Episode 971 Scott Adams: A Micro Lesson on Affirmations. Can You Program Your Reality? 

I’ve used this method for years. There’s many ways to make it much more effective and to expedite your results. One of those ways is to heighten your emotional state. Grab some earphones and find an emotionally stimulating score like the dark knight soundtrack by Hans Zimmer and start to write slowly, intentionally and in present tense. You will immediately feel a shift in your emotional state and whatever doubts you may have will be drowned out by an overwhelming feeling of certainty. I’ve manifested everything I’ve ever wanted this way and very quickly.

I love the self-development Scott lessons. This, I would never miss.

Scott should write a dedicated book on affirmations

When I learned about this early this year, I lost it. I had to do it right away, and let me tell you it worked three different times. Currently set my goals bigger and working on the fourth!

I've read about that in "How to fail at almost everything and still win big", and not long ago heard you speaking about that in a youtube interview - was it Tim Ferris? Nevermind, two weeks ago, 11th of May I started to write affirmation "I, Leszek Cyfer, will be healthy, fit, full of energy and will weigh 90kg". I am not even on a diet and I lost 3,5kg, and now as I am preparing to introduce intermittent fasting I expect even better results. So, thanks a lot :)

What the.. what the... I picked an affirmation that has been frustrating me for weeks.. and barely got to repeat it today (like 5 times) and I got my result just now... OK that's gotta be a fluke...

ASK...ASK and it will be given to you,seek and you shall find,knock and the door shall be opened for you

20:44 from here Scott explains in detail his affirmation process.

Scott, So much fun, I'm getting older just turned 69 and found you on the internet. You are funny, calm and peaceful and you keep tweaking my mind. I look forward to listening to you each day. Kathryn

I had a very similar experience to Scott with his Berkeley test. A long time ago I was struggling at a law enforcement academy for a special team while losing weight and struggling to reach peak fitness. I could not meet the minimum 11 minute mile and a half time to pass at the end of the months long program. It was the only PT standard I could not easily beat as I'm short, bulky, and hate long distance running. I discovered Scott before and was writing affirmations I would pass. While training I never ran faster than 12:20. And the final practice PT 3 days prior to the real deal, I ran my ass off and only made 12:20. When the final day came however ,I made 10:47. A very sudden and huge boost in performance.

I’ve demonstrated this to close friends and manifested all sorts of things. Yet, I don’t run around many numerical goals. I still don’t know why this works and decided that the “why” is none of my business. I just know that I works I can repeat it. A real paradox.

Neville Goddard spoke at length about this concept.

Maybe the simulation hears the affirmation, and helps out.

It goes back, at least to Napoleon Hill, the author of Think and Grow Rich .. which changed millions of lives.

Anyone interested in delving deeper into the subject matter, look up Neville Goddard.

process of affirmations 20:30

Someone already posted it earlier but 20:44 is where he starts explaining his method.

The correct form of affirmation would be “I Scott Adams, am a syndicated cartoonist.” Tell yourself you’re already there. More effective. Make it present day.

Affirmations change our status quo: the status quo is 'We go after the things that we think we can get...not after what we want'. This makes sense to 'go after that we think we can get' as it conserves energy. With affirmations, we pay attention to and make small changes to nudge us to go after the things we truly want. These are the things we are not sure we are going to get a pay off for. If we expend energy towards them, we might not get a reward. So we don't make the effort. Affirmations nudge us to make tiny changes to get us in the direction of what we want vs what we think we can get.

Reticular Activating System is also the reason when you become aware of a particular car, you start to see it everywhere. A year ago, the bumper fell off the back of my car. I thought it looked strange. In the year since that happened I've spotted maybe a hundred cars with missing rear bumpers. Reticular Activating System!

Thank you Mr. Adams for this incredible episode haha. Apparently there are many speakers on this topic even from the 1950s, namely people like Neville Goddard or Joseph Murphy. The thing your Mensa friend said is exactly what I tell myself and others, but most other people just laugh it off and never want to approach the subject again. I always find that approach stunning, considering what you have to gain vs what you lose (a little time each day).

I tried this about 3 years ago when I first read “How to lose big...” There is definitely something to it. In fact I experienced such a positive turn around that my toxic BPD girlfriend dumped me, but that’s a whole different story. But the affirmation thing, it definitely wakens something. Even if it’s just shifting your perception enough.

I have tried this technique before and it worked! Going to try it again on a new goal...

Isn't affirmation just prayer?

Affirmations change reality!!

These are roughly the principles mentioned in the power of Subconscious mind. Thanks Scott for reaffirming my belief system.

It's just the reticular activation system. It's real and it's science based.

Scott, Scott, Scott...isn’t this just ‘The Secret’?

We desire too many things in life at the same time. Using affirmations brings focus to that one most important desire.

Hi Scott, can I do these affirmations for my child’s recovery from illness?

This is a popular concept in chaos/sigil magick, except they create an abstraction of the desire (a sigil or mantra) and then focus on that.

That pom pom pom pom pom pom pom at the start is very relaxing.

Ive had success with this, after watching this video months ago I started writing affirmations 15 times and Ive became more wealthy, even made hundreds dollars in days from stock picks sorta like you did Scott. TY

Doesn't even have to be fifteen times a day. I've had great results with two times a day...as long as it done in an intense and energetic manner.

This technique was basis of "The Secret". Based on quantum physics. Energy out, energy back.

I Believe luck is a skill that can be developed. There are 2 kinds of luck that i know of: 1. Observational luck - involves attending (ie paying attention), pattern/anomaly recognition, understanding the significance of what is observed, and a "lucky mindset" similar to the Power of Positive Thinking - this is essentially the luck Scott is speaking about - I have improved this luck over time. 2. "James Garner" luck - or network effect luck. Garner's "luck" as an actor was in major part due to his genuine respect and interest in the lives of all people he encountered, from the Studio chief to the on-set caterer. As a result, he was presented with, and was open to, more opportunities than most. As an introvert, my own "James Garner" luck is underdeveloped.

Really surprised Scott never mentions the writings of Robert Anton Wilson. He wrote about lots of the same concepts Scott talks about, but back in the 60s/70s. “Quantum Psychology” is a good Wilson book to start with. Wilson talks a lot about the “23” phenomenon, which he got from William Burroughs. It’s essentially the “brain tuning” concept Scott mentions.

Speaking of bubbles… In the mid to late 1660s Isaac Newton had to leave his Cambridge studies due to a plague, and during this epidemic he then had a couple of years to ponder how the world works. Would he have become such a world-changing mathematician, chemist, and physicist without this epidemic-induced bubble? Who knows. I don’t think affirmations will change gravity itself, but it does feel like my bubble is getting a bit lighter from absorbing your lessons. So thank you, Scott.

It likely works by you subconsciously trying to make it come true. I could see that. It might be something you want but you’re lazy and can’t be bothered to really try. It would have to be something you were capable of doing. I could see it working on a lazy person who procrastinates but wished for something realistic. You increase your chances of just overcoming the procrastination and doing it. Maybe I could use it to finish the cross stitch I started last year and is nearly done. Not a very challenging goal.

this one shall live forever, what a wonderful lesson, and so generous to share such power.

The harder I work the luckier I get

Your MENSA friend’s book suggestion. Hey Scott, did you ever remember the name of the book that your MENSA friend suggested for you to read? I’d really appreciate it if you could share the title with us. Also, how about the one you mentioned on 24:11 ? Thanks so much in adavance

I don't think I came by this video by accident.

Napoleon Hill - Law of Attraction.

You basically hypnotize yourself.

Scott's reference to Norm's broomstick joke made me smile. They say it's one the worse ways to go, drowning is very peaceful.....

Now I have another problem... I wish I had a goal, an objective....

Fantastic. Been using affirmations since my college athletic career. Very powerful. This is a great breakdown.

Thanks, Scott. Gonna try this for sure.

This series has been great, please continue making vids dedicated to this topic! I'd specifically be interested to hear how you think this concept ties in with our lack of free will. I've always thought of it in terms of orders of desire--for example, perhaps I don't desire to exercise, but I do desire that desire (2nd order). Depression might be a good example of a lack of even 2nd order desires like that, but perhaps a 3rd order desire remains? It gets pretty convoluted from that point. Going back far enough in the chain of desires and we end up at our "arbitrary", "animal", or "prelogical" desires which we cannot be said to choose freely. On a related point, I take it you find it pragmatic to "see-through" the free will illusion, while most (westerners/capitalists especially) see the belief in free will as indispensable. There's even a philosopher who argues that we need to protect people from that dangerous truth and uphold the illusion. Understood correctly, I believe it is indeed pragmatic to see through the illusion - for one thing, it might inspire one to remove negative influences from one's life rather than hoping or pretending they always have power over them. "Reprogamming" yourself through affirmations seems to me to be a case of self-imposed positive reinforcement on our unfree selves. Your thoughts?

I want to be able to listen and understand long winded people. I want to be able to listen and understand long winded people.... I gave up before he finished, did he win the bet?

Mark 11:24

Actually, I think there is science behind this. It's a form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or retraining the brain.

Is it better to focus on one thing at a time, vs. having multiple going in parallel? Does it reduce the odds of success to do more than one objective at a time?

Commercials are programming most people shows or social media... affirmations put you in control...

Aren't GMAT and similar tests standard normal scored? - ie, your score isn't how many you got right but how well you did compared to everyone else taking the same test?

The problem with Scott stories as evidence is that I don't know that we should particularly trust that they're factual. "Facts don't matter." I could completely see him entirely making up stories because he thinks they're persuasive, and the persuasion would be good for us. But how much does it matter if we don't believe the story? I wonder what Scott would say about that.

Can we do multiple affirmations about the things I want everyday?

This was a great Periscope. Thank you. I'm on Locals, so I will definitely watch this again.

Thank you for sharing your experience. I will be doing this to help realize some goals in my newly formed business and my love life.

This whole simulation thing is just a repackaging of positive thinking mashed together with productivity suggestions, it reminds me of a diet, because every new one is just a repackaging of a list of foods that are lower in caloric values then a body needs to maintain its weight at the moment. They call it a different name and include different foods, but the concept of less food intake is the same.

I had seen an interview you did several years ago on this subject and it always stuck with me. I'm back at doing affirmations again and was searching your interview out to re-watch and so grateful to have stumbled on this video. :-) Great stuff !!

Athletes use affirmations as part of their mental training so it works!!

We used to call it praying for the best outcome and total faith in Gods’ plan for our life.

Did Scott just teach us how to achieve goals and not systems?

Perspective really is everything.

You don't need to think you ARE lucky. You just need to be enough of a non-pessimist to accept you might GET lucky, and then realize the consequences of failure are likely less than you anticipate. On a more serious note you also have to accept your own mortality or you will never be willing to let go of pieces of yourself that weigh you down. Psychedelics help a lot with that.

What affirmations did you use specifically? Thanks

Very meaty and thoughty Scott. I know this technique. I did this with the Abraham-Hicks teachings. Met the man, fell completely in love with him, he dumped me after 2 months and I'm still REELING from it. Can't seem to get out of the hole of despair....working on it though, so I'm going to try this...on something OTHER than love. Maybe it's like exercising a muscle. If it is, I'll try again later when I have everything ELSE in the world I want.

Got a Domino's commercial before this

Remember when the Secret was popular in 2008, and liberal media slammed it? Why do liberals have positivity??

Thank You, Scott! Both Brilliant and Inspiring! Cheers and CIAO!

Scott, changing base reality via affirmations is not inconsistent with a simulated reality.

This like the Secret.

Thanks Bro Scott🤝🏻

Deja vú. I feel like I have heard the gmat test story before. But I just started listening daily, like a month ago.

ASK Computer Systems, up, en '70's, failed, en '80's, sold en '90's

Is it best to focus on only one affirmation at a time, or is it better to work with several concurrent affirmations?

This is one of my favorite videos.... Just did a short article on your affirmation system and included your video :)

I'm going to try this again and report back. First i need to pick a goal.. it will be financial i know that

My 6 month affirmations commitment starts today. Previously I had given up after a few weeks to one month. 16th of January 2024. I'm going to come back here and comment on my outcome. I've not nailed down my exact affirmation right this moment, but it will be finalised today!

Thank you so very much for sharing! Amazing!

I'll let you know if it works on the 12th of June :) 2020

15 x per day. So...just keep doing it for however long it takes or what? 2 weeks? 3 months? 1 year? Until "it" happens?

I like these ones a lot. Lots of good information. Thanks!

Okay, I’m going to try doing this for an objective that is totally doable but that I haven’t actually managed to do (get to a goal weight) in many years. If this actually works I’ll come back and tell you all!

Simulation confirmation. Lately I've been doing an affirmation most every hour of the day. I put the alarm in my phone to go off every hour. Cool. I will continue experimenting with this!

@20:44 is where the video begins

Thanks Scott!

Several years ago I was searching every possible way of making money. In my many searches I learned about Bitcoin. I was super excited about and told everybody about it. At that time I never bought bitcoin because same time my life had a big change. Shortly after that many people got very very rich off of bitcoin .

Let's give it shot 🤨 I will come back in 60days

I’m going to write our my affirmation 15 times a day between 24 July 2023 - 19 February 2024, that’s 210 days. 3150 times I’ll let you guys know what happened on 20th Feb 2024. I know it will happen sooner but I’ll keep doing it for 210 days, days I miss I’ll fill it in on another day and I will report back.

Why am I getting unskippable double adverts EVERY 3 minutes?!

Haha today lesbian & Obama’s former far left Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano has Berkeley running in last place of places I want my kids to go to college category. Affirmations = praying to God for assistance in that that which you desire

good video. i've already written down something 3 times while watching this

Bring it on Scott Adams! I do heartily affirm that your content is not too weird for me.

Brilliant. Thank you.

Thank You very much Sir for this lesson of wisdom. I am grateful to You as this technique has worked for Me and also didn't work few times , where my thought process was not appropriate maybe. But as You said , trying it won't cost anything , so Why not try and find out ourselves ;).

U deny & explain it, at end, doesn't compare to horoscopes & even more simple applications, such as training animals, has quite a bit of scientific study behind it. Q

I am going to try this. My goal is related to RU-vid growth. Let's see how it goes