
Dr. Matt James discusses the limitations of willpower in overcoming emotional baggage and introduces a technique for deeper emotional release.
You can’t out-willpower your baggage. I’ve heard this from professionals for decades. “I’m just going to push through it.” If that worked, psychology would have solved this 100 years ago. When the field first began, the question on the table was: can you think a certain way and get past your emotional baggage? The answer was no then. It hasn’t changed. Your baggage lives in your unconscious mind. Willpower is a conscious-mind function. They operate in different places. One cannot override the other. No matter how much discipline you bring to it. This shows up in leadership, in sales, in high-pressure roles. The professional who powers through burnout. The executive who compartmentalizes grief and wonders why their decision-making feels off six months later. The salesperson who white-knuckles through call reluctance instead of addressing what’s underneath it. Here’s the reframe. The willpower you need is the willingness to find a technique that goes to the root. That’s where your effort belongs. Once you have the right tool, the process is about trusting your unconscious mind to release what…
Host: Dr. Matt James
Organizations: California
Books & works: Mental and Emotional Release®
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