"Change your thoughts, change your reality."

That's a lie...

...or at least a half-truth.

If being a pessimistic person is a personality trait of yours, you'll struggle to think optimistically.

Why?

Because you don't need to change your thoughts; you need to change your whole identity.

You struggle to think a certain way because, at a deeper level — at the core of who you are — you aren't convinced enough about that thinking pattern.

You need to change the preceding condition to your thoughts: who you are.

Insight

Consciousness → Identity → Belief → Emotion → Thoughts → Action

This causal chain is what shapes your behavior.

Notice how there are other elements that precede your thoughts.

Everything starts with the collective and individual CONSCIOUSNESS, which shapes our IDENTITY. This identity defines your BELIEF system, which will determine your EMOTIONAL reactions to reality. Your emotions will define your THOUGHTS and, finally, your ACTIONS.

Your actions generate new levels of consciousness, which change your identity, beliefs, emotions, etc. Think of it as a cycle that constantly feeds itself.

Consciousness is the foundation of the human condition.

Our sensorial experience shapes how we interact with the world.

Today's modern society is a very artificially crafted reality. Almost everything that you see — including this screen you're reading this on — was artificially crafted by human consciousness at some level.

As individuals, we experience an expression of a collective consciousness made up of billions of others while simultaneously contributing through our actions to this intricate mesh.

You might be asking yourself:

"Why should I change my identity? Doesn't consciousness precede it?"

Consciousness means awareness of oneself, surroundings, and existence.

Identity is the sense of who you are, shaped by personal characteristics, experiences, and roles.

Consciousness is like an interpreter that presents information but doesn't make arguments or act on the information.

Identity is the person you are and decide to be, the self-image you assume with all the flaws and strengths associated with it.

While consciousness does have some level of active engagement — for example, choosing to be more aware of certain things than others — it's at an identity level that we really define our true behavior. You make the decision about which person you want to be and everything else associated with it.

The concept of archetypes, as proposed by Carl Jung, is fascinating. Jung’s idea is that we instinctively recognize and relate to universal symbols.

Modern neuroscience and cognitive science suggest that while Jung’s exact framework may not be scientifically proven, the idea that humans process the world through deeply ingrained patterns and narratives remains valid. We naturally respond to stories, characters, and symbols in ways that transcend culture and time.

Your self-image is heavily influenced by the archetypes you choose to associate with.

If you believe you are a loser, you will be a loser.

If you believe you are a winner, you will be a winner.

Why?

Your identity is the blueprint to everything else in your life.

A winner believes that he wins — at all times. Even when faced with adversity, he doesn't let his emotions be affected. He has complete belief that it's his nature and destiny to achieve victory, and he behaves in that way. He subscribes to a belief system, emotions, thoughts, and actions that move him towards winning. Winning becomes like breathing to him—completely natural.

Now imagine how your life would be if you had a confident self-image like that — a complete sense of belief in yourself and your capabilities. You would become unstoppable.

Actionable Step

Start believing that you are capable of anything and that you are destined for greatness.

If you can change your self-image, you'll switch all your behaviors naturally, without a sense of uncertainty or resistance. You'll move in alignment.

Here are a couple of actionable steps to start doing this:

1. Define Your Ideal Self: Visualize the person you want to become—your values, skills, and traits. Write it down in detail and use it as a guide to align your daily actions with this vision.

2. Reprogram Your Beliefs: Identify limiting beliefs holding you back and replace them with empowering affirmations. For example, swap "I’m not good enough" with "I am capable of achieving anything I want." Repeat them daily.

3. Act As If: Start behaving like the confident, successful version of yourself today. Make decisions, carry yourself, and communicate as though you already embody that identity.

If you do these three steps long enough, you'll notice a shift in behavior, and your life will change for the better.

It might be hard at first since you'll need to reprogram old beliefs and your self-image, but once you get it... You'll be amazed.

The Curated Corner

A selection of handpicked gems.

Speak Your Mind

Do you think identity is more important than thoughts to shift behavior? Were you familiar with today’s theme? Have you ever purposely shifted your identity and saw results?

I would appreciate your thoughts about this topic.

If you have any questions or comments, just reply to this email or send a message on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you.

As with every newsletter, I hope this helps you get closer to the best version of yourself.

Today's topic completely changed how I look at myself and life. It has been an interesting subject that I still study to this day. Shaping your identity is a constant effort and the only way to truly change your behavior. Researches differ, but the average person might have between 6,000 to 60,000 thoughts per day. I don’t know what you think… But that sounds like a lot thoughts to me. Enough thinking. Take action.

See you soon. Stay safe.

Best regards,

James - Founder of Mastery Mode

Click here to join my FREE Telegram channel with daily mindful messages.