What is a Thought? The Hidden Science Behind Your Inner Voice

🧠 The voice inside your head (your mind) is an incredible storyteller. But who's really writing the script - you, or your subconscious patterns? Discover how your thoughts shape your reality, and more importantly, how you can take control of the narrative.

🔍 Key Takeaways

1. Our Goal is to re-wire ourselves for Growth. Step one: Learn how your brain works (its important, as brain needs new information before re-wiring, like a pre-requisite, details in one of the upcoming articles)

2. Your inner narrative shapes what you believe you can and cannot do - sometimes helping, sometimes hindering.

3. Your inner narrative is made up of thoughts.

4. Thoughts are Neural Pathways in your brain (See pre-read section if you're unfamiliar with neurons or neural pathways).

5. These Neural pathways form automatically in your subconscious mind and activate when triggered by your environment. Kandel, E. R. et al. (2014) LeDoux, J. E. (2003) Lisman, J. et al. (2018)

6. Hence thoughts are not absolute truths but your brain’s processing, we mistake them as absolute truth and that doesn’t help.

7. We can "Re-wire" any neural pathway (meaning we can change any thought pattern and our inner narrative).

8. This methodology is exactly the mission with Aatam framework.

   
   

Pre-read on what are neurons and neural pathways (skip this section if you know)

Alright, imagine your brain is like a big city filled with tiny roads. These roads are called neural pathways. The cars driving on these roads are little messages or signals that help your body and brain work together.

Now, the people who drive these cars are called neurons. Neurons are like tiny workers that talk to each other to get things done. When you want to do something, like pick up a toy or remember your favorite ice cream, these workers send messages along the roads really, really fast.

Sometimes, if you do something a lot—like tying your shoes or riding a bike—the roads get bigger and smoother, like highways! This makes it easier and faster for the messages to travel. But if you stop using a road for a long time, it might get smaller and harder to use again, like a path in the woods.

So, neurons and neural pathways are like a team and their roads, helping your brain and body talk to each other and learn new things!

🧠 Summary , Key Insights: A Journey Into Your Mind

Ever wonder why some days you feel like you can conquer the world, while on others, self-doubt seems to take over? Our deep dive into the fascinating world of thoughts might just have the answers you're looking for.

• Your thoughts aren't just random occurrences - they're intricate patterns woven from your experiences, memories, and learned behaviors. Think of them as your brain's way of making sense of the world around you.

• That voice in your head? It's more powerful than you might think. It's shaped by both your victories and challenges, creating a unique story that influences how you see yourself and the world.

• Key insight : Your thoughts are not absolute truths, but a pattern in your mind getting triggered.

• Here's the exciting part: Your mind is more flexible than you imagine. By understanding how your thoughts work, you can begin to shape them in ways that serve you better.

Ready to discover how your mind creates your reality? Keep reading to uncover the science behind your thoughts and learn practical ways to harness their power. 👇

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You’re sitting in a meeting, and a thought pops up: “What if I say something wrong?” Or maybe you’re scrolling through social media, and another thought whispers: “I’ll never be as good as them.” Ever wondered where these thoughts come from? Why do they sometimes uplift us and, at other times, hold us back?

Let’s unpack the science behind thoughts and explore how they shape the stories we live by every day.

👩‍💼 A Tale of Two Thoughts: Sarah and Her Inner Voice

Meet Sarah, a 28-year-old marketing manager who's been at her company for three years. Like many of us, she juggles client meetings, project deadlines, and that ever-present desire to prove herself. Her story might sound familiar.

One crisp Monday morning, Sarah walks into the office, coffee in hand, wearing her favorite navy blazer. Her mind is clear and focused. As she reviews her presentation slides one last time, a warm thought bubbles up: "I've prepared for weeks, I know this material inside out. Today's the day I nail that presentation!" Her confidence isn't just empty optimism - she can feel it in her steady hands, her relaxed shoulders, even in the way she smiles at colleagues while walking down the hallway.

But then comes Tuesday. Same Sarah, same office, even the same navy blazer. Yet something feels different. As she stares at her reflection in the elevator, her inner voice whispers: "Why even bother? Remember how you stumbled over your words in last month's meeting? You'll probably mess this up too." Her shoulders tense, her stomach churns, and that presentation she knew so well suddenly feels like a mountain to climb.

We've all been there, haven't we? That swing from "I've got this!" to "I can't do this!" - sometimes within hours of each other. But why does our mind play these tricks on us?

The fascinating answer lies in Sarah's brain and its neural pathways—think of them as well-worn trails in a forest, carved deeper each time we walk them. Some trails lead to sunny meadows of confidence, while others spiral into valleys of self-doubt. Let's explore how these paths are formed, and more importantly, how we can choose which ones to follow.

💭 What is a Thought? Understanding Your Brain's Intricate Processing

Every time Sarah faces a professional challenge, like her upcoming presentation, her brain initiates a complex yet fascinating process of information processing. This intricate dance of neurons and synapses transforms external stimuli into meaningful thoughts that shape her experience.

This remarkable process unfolds through three interconnected steps:

• Step 1: The Trigger: Something in Sarah's environment initiates a cascade of neural activity - it could be the sight of the conference room's glass doors, the familiar scent of coffee in the meeting area, or even a fleeting memory of her previous presentation experiences. These sensory inputs serve as catalysts for what comes next.

  
  

• Step 2: The Brain Lights Up: Like streetlights illuminating a city at dusk, specific neural pathways in her brain activate in a synchronized pattern. These pathways, shaped by years of past experiences, memories, and learned responses, create a unique constellation of activity that's distinctly Sarah's. Each pathway represents a collection of associated memories, emotions, and learned behaviors.

  
  

• Step 3: The Thought Emerges: From this neural symphony emerges conscious thoughts, ranging from empowering declarations like "I can do this!" to cautionary whispers like "What if I mess up?" These thoughts aren't simply end products - they're active participants in an ongoing dialogue between different parts of her brain.

  
  
  
  

Here's what makes thoughts particularly fascinating: Unlike the linear processing of computers, which follow a strict input → processing → output sequence, our brains operate in a more sophisticated manner. The very act of processing is the thought itself - a dynamic, living process that unfolds in real-time. This is precisely why thoughts feel so immediate and automatic; they're not just outputs of a system, but rather the direct expression of your brain's natural response patterns at work. Each thought represents a unique moment where countless neurons fire in harmony, creating the rich tapestry of our conscious experience. (Cerf et al., 2014) (Vosgerau & Synofzik, 2010)

⭐ Click on the short video below to understand the concept

"Think about it like our liver. When our liver is working, it’s not just processing something and then producing bile as an output—the production of bile IS our liver working. Similarly, thoughts aren’t just the end product of our brain’s work—they ARE our brain working. Just as bile production is inseparable from liver function, thoughts are inseparable from brain function."

🗣️  Your Inner Narrative: The Symphony of Self-Talk

Let's return to Sarah's story. Picture her standing in front of her bathroom mirror each morning, her reflection holding countless possibilities for the day ahead. When confidence flows through her veins, her inner voice becomes a warm embrace:

• "You've overcome bigger challenges before - remember that project last quarter?"

• "Your team believes in you, and they've seen your brilliance shine!"

• "This presentation is your chance to share what you're passionate about!"

But some days, when anxiety creeps in like morning fog, that same inner voice transforms into a harsh critic:

• "Why would anyone take you seriously? You're just pretending to be competent."

• "They'll see right through you and realize you don't belong here."

• "One mistake and everyone will remember it forever."

  
  

This inner narrative isn't just random chatter - it's the voice of your neural pathways speaking. Think of the positive pathways as sunlit boulevards, paved smooth by every "thank you" email, every successful presentation, every moment someone's eyes lit up with understanding because of your words. The negative ones? They're like dimly lit alleyways, carved by childhood disappointments, that harsh comment from a former boss, or that time you froze during an important meeting.

A Story We All Share:

Remember your first day at a new job or school? That moment when you had to introduce yourself to a room full of strangers? For some of us, past victories created a golden pathway of courage - "I've made great connections before, this time will be no different!" For others, a single embarrassing moment from middle school carved a deep groove of social anxiety - "They'll judge everything I say, just like before." These early experiences don't just fade away; they become the invisible scriptwriters of our daily internal dialogue, whispering either possibilities or limitations into our ears.

💪  The Power of Understanding Your Thoughts

It all starts with Self-Awareness, and this is the key skill you need to cultivate to begin your true transformation.

Here's the fascinating part: Your thoughts aren't set in stone. They're more like clay, waiting to be reshaped. When you understand how your mind crafts these inner dialogues, you gain the power to become their artist rather than their audience.

1. Your Thoughts Are Like Weather Patterns:

Just like Sarah in our story, when you catch that inner critic whispering doubts, remember: These are just neural pathways doing their dance. You can choose whether to dance along or simply watch them pass by.

2. Your Brain is Nature's Greatest Sculptor:

Think of your mind as a garden where thoughts grow. With the right care, you can cultivate the flowers you want to see bloom

3. Your Story, Your Masterpiece:

The thoughts you nurture become the colors you paint your world with. Choose vibrant, empowering hues, and watch as your confidence blooms, your decisions align with your dreams, and your life transforms into the masterpiece you've always envisioned.

🎨  A Final Thought (Pun Intended!)Your Mind's Canvas: A Call to Action

Your thoughts are like passing clouds—they come and go. The key is not to identify with them but to understand them. With awareness and practice, you can rewrite your inner story.

Just as Sarah learned to navigate her inner dialogue, your thoughts are the brushstrokes painting your daily experience. Like neural pathways in your brain, each thought creates a pattern that you can either strengthen or redirect. Understanding this gives you the power to shape your mental landscape.

So, here’s a question for you: What thought has shaped your day today? Let’s share and reflect in the comments below. Your journey toward mastering your mind starts now. 😊Take a moment to reflect: What recurring thoughts have been shaping your experiences lately?

Are they empowering like Sarah's Monday morning confidence, or challenging like her Tuesday doubts? Remember, recognizing these patterns is the first step toward transforming them.

Share your journey of thought awareness in the comments below - your insight might just help someone else understand their own mental patterns better. 🧠✨�

Call to action :

Register at aatam.com to learn more, we are on a mission to enrich you with the tools that lets you cultivate your own awareness and re-wire your thought patterns for growth.

References

Cerf, M., Gelbard-Sagiv, H., & Fried, I. (2014).Studying Thoughts and Deliberations Using Single Neuron Recordings in Humans. https://doi.org/10.7551/MITPRESS/9780262027205.003.0011

Vosgerau, G., & Synofzik, M. (2010). A cognitive theory of thoughts.American Philosophical Quarterly.

Kandel, E. R. et al. (2014) "Principles of Neural Science" - Discusses how neural pathways are formed through repeated experiences and how environmental stimuli trigger automatic responses through established neural circuits

LeDoux, J. E. (2003) "Synaptic Self: How Our Brains Become Who We Are" - Explains the role of unconscious processing in neural pathway formation and behavioral responses

Lisman, J. et al. (2018) "Memory formation depends on both synapse-specific modifications of synaptic strength and cell-specific increases in excitability" - Details the mechanisms of how neural pathways are formed and strengthened through experience

Ted Talk : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJfFMoAgbv8&t=919s