{"id":54644,"date":"2021-11-08T18:02:00","date_gmt":"2021-11-08T22:02:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=54644"},"modified":"2021-11-20T12:52:52","modified_gmt":"2021-11-20T16:52:52","slug":"the-power-of-your-subconscious-mind-book","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/the-power-of-your-subconscious-mind-book\/","title":{"rendered":"The Power of Your Subconscious Mind: Book Overview"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>What is <em>The Power of Your Subconscious<\/em> <em>Mind<\/em> by Joseph Murphy about? What is the key message you can take away from the book?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In his book <em>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/your-subconscious-mind\/\">Power of Your Subconscious Mind<\/a><\/em>, Joseph Murphy claims that all of your life experiences are the result of the interaction between your conscious and subconscious minds\u2014your subconscious mind creates your life experiences according to your habitual conscious thoughts and ingrained beliefs. Murphy argues that you can use your conscious mind to imprint <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-have-a-positive-mindset\/\">positive thoughts<\/a> upon <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/subconscious-brain\/\">your subconscious mind<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Below is a brief overview of the key takeaways. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Part 1: <strong>Your Subconscious Mind Creates Your Life Experiences<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In his book <em>The Power of Your Subconscious Mind<\/em>, Joseph Murphy claims that all of your life experiences are the result of the interaction between your conscious and subconscious minds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Murphy explains that your <strong>conscious<\/strong> mind is your <em>active<\/em> mind. It contains all of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/thoughts-feelings-and-behaviors\/\">thoughts and feelings<\/a> that you\u2019re aware of at any given moment. You use it to judge your environment and to make choices and decisions based on these judgments.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: Research backs up Murphy\u2019s judgment of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/the-subconscious\/\">the conscious mind<\/a> as your active mind. According to Brian Tracy (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/eat-that-frog\"><em>Eat That Frog!<\/em><\/a>), your conscious mind <a href=\"https:\/\/www.briantracy.com\/blog\/general\/understanding-your-conscious-mind\/\">continually identifies, compares, and analyzes all of the information you perceive<\/a> so that it can make decisions about what is relevant to you. However, Tracy notes that your conscious mind functions like a binary computer\u2014it has no memory and can only think one thought at a time.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Meanwhile, Murphy explains that your <strong>subconscious<\/strong> mind is your <em>passive<\/em> mind. It\u2019s always awake because it regulates all of your bodily functions, and it <strong>records and stores your <\/strong><strong><em>every<\/em><\/strong><strong> experience<\/strong> even when you\u2019re not consciously <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-pay-attention\/\">paying attention<\/a>. Over 90% of your brain\u2019s activity takes place in your subconscious mind: It\u2019s a reservoir of thoughts, feelings, and memories that lies beneath your conscious awareness.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: There is still much to be learned about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-does-the-subconscious-mind-work\/\">how the subconscious mind works<\/a>, but even in 1963, Murphy was right about its importance\u2014neuroscientists have confirmed that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gailmarrahypnotherapy.com\/9-interesting-facts-about-your-subconscious-mind\/\">95% of your brain activity takes place beyond your conscious awareness<\/a>, <em>in your subconscious mind<\/em>. Further, research reveals that your subconscious mind makes decisions about how you choose to feel or act <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/news.2008.751\"><em>before<\/em> your conscious mind even perceives the need to make a decision<\/a>.)&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Your Habitual Thoughts Imprint Upon Your Subconscious Mind<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Murphy claims that your subconscious mind is <em>impersonal<\/em> because it passively accepts your habitual conscious thoughts without question. In other words, it doesn\u2019t judge any of your conscious thoughts (in the same way that your computer doesn\u2019t judge the documents you save onto your hard drive). All of the thoughts you think in your conscious mind filter down into your subconscious mind and leave an impression. <strong>The more often you think certain thoughts, the heavier the impression you leave on your subconscious mind<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to Murphy, the way your conscious thoughts imprint upon and mold your subconscious mind determines your personality traits and how you respond to your life experiences. This is because<strong> your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/thinking-habits\/\">habitual thoughts<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-train-your-subconscious-mind\/\">train your subconscious<\/a> mind to create associations and shortcuts<\/strong> between all of the thoughts, feelings, and experiences it has stored.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Murphy also claims that your subconscious mind forms conclusions about what your overarching beliefs are based on your habitual conscious thoughts. It then automatically relies upon these overarching beliefs to process and catalog all of the information it records.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: Murphy claims that your subconscious mind passively and impersonally carries out the orders it\u2019s given based on your habitual conscious thoughts and overarching beliefs. However, he doesn\u2019t mention that while your subconscious mind <em>is<\/em> at the mercy of your conscious mind, it also <em>influences<\/em> your conscious mind to think in specific ways and leads you to act <em>automatically<\/em> in ways that align with your overarching beliefs. According to Maxwell Maltz (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/psycho-cybernetics\/chapter-2\"><em>Psycho-Cybernetics<\/em><\/a>), the conclusions that your subconscious mind forms about your beliefs and how it should respond to your experiences affect the way you engage with the world by triggering your emotions and leading you to react in specific ways to your environment.)&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>You\u2019re Connected to a Powerful Force<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Murphy argues that while your subconscious mind does influence your feelings and behaviors and lead you to create certain situations based on these reactions, it also plays a far more important role in your life: <strong>It creates specific life experiences that align with your habitual conscious thoughts and beliefs.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How exactly does your subconscious mind <em>create<\/em> life experiences? Murphy claims that your subconscious mind is connected to a \u201cHigher Power,\u201d or Universal Consciousness\u2014the invisible power or \u201clife force\u201d that created and continues to manage the entire universe. According to Murphy, this force lives within all organic and inorganic matter, connects us all, and governs all of the interactions that underlie the universe.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: Murphy refers to this power as \u201cGod,\u201d \u201cInfinite Intelligence,\u201d and a \u201cHigher Power.\u201d We\u2019ll refer to this concept as \u201cUniversal Consciousness\u201d throughout the rest of this guide for clarity and consistency.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Your Subconscious Mind Orchestrates Your Life Experiences<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Murphy argues that your subconscious mind is infinite and has no limitations: There is no limit to the amount of information it can record and store, and its connection to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/universal-consciousness\/\">Universal Consciousness<\/a> gives it access to all of the information in the universe. Through this access, it <strong><em>orchestrates interactions<\/em><\/strong><strong> and creates experiences that line up with your habitual conscious thoughts, expectations, and beliefs<\/strong>. These results reflect both how you feel about yourself and what you expect to experience in your life. They encompass every area of your life including your health, relationships, finances, and career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Murphy claims that your subconscious mind leads you to these experiences through the use of intuition. Each time you feel inspired, have a gut instinct, or the impulse or urge to do something, this is your subconscious communicating and guiding you towards specific life experiences that match your habitual conscious thoughts. Murphy\u2019s theory explains the coincidences and serendipitous moments that occur in your life.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, you\u2019re on your way somewhere but feel impelled to take a different route. This route leads you to bump into someone you were planning to get in touch with. Though you may pass it off as a happy coincidence, Murphy argues that this is your subconscious mind creating your life experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>You\u2019re Designed to Feel Healthy and Happy<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Murphy believes that Universal Consciousness is a <strong>benevolent force<\/strong> that your subconscious mind is connected to, and the natural by-products of this force are positive: vitality, bliss, and forward motion. Because you have an innate connection to this force, <strong>you are a physical extension of this positive force<\/strong>\u2014he explains that a stream of positive energy flows <em>within you<\/em> to nurture you both physically and emotionally, and <em>around you<\/em> to create joyous life experiences. Consequently, Murphy concludes that <strong>you\u2019re <\/strong><strong><em>designed<\/em><\/strong><strong> to think in ways that align with this energy so that you can live in a constant state of bliss.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: The belief in an <strong>inherently good<\/strong> higher power lies at the forefront of most dominant religions. Yuval Noah Harari (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/sapiens\/chapter-12\"><em>Sapiens<\/em><\/a>) explains that the idea of a benevolent God originally arose from the human need to control our environment: Humans created Gods and assigned them the power to control the things they couldn\u2019t (epidemics, droughts). By assigning these Gods with personalities and biases, humans could believe that these Gods took an active interest in the human world and that they could pray for intervention. Further, the act of turning things over to a higher power gave humans a way of rationalizing uncontrollable events and the resilience to face challenges and upheavals.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Part 2: Negative Thoughts Create Failure and Disease<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>According to Murphy, the impressions your conscious thoughts leave on your subconscious mind influence the way it interacts with the positive flow of Universal Consciousness. If you\u2019re not entirely happy with your life experiences, it\u2019s because you&#8217;re thinking <strong>\u201cfalse\u201d negative thoughts<\/strong> that contradict the positive force of Universal Consciousness. Let\u2019s explore this idea in detail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Why Your Negative Thoughts Are \u201cFalse\u201d<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Murphy argues that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/negative-thinking-patterns\/\">negative thought patterns<\/a> arise due to your <em>lack of faith<\/em> in your benevolent higher power. If you trusted it to work on your behalf, you\u2019d have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/nothing-to-fear\/\">nothing to fear<\/a> and no need to struggle because you\u2019d know that this higher power is working to help you. But, your lack of faith leads you to the <strong>false conclusion<\/strong> that you <em>have to<\/em> struggle by yourself and force things into place if you want to achieve any sort of success or happiness in your life. As a result, you feel alone and unsupported, and, when things don\u2019t go the way you want them to, you suffer from low self-confidence and poor expectations. Your subconscious mind then fulfills these expectations by creating difficult and uncomfortable experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Your Negative Thoughts Create Self-Fulfilling Prophecies<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Murphy argues that every time you think negative thoughts, you block your subconscious mind from accessing both the useful information you have stored in your mind in your subconscious and the positive energy flowing from Universal Consciousness that creates positive experiences. As a result, your subconscious mind creates <em>negative<\/em> experiences that align with your fears and worries. According to Murphy, your negative thoughts impact your mental and physical health and your ability to create <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/happiness-and-success\/\">success and happiness<\/a> in all areas of your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: Research on the topic of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindmypeelings.com\/blog\/cognitive-distortions\">cognitive distortions<\/a> supports Murphy\u2019s argument that negative thoughts contribute to negative life experiences. Cognitive distortions are irrational <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-break-negative-thought-patterns\/\">thought patterns<\/a> that manifest as negative emotions, increased anxiety, depression, and mental illness. <strong>These negative mental states lead people to take actions that lead to negative experiences<\/strong>. According to this research, cognitive distortions are more likely to occur when you habitually think negative thoughts. This is because your subconscious mind gets used to processing everything it perceives in a negative light so much so that <strong>you wire your brain to <\/strong><strong><em>always<\/em><\/strong><strong> respond negatively to your experiences<\/strong>.)&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Part 3: Train Your Subconscious Mind to Create Positive Results<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>According to Murphy, the process to retrain your subconscious mind is very simple: <strong>You just need to use your conscious mind to <\/strong><strong><em>imprint<\/em><\/strong><strong> positive thoughts and images upon your subconscious mind. <\/strong>Murphy explains that there are two steps to making this process work for you: First, you need to <strong>decide<\/strong> to think positive thoughts. Then, you need to <strong>trust<\/strong> that your subconscious mind will create experiences that align with your positive thoughts. Let\u2019s explore these two ideas in detail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Step 1: Decide to Think Positive Thoughts<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Murphy argues that you need to <strong>take control<\/strong> of what thoughts your subconscious mind identifies with by consciously deciding to get in charge of your thoughts. Recall that your conscious mind is <em>active<\/em> and your subconscious mind is <em>passive<\/em>. Even though your subconscious mind creates your life experiences, it can only follow the habitual conscious thoughts\u2014or in other words, instructions\u2014from your conscious mind. He suggests that you explicitly tell your subconscious mind that, from now on, you\u2019re only going to think positive thoughts. This will give you the conviction you need to change your conscious thoughts and improve your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: The process to take control of and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/change-your-thoughts\/\">change your thoughts<\/a> may not be as easy as Murphy makes out. This is because your thoughts and your state of mind reinforce one another to create an internal feedback loop that\u2019s difficult to break out of: <strong>Your thoughts determine your state of mind<\/strong> (thinking about problems makes you feel anxious) and <strong>your state of mind determines your thoughts <\/strong>(you feel anxious so you think about your problems). However, research reveals that making the effort to become more aware of your thoughts allows you to <a href=\"https:\/\/selfawareness.blog\/instead-of-changing-your-thoughts-identify-them\/\">disentangle yourself from this feedback loop<\/a>. Instead of feeling as if you\u2019re stuck within an uncontrollable cycle of thoughts, your awareness allows you to view and change your thoughts objectively.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Step 2: Trust the Process to Work for You<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>To explain why you need to trust the process of your subconscious mind creating positive thoughts for it to work, we\u2019ll first explain Murphy\u2019s beliefs about how your body heals from mental and physical injuries. Recall that your subconscious mind regulates all of your vital bodily functions\u2014this includes the healing process. For example, it regulates the little paper cuts that heal overnight or the headache that fades away without intervention.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you rely on intervention to heal yourself, such as surgery, psychology, or spiritual help (you pray for your healing), <em>you assume that an outside source has healed you<\/em>: \u201cI am healed now because of that doctor or that religion.\u201d However, Murphy argues that this is not the case\u2014<strong>your subconscious mind is always in control of your healing process<\/strong>, and it is <em>your faith in <\/em>the healer (your method, doctor, or religion) that heals you, not the healer itself. <strong>Your conscious faith that the process will work imprints upon your subconscious mind and instructs it to heal you<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This faith isn\u2019t restricted to the healing process but applies to all areas of your life, from your relationships to your general success. Your subconscious mind operates according to your beliefs and expectations. Therefore, Murphy concludes that you must <strong>trust that your positive thoughts will create positive experiences<\/strong> for you if you want the process to work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Part 4: Methods to Realign Your Thoughts<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Murphy suggests five methods you can use to take control of your conscious thoughts and train your subconscious mind to create positive experiences in your life:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Method 1: Choose Thoughts That Make You Feel Happy<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Murphy believes that you need to focus on thinking only positive thoughts if you want your subconscious mind to create positive experiences. But how can you know whether your habitual conscious thoughts are positive or not? According to Murphy, you just need to judge how you feel. If you feel happy and you have positive expectations about your life, you\u2019re <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/the-power-of-positive-thoughts\/\">thinking positive thoughts<\/a>. On the other hand, if you don\u2019t feel good about your life experiences, you\u2019re thinking negative thoughts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Shortform note: Research backs up Murphy\u2019s claim that your thoughts and emotions are inextricably linked and confirms that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu\/what-are-thoughts-emotions\">positive thoughts make you feel happy<\/a>. However, sometimes it\u2019s not so easy to force yourself to think happy thoughts. Fortunately, there is a way to trick your brain into believing that you\u2019re happy: smiling. Neuroscience research reveals that smiling spurs a chemical reaction in the brain that releases specific hormones including dopamine and serotonin. These hormones increase your happiness and reduce your stress levels. In short, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/better\/health\/smiling-can-trick-your-brain-happiness-boost-your-health-ncna822591\">smiling makes you feel happy<\/a>. When you feel happy, you\u2019re more inclined to think positive thoughts that continue to make you feel happy.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Method 2: Identify With What You Want<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>To develop positive expectations, Murphy suggests that you think only about what you <em>want <\/em>to experience. Instead of worrying about how you\u2019ll achieve something, focus on the end results and imagine the gratitude you\u2019ll feel once you have it. This process will set a clear direction for your subconscious mind to move towards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: Like Murphy, Wattles (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/the-science-of-getting-rich\/chapter-1\"><em>The Science of Getting Rich<\/em><\/a>), argues that you shouldn\u2019t worry about <em>how<\/em> to achieve what you want. Instead, just expect everything to work out in your favor. Wattles suggests that imagining your desired end result and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/practicing-gratitude\/\">practicing gratitude<\/a> in advance of receiving what you want, not only sends a clear message to the universe, but it also keeps you from becoming dissatisfied with your current life experiences. This is because, when you imagine feeling grateful for something you don\u2019t yet have, you <em>feel positive<\/em> regardless of what\u2019s actually happening in your life. The more positive you feel, the more likely you are to adopt behaviors that move you closer to what you want.)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Method 3: Create Automatic Behavior Using Conscious Repetition<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>According to Murphy, when you first try to change your habitual conscious thoughts, you\u2019ll need to apply conscious effort in order to think positively. But, with repetition, your positive thoughts will eventually imprint upon your subconscious mind to form positive beliefs, and outweigh any negative and outdated beliefs. As a result, <strong>your subconscious mind will influence you to think and behave in positive ways without conscious effort<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: While it\u2019s true that repetition leads to automatic behavior, opinions vary on exactly how long it takes for your subconscious mind to become accustomed to your new thoughts. Research studies reveal that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/health\/how-long-does-it-take-to-form-a-habit#the-21-day-myth\">it can take between 18 and 254 days, or an average of 66 days, for habits to become automatic<\/a>. The timeline depends on how consistently you practice your new habits\u2014the more often you consciously practice thinking your chosen thoughts, the quicker your subconscious mind will align with these new thoughts.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Method 4: Visualize What You Want<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Murphy claims that, when you visualize an image, you add weight to the impression your conscious thoughts form in your subconscious mind. This is because your subconscious mind can\u2019t tell the difference between imagination and reality\u2014it only <em>knows<\/em> that you\u2019re thinking about something often enough to create a detailed picture in your mind. The more you dwell on this image, the more likely your subconscious is to accept this image as an instruction about what it should create.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: While Murphy argues that visualization can help to <em>create<\/em> your life experiences, research shows that visualization may negatively impact your subconscious mind when you apply it to your goals. In <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/ego-is-the-enemy\/part-1a\"><em>Ego Is the Enemy<\/em><\/a>, Ryan Holiday claims that visualization can confuse your subconscious mind and create the opposite effect of what you want to achieve: When your mind <em>believes<\/em> that you\u2019ve already achieved something, <strong>you feel that you\u2019ve made progress<\/strong> despite not having taken any measurable steps toward achieving your goal. This feeling of progress feels good, but it\u2019s based on a <strong>false sense of achievement <\/strong>that <a href=\"https:\/\/nyuscholars.nyu.edu\/en\/publications\/positive-fantasies-about-idealized-futures-sap-energy\">may cause you to lose interest in trying to progress toward your goal<\/a>.)&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Method 5: Relax Your Mind to Reduce Interference From Your Conscious Mind<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When you&#8217;re awake and alert, you can\u2019t help but think about and judge everything around you. According to Murphy, this is what your conscious mind is <em>designed<\/em> to do. Unfortunately, this creates problems for you when you\u2019re trying to retrain your subconscious mind. This is because <strong>you can\u2019t just change your habitual conscious thoughts and beliefs instantaneously<\/strong>\u2014your mind needs time to get used to your new way of thinking. During this time, your conscious mind questions and contradicts the beliefs you want to change. This conflict between what you <em>want <\/em>to believe and what you<em> do <\/em>believe creates confusion for your subconscious mind because it\u2019s not receiving clear instructions from your conscious mind.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, you want your subconscious to believe that you\u2019re wealthy, But your conscious mind knows that you\u2019re <em>not<\/em> rich. Each time you imagine yourself as wealthy, it offers counterproductive thoughts such as: \u201cThat\u2019s not true because you\u2019re not rich.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Set Intentions Before You Sleep<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Since your subconscious mind is more receptive to your thoughts when your conscious mind is relaxed, Murphy recommends that you make the habit of thinking about what you want before you go to sleep. In addition, if you have problems that need solving, instruct your subconscious mind to come up with solutions while you sleep. According to Murphy, your subconscious mind will provide these solutions to you in the form of urges and inspiration when you awake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: In <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/deep-work\/chapter-6\"><em>Deep Work<\/em><\/a>, Cal Newport backs up Murphy\u2019s idea that sleep and relaxation help you to find solutions. Newport discusses the benefits of \u201cproductive meditation\u201d\u2014using your relaxation time as a constructive way to solve problems. He suggests that you\u2019re more likely to do your best work when you alternate between periods of intense focus and relaxation. While you\u2019re relaxing, your mind will work through the problems you\u2019ve lined up for it and, <em>without your conscious interference<\/em>, can more quickly or creatively arrive at a solution.)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What is The Power of Your Subconscious Mind by Joseph Murphy about? What is the key message you can take away from the book? In his book The Power of Your Subconscious Mind, Joseph Murphy claims that all of your life experiences are the result of the interaction between your conscious and subconscious minds\u2014your subconscious mind creates your life experiences according to your habitual conscious thoughts and ingrained beliefs. Murphy argues that you can use your conscious mind to imprint positive thoughts upon your subconscious mind. Below is a brief overview of the key takeaways.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":20771,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[40,9,6],"tags":[535],"class_list":["post-54644","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-books","category-psychology","category-spiritual","tag-the-power-of-your-subconscious-mind","","tg-column-two"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.3 (Yoast SEO v24.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>The Power of Your Subconscious Mind: Book Overview - Shortform Books<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"In The Power of Your Subconscious Mind, Joseph Murphy explains how to train your subconscious to attract what you want in life. Learn more.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/the-power-of-your-subconscious-mind-book\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Power of Your Subconscious Mind: Book Overview\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"In The Power of Your Subconscious Mind, Joseph Murphy explains how to train your subconscious to attract what you want in life. 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