencer day-in-the-life vlog, an inspiring video about increasing self-awareness to manifest our desires or a gold jewelry haul. The more niche, the better. 

Having figments of your goals simultaneously present in some way as you work makes working more fun, productive, and individualized toward your dreams. You’re constantly saturating yourself in an environment with your reasons for working in the first place. The chances of experiencing fulfillment in the present are much higher.

I feel more in flow with the present moment and its ease. Working feels natural and makes me interested in what I’m learning, even if it’s organic chemistry. I enjoy most when I click on the video playing in the back and get a small taste of what that video means to me. Sometimes it’s peace; other times, it’s thrill.

Some might argue that this activity can be counterproductive and distracting from their work. I have sometimes found these videos to create too much noise and make me lose focus. Sometimes, I need a quiet environment to finish my work. The activity I suggest is only suited for some study sessions or occasions. It’s something fun that makes me feel more in touch with myself as I work. Over time, these videos reinforce my goals to the point where I naturally approach my work from the mindset created by these videos. 

Work can become a mundane task fast; however, associating work with personal interests that strike a chord in our hearts can make our work more purposeful and meaningful. While the videos may be irrelevant to your work, these videos make sense to you. They mean something to you because they remind you of a personal goal or luxury you desire to experience one day.

I believe that life shouldn’t be so black and white. Working tends to be associated with only earning money or achieving academic status. But if we can incorporate the little sparks that make us feel alive, we can transform our whole approach to work. These sparks tend to be hidden desires, such as traveling the world without a care, owning many companies, reuniting with loved ones, speaking at global conferences, attending glorious red-carpet events, and pursuing fulfilling projects. The list is endless. It’s imperative to honor these desires, whether small or large. They are there for a reason, and by incorporating them into your work life in some way, you might unlock the doors to a more fulfilling life experience.

This delightful, entertaining way of working has improved my attitude toward doing assignments. It is less of a daunting task and more of a playful experience. 

Please try this and let me know your thoughts in the comments!