Reframe Your Brain

Reframe Your Brain is a collection of over 160 simple but effective mental shifts you can make to improve your mental and physical health, your social life and odds of success, and even how you look at reality itself.

Adams is an outspoken multi-millionaire with controversial views who’s written several books about persuasion and success, like How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big and Loserthink. Given his background, you wouldn’t expect the largest section of his book to be about mental health — but it is. Refreshing!

Adams insists he is no expert but that reframes are safe to try. Here are 10 of them to help manage your inner wellbeing:

Before: “I am my inner thoughts.” After: “I am what I do.” Before: “Find yourself.” After: “Author yourself.” Before: “Some people are good, and some are not.” After: “We’re all flawed, and we’re all good at different things.” Before: “Everyone is thinking about me.” After: “You are only a bit player in their movie.” Before: “My feelings are the result of my situation.” After: “How I feel is my choice.” Before: “I am in pain.” After: “I am in pain for a minute.” Before: “There are good days and bad.” After: “All days are useful in different ways.” Before: “I can’t handle this for the rest of my life.” After: “I can do anything for a day.” Before: “My trauma crippled me.” After: “My trauma is why I can kick your ass.” Before: “My mind is in my brain.” After: “My mind includes my brain, body, and physical environment. Any change to one changes the others.”

Can you see it? Most of Adams’ suggestions go back to a few themes:

Focus on what you can do and control. The world is not black and white. You are a small part in a big picture. Everything is temporary.

That’s basically Stoic philosophy, which can help us feel more centered, grounded, and take ourselves less seriously.

Of course, Adams also has a few things to say about his favorite topic: success and how to attain it.

In Star Wars, Han Solo flies into an asteroid field to evade enemy spaceships. When his loyal robot C-3PO reminds him the chances of making it through are 3270 to 1, Han only says: “Never tell me the odds!” Sure enough, they manage to escape. “Never tell me the odds” also captures one of the 3 pillars of Adams’ philosophy of success: Fake it till you make it. Consistency beats effort. Stay open-minded and flexible. For example, Adams is a huge fan of affirmations. Repeat your aspirations to yourself every day, and you’ll prime your subconscious to steer your brain in the…