The Secret To ELIMINATING Limiting Beliefs? (Meditation, Success & Psychedelics)
Jacob Ingham-Gore is a transformative life coach and founder of Empowered Intelligence, dedicated to helping individuals break free from limiting beliefs and unlock their full potential. With a unique blend of psychological insights, practical strategies, and experiences spanning psychedelic exploration to meditative practices in Thailand, Jacob guides his clients in reprogramming their minds for success, fulfilment, and thriving relationships.
In this episode of The Breaking Point Podcast, we delve into the human psyche, explore limiting beliefs, and examine the power of reprogramming your mind for success. In this episode, we explore how to uproot negative beliefs, replace them with empowering ones, and create lasting change—using vivid analogies like pulling weeds from a garden to illustrate the process. We discuss the brain’s natural drive for "more," inspired by concepts from The Chimp Paradox by Dr Steve Peters, and how our limbic system keeps us in a state of lack to fuel ambition. Learn why moving toward what you want is more effective than running from what you don’t, and how this shift can break cycles of burnout, financial ups and downs, and unfulfilled potential.
We also touch on the transformative power of meditation, including transcendental meditation, and how it helps uncover unconscious patterns while fostering creativity and clarity. From animal studies to psychedelic experiences and monk-led meditations in Thailand, this episode is packed with practical wisdom and thought-provoking ideas to help you manage your mind and live with intention. Perfect for anyone looking to overcome anxiety, limiting beliefs, or simply understand how their brain works!
TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 - Eradicating Limiting Beliefs: The Garden Analogy
01:28 - The Chimp Paradox and the Brain’s State of Lack
03:47 - Moving Toward vs. Away: The Brain’s Motivation
07:42 - Why Focusing on Negatives Keeps You Stuck
11:37 - Meditation and Managing the Psyche
14:43 - Lessons from a Monk’s Temple and Psychedelic Insights
Mentioned in this episode:
- Chimp Paradox
- Steve Peters
Transcript
When you extract and.
Speaker A:Or eradicate, eradicate a belief, a limiting belief that someone has, you then have to help them implement a productive and adaptive belief.
Speaker A:You do?
Speaker B:Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker B:Well, it's like imagine you got these weeds in the garden, right?
Speaker B:And all these weeds are connected to the same group within this garden.
Speaker B:So, you know, most people go into this garden, will try to pull out the weeds individually.
Speaker B:Like, there's a lot of weeds in this garden.
Speaker B:It's almost impossible to pull them all out.
Speaker B:And any weed that you do, wow.
Speaker B:The roots to let the weak and grow back.
Speaker B:So rather than focusing on the weed, we focus on the root.
Speaker B:Pull out the root, bearing in mind all these weeds are connected to that same route.
Speaker B:Well, all the weeds in the garden have to die.
Speaker B:Like, can't survive.
Speaker B:And because there's no root there, they're gone permanently.
Speaker B:But now, now we've pulled the root out, we've got a void, right?
Speaker B:So now we can fill that void with whatever we want.
Speaker B:So rather than planting a.
Speaker B:A root that's going to grow weeds, I want to plant in a root that's going to grow a load of bluebells or sunflowers or a garden with oak trees or whatever.
Speaker B:So you're absolutely right.
Speaker B:That's what we do.
Speaker B:You know, we find the root cause, we permanently eliminate it, but then we plant in whatever that individual wants to create in their life, whatever that may be.
Speaker B:More fulfillment, more success, you know, a better thriving relationship, whatever.
Speaker B:So, yeah, yeah, we plan that in there.
Speaker A:A while ago, I watched a podcast with a guy that wrote the book the Chimp Paradox.
Speaker A:Have you heard of it?
Speaker B:Great book.
Speaker B:Yeah, years ago, and I read it, but I really good book.
Speaker A:Anyone that's struggling with, like, probably anxiety in particular is looking for a sort of basic, easily understandable book to read on about the way that your brain works.
Speaker A:I would recommend reading that book.
Speaker A:It's very enlightening with regards to anxiety and mental health.
Speaker A:And this guy, the author I think is called Steve Peters, was talking on a podcast, and he was speaking about this idea that we have, that this sort of perpetual state of not feeling good enough and feeling like there's something, there's something wrong, or there's.
Speaker A:As you.
Speaker A:You referred to earlier, your.
Speaker A:Your clients that you speak to who, who have achieved everything and still feel as if there's more or it's not good enough.
Speaker A:And the.
Speaker A:The host said, is there a reason that that's the case?
Speaker A:And his.
Speaker A:This.
Speaker A:This guy's opinion, the professor's opinion was that the chimp part of the brain, which is like the limbic system.
Speaker A:He said that we'll always be in a state of lack because that's.
Speaker A:I guess there's various reasons for that.
Speaker A:That's how we've grown and evolved and how we've created this incredible society.
Speaker A:Because it's that wanting for more that has spurred us on.
Speaker A:We're not great beings with regards to just sitting with what we've got and resting on our laurels.
Speaker A:We.
Speaker A:We have an innate ambition and desire to aim up.
Speaker A:So do you think that.
Speaker A:You think that those.
Speaker A:That specific moment that you had when you were 8 months old and probably everyone has, is kind of like maybe the awakening of that part of the brain?
Speaker A:And as much as you're not going to eradicate it, it's about communicating with it potentially.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:So you're absolutely right in what you're saying.
Speaker B:The brain always wants more.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:So the brain is always doing one of two things.
Speaker B:It's either moving away from what we don't want.
Speaker B:You know, if we.
Speaker B:If we have trauma, you know, limiting beliefs, things, you know, that we don't want within our life, whether that's consciously or unconsciously when things happen, we see something, we experience something, or we witness something that rubs up against that trauma.
Speaker B:We do everything to move away from that particular thing.
Speaker B:So the brain's either moving away from what we don't want, or it's moving towards what we want.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:And when we get that thing, we want more of it.
Speaker B:You know, it's always.
Speaker A:I would.
Speaker A:I would say the.
Speaker A:I bet you're talking at the moment, aren't you?
Speaker A:And it's just frozen.
Speaker B:No, no, I'm.
Speaker B:I'm okay.
Speaker B:Good.
Speaker A:I would say that the desire to move away what we don't want is stronger than the desire to move towards.
Speaker B:We do want stronger in the context, if that's how most people are wired based on experience and it isn't the most effective way and.
Speaker A:No, you're right, it's.
Speaker A:Yeah, I agree.
Speaker A:It's like educating, disciplining children.
Speaker A:The.
Speaker A:The best way to do it is to use vicarious reinforcement.
Speaker A:Positive reward, not negative reward.
Speaker A:Do you know the guy that.
Speaker A:I think the guy that discovered that was someone who was trying to test how strong a rat would.
Speaker A:A rat would pull against like a.
Speaker A:I know a little motor or a little device that would.
Speaker A:Could measure strength of force.
Speaker A:And he.
Speaker A:He used to starve them to like, not starving, but they were about 75% of their actual body weight.
Speaker A:What they should have been.
Speaker A:And then he would put like, I don't know what rats like cheese or something and he would see how fast the rat would pull.
Speaker A:And then he had an idea of wafting in some cat soda.
Speaker A:Because when cats absolutely hate.
Speaker A:I think when cats smell.
Speaker A:No, when, when rats smell cats, they run and hide and scream like this continuous scream for like hours to let all the other rats know they absolutely hate them.
Speaker A:And he found that my wafting in that rat odor, cat odor, the rat would pull significantly harder than it would if it was just being.
Speaker A:It's like the carrot and the stick if it was just being lured towards the smell.
Speaker A:So I think, yeah, that's that and that's really interesting.
Speaker A:Animal studies are exceptionally interesting and relatable to humans.
Speaker A:If you don't think that then you're a bit of a snob.
Speaker A:Psychological snob.
Speaker A:Because they really are 100%.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:And to add to that as well, you know, the brain's prime directive for all animals is to keep them alive as long as possible.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:So in that scenario he's smelling a cat thinking danger.
Speaker B:Absolutely.
Speaker B:You know, he is going to kick in some systems in his body to, you know, to get away from that situation.
Speaker B:And that's great.
Speaker B:In that, in that moment, if he's always upgrading in that state 24 7, how long is that sustainable for?
Speaker B:Until he gets burnt out and so on and so on.
Speaker B:So it's fantastic.
Speaker B:You know, it's a great mechanism that we've all got when we need to pull out.
Speaker B:You know, we're in a survival situation when it comes to non survival situations.
Speaker B:But creating more success and stuff in our life and things that are prolonged over a long period of time, well that's not always the most effective and here's the reason why.
Speaker B:So we've only got so much energy within the body.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:And to move away from what we don't want requires tremendous amounts of energy.
Speaker B:When we move towards what we want, it requires very little energy.
Speaker A:We're energized as well, aren't we?
Speaker B:Potentially, yeah, yeah.
Speaker B:The energy within the body, you require less of that energy to move towards what you want.
Speaker B:Then you move away from what you don't, which means it's far more efficient for the body.
Speaker B:You've got four, far more energy left over to then, you know, to do other things and to achieve other things.
Speaker B:So it requires a little energy to move towards what you want.
Speaker B:Another thing as well is or two other things of why it's better to move towards what you want.
Speaker B:Rather than what you don't want is the brain cannot pick up negatives.
Speaker B:So if I said, ollie, whatever you do, mate, do not think of a pink elephant, just don't do it.
Speaker B:What's the first thing that comes into your head?
Speaker A:I've practiced this quite a lot and I've get a little bit better at it.
Speaker A:But it did still pop up the second you said it.
Speaker A:And it's kind of like it flashes off and on again.
Speaker A:It's another thing that I'm trying to think of.
Speaker B:So, yeah, let's use money for an example.
Speaker B:It's a great example to use.
Speaker B:Now, let's say you're moving away from being broken.
Speaker B:Well, if you're focusing on not being broke, well, the thing that's in your head is being broke and your energy flows where your focus goes.
Speaker B:So yeah, you're actually focused on being broke and wondering why you're still broke.
Speaker B:You know, it's, it's kind of like.
Speaker B:As well, if you're.
Speaker B:I'll use this as another example.
Speaker B:If you're motivated to get out the uk, what then happens?
Speaker B:Slot motivation.
Speaker B:Once you get out the uk, you're out the uk now were motivated to get out the uk, you're now in a hot, sunny country.
Speaker B:What happens?
Speaker A:That motivation, I guess it just moves into something else.
Speaker A:Moves on to something else.
Speaker B:That, that, that specific motivation, it goes, right, Disappears.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:So if we're, if we're motivated from moving away from being broke, well, as soon as we get a bit of money in the bank, that motivation then goes.
Speaker B:So unconsciously, our thoughts and emotions and behaviors start to change and we stop doing the things unconsciously, we might not even be aware of it.
Speaker B:We stopped doing the things that brought that money in the first place.
Speaker B:So then we, we, you know, we stopped bringing in as much money.
Speaker B:We're probably in a place where when we don't feel broke, so we're going to end up spending the money.
Speaker B:So you spending the money, you're not bringing in as much money and all of a sudden that bank balance goes down again.
Speaker B:I say, oh, I'm broke again.
Speaker B:The motivation kicks back in and then repeat that cycle.
Speaker B:And this is why people have these money patterns where they make money, lose money, make money, lose money, make money, lose money.
Speaker B:And it's like this ceiling car, break past it and grow their wealth because they're unconsciously focused on moving away from being broke, which requires a tremendous amount of energy.
Speaker B:Whereas if unconsciously we're focused on creating wealth requires less energy.
Speaker B:So it's far more efficient.
Speaker B:But what is wealth?
Speaker B:You know, I made a tenant.
Speaker B:Great.
Speaker B:Made 100 quid.
Speaker B:I made a grand, I made 10 grand.
Speaker B:I made 100 grand.
Speaker B:I made a million, I made 10 million, I made 100 million.
Speaker B:You know, I'm on route to a billion.
Speaker B:Like it's endless.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:So that motivation's always there, it's always consistent.
Speaker B:You know, you're always moving towards more wealth.
Speaker B:So rather than having these yo yo patterns all the time, when you move away from being broke, which requires tremendous amounts of energy, well, you're having this consistent growth because you're moving towards what you want.
Speaker B:It requires far less energy to do.
Speaker B:So you're not getting burnt out.
Speaker B:You know, it's probably going to not cause as much problems in other areas of your life.
Speaker B:You know, someone might sacrifice in the health and relationships to try and create more success.
Speaker B:Well now it feels, you know, more effortless because it requires less energy.
Speaker B:We're moving towards what you want.
Speaker B:So then that stops those problems in your health or relationships.
Speaker B:You can break past that ceiling on your success.
Speaker B:And yeah, I move towards that.
Speaker B:And that was just an example.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:You know, there could be stuff below that that's deeper that's going on.
Speaker B:That's just a really simplified version of it, if that made sense.
Speaker A:Yeah, it's sort of like a never ending web of.
Speaker A:There's a, there's a photo of how that like hyperlinks or links all the like parables or texts in the Bible and sort of a random one, but you can Google it.
Speaker A:It's an exceptional image.
Speaker A:And basically every single text, specific, not chapter, small paragraph, but specific part, paragraph is linked with multiple others.
Speaker A:And that's kind of like what the human psyche is like, isn't it?
Speaker A:It's just sort of a never ending chain of memories, events, beliefs, motivational systems, et cetera.
Speaker A:And you just have to like manage it all.
Speaker A:Which is why people should meditate.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:Do you like meditation?
Speaker B:Yeah, yeah, I'm massive on meditation.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Yeah, I am.
Speaker A:Go for it.
Speaker A:I do something called transcendental meditation, which is kind of like when I've spoken about it a lot but you can't emphasize it enough.
Speaker A:It's kind of like.
Speaker A:The idea is that since we've been speaking about layers of consciousness and unconscious sort of beliefs and values, the idea is that the point of consciousness moves down the layers and then as that progression or regression goes down inwards, the other aspects are designed to flow up and flow out.
Speaker A:And it's because the biggest problem that in the rebuttal you get, I literally speaking to someone the other day and they were saying the same thing is this idea that you have to stop thinking when you meditate and if you think then that you're failing and you're not going to reap any of the benefits.
Speaker A:And that's not true at all.
Speaker A:The brain is a thinking machine.
Speaker A:So therefore it's literally what you were talking about with the pink elephant.
Speaker A:Asking the brain not to think is.
Speaker A:It's like the ultimate pink elephant question.
Speaker A:It's the ultimate negative, double negative question.
Speaker A:So it's no wonder people can't think.
Speaker A:But that's irrelevant to some degree.
Speaker A:The point is to go with the thinking, to allow the thinking and then eventually the thinking will slow down.
Speaker A:There's a great quote who, I'm not sure who said it, but he said most of man's problems exist because of his inability to sit with himself in silence in a room for half an hour.
Speaker A:And I think that's definitely true.
Speaker A:And we live in a society that is designed to shake us up continually and stimulate us.
Speaker A:And therefore we're not able to do that because we're continuously requiring and desiring more stimulation and more stimulation because of how we've been conditioned to think.
Speaker A:So yes, anyone that is struggling to.
Speaker A:And also I, I do wonder if like limiting beliefs and thoughts patterns that you can't access, I think they come up when you give yourself time to think.
Speaker A:Could you, could you relate to that?
Speaker B:So a few things then to add to that because you're absolutely bang on.
Speaker B:When I went out, I was traveling a lot of 20, 24.
Speaker B:We're in Thailand and me and the girlfriend was, was, you know, but right inside and visit this like a lovely.
Speaker A:Girl by the way.
Speaker B:Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Speaker B:You're welcome.
Speaker B:Yeah, we went and visited this, this monks temple and anyways we got chatting to this monk and he took us off and he was like, oh, I'll take you through a meditation.
Speaker B:So all right, cool.
Speaker B:And what they were saying is you got to focus on this crystal ball kind of like within your stomach.
Speaker B:He said focus on that.
Speaker B:And then you know other thoughts and stuff won't go into your head.
Speaker B:But I was thinking, well that is a thought.
Speaker B:You're, the thought in your head is focusing on that crystal ball.
Speaker B:So it's still a thought.
Speaker B:You know, it's impossible to have nothing in your head.
Speaker B:In order to have nothing else within your head, you've got to think of something and focus on that thing.
Speaker B:So nothing else comes in.
Speaker B:So you're absolutely right.
Speaker B:But yeah, there's a bit of a tangent that.
Speaker B:But it.
Speaker A:No, so we'll go to a temple and meditate with a monk.
Speaker B:So.
Speaker B:But yeah, you know, like, some of my best realizations I have or ideas or creative moments come to me when I am in a state of meditation.
Speaker B:Not necessarily actually meditating.
Speaker B:You know, I mean, like, you know, walking on your own is a form of meditation.
Speaker B:Going to the gym and just being in the zone on your own is a form of meditation.
Speaker B:You know, when I'm driving, I'm just kind of in any state that I'm in where, you know, you just kind of float off and go in your own little world.
Speaker B:There's no agenda.
Speaker B:There's, you know, there's nothing there.
Speaker B:It's taking your focus.
Speaker B:Your mind's just completely free to just wander.
Speaker B:That is when some of the best ideas, realizations or whatever, creative moments that I've had that come to me.
Speaker B:Another one is, you know, I've done a lot of, like, psychedelics through my time, actually lend me to be a coach.
Speaker B:I had a psychedelic trip on mushrooms.
Speaker B:Very high dosage, 5 grams.
Speaker B:And that's what kind of brought me on this path of kind of going down the empowered intelligence route.
Speaker B:But, yeah, you know, when you're on mushrooms and stuff too, you.
Speaker B:You're kind of in that flowy state and that childlike state, and you get a lot of.
Speaker B:You.
Speaker B:It brings a lot of awareness to things.
Speaker B:Things that might be unconscious that you then bring up and more in your awareness.
Speaker B:And that can have some amazing, you know, profound shifts within your life because you've got awareness on something.
Speaker B:Well, you know where to put focus.
Speaker B:Now.
Speaker B:You might have a limit in belief that comes to your awareness that you were previously oblivious to.
Speaker B:And now it's in your awareness.
Speaker B:You can act on that.
Speaker B:So, yeah, man, all of it, you know, meditation and other forms of being in that meditative state, it can be super, super powerful.
