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The Subconscious Mind and Habits:The Scientific Way to Reprogram Your MindDo We Really Make Our Own Choices?


The Subconscious Mind and Procrastination

Snoozing your alarm in the morning, drinking your coffee without sugar, or sitting on the same couch every evening…Most of these are not conscious decisions, but automatic behaviors managed by our subconscious mind.So how does this system working behind the scenes of our mind function, and how does it shape our habits?

The good news: It is possible to change your subconscious programming.And science clearly shows us how.

What Is the Subconscious Mind and How Does It Work?

The subconscious mind is like the “software running in the background” of our brain.More than 90% of our daily behaviors are managed automatically by the subconscious.

  • Fast and automatic: The subconscious makes decisions without conscious thinking.

  • Emotion-based: Experiences, especially emotional ones, are deeply imprinted.

  • Learns through repetition: The more a behavior is repeated, the more it is recorded as a habit.

Example:If you had a bad experience with a dog in childhood, you may feel anxiety even before seeing a dog as an adult.This is the subconscious operating in “protection mode.”

The Scientific Habit Loop: Cue → Routine → Reward

According to psychologist Charles Duhigg, habits are formed through a three-step loop:

  • Cue: A signal is sent to the brain(“I woke up → I should have coffee.”)

  • Routine: The automatic behavior(making coffee)

  • Reward: Dopamine is released and the behavior is reinforced(the pleasure of drinking coffee)

The subconscious records this loop repeatedly, and over time, we repeat it without thinking.

Why Can’t We Break Some Habits?

  • Emotional attachment: Habits provide emotional satisfaction, not just physical comfort.

  • Automaticity: The brain chooses familiar paths to save energy.

  • Reward addiction: Dopamine circuits reinforce behaviors that provide instant gratification(sugar, phones, cigarettes).

Bad news: Simply saying “I want to quit” is not enough.Good news: We can build new habits using the very same loop.

Is It Possible to Reprogram the Subconscious?

Yes — but it’s like training a muscle.It requires patience, repetition, and strategy.

1. Create Awareness

The first step to accessing the subconscious is observing automatic behaviors.

  • Write down which habits are triggered automatically during the day

  • Notice which emotions they are connected to

2. Change the Cue

Rather than eliminating a habit, changing the trigger is more effective.

  • Example: Instead of eating chips the moment you get home, place a healthy snack somewhere visible.

3. Keep the Reward, Change the Routine

The subconscious doesn’t crave the behavior — it craves the reward.

  • If you smoke to relieve stress → replace it with breathing exercises or a short walk that provides the same relief.

4. Affirmations and Visualization

The subconscious is highly responsive to repeated messages.

  • Repeating positive statements aloud in the morning and evening(e.g., “Eating healthy gives me energy”) strengthens neural pathways.

  • Visualizing your goal also activates the subconscious.

5. Reinforce with Small Wins

Building success in small pieces strengthens the brain’s dopamine system.

  • Can’t work out for an hour? Start with 5 minutes.

  • The brain receives the signal: “I started and I succeeded” → the habit is reinforced.

Daily Practices to Strengthen the Subconscious

  • Meditation and breathing exercises: Calm the mind and increase awareness

  • Journaling: Helps identify emotional triggers

  • Hypnosis or subconscious affirmation audios: May help loosen old patterns for some people

  • Positive environment: The people around you also send messages to your subconscious; supportive environments make habits easier to build

Common Mistakes

  • Setting goals too big:“I’ll completely change in one month” → the brain perceives threat

  • Self-blame:The subconscious resists change; self-compassion accelerates transformation

  • Expecting results from one method only:Meditation alone is not enough — the habit loop must change

Conclusion: The Subconscious Is Not Your Enemy — It’s Your Strongest Ally

Most habits are formed in the subconscious, but the same mechanism can be consciously reprogrammed.

  • Notice the cue

  • Change the behavior

  • Keep the reward

  • Move forward with small steps

Remember:“If you don’t manage your subconscious, it will manage you.”But now, you know how it works.

 
 
 

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