Do you have a subconscious block? Here’s how to find out (and fix it)
Summary
You set goals. You make plans. You try to change. And somehow you end up in the same place anyway. Welcome to subconscious territory. About 90% of your behavior is driven by patterns you don't even know are running. This post breaks down how your conscious and subconscious brains work (and why they're usually fighting), why willpower keeps losing, and what it actually takes to change a pattern that won't break.
Key Points
Your brain runs two operating systems. The conscious one is logical, slow, aspirational. The subconscious is emotional, fast, protective. When they disagree, the subconscious wins.
About 90% of your behavior is driven by subconscious patterns. Which is why willpower alone keeps failing you.
Your subconscious picks safe over happy every time. Miserable-but-known beats great-but-new in its book.
That's why you keep landing in the same job, the same relationships, the same stuck place. New clothes, same patterns.
Awareness is step one, not the finish line. You have to pair it with action and consistency to actually rewire the pattern.
The 90% you've been ignoring is where real change happens. Which is why all those strategies and hacks kept coming up short.
You know the quotes:
"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."
(It’s usually attributed to Albert Einstein but the internet says it wasn’t actually him. But whatever, that’s not actually the point here).
And here’s another fun quote from Henry Ford:
“If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.”
They’re catchy. And you know they’re true.
But you might not know WHY you keep repeating the same patterns - staying in jobs we hate, dating the same person in a new outfit, or sabotaging the goals we swear we want.
The real reason? Your subconscious is running the show
You actually have two brains - subconscious and conscious (and they don’t work the same way)
Your brain has two main operating systems - the conscious brain and the subconscious brain - and they work very differently.
Your conscious brain is logical, deliberate, and sloooooow. It’s the part of you that makes plans, sets goals, and says, “Starting Monday, I’m getting my life together.”
Your subconscious brain is emotional, automatic, and lightning fast. It’s running behind the scenes, managing your habits, instincts, and emotional reactions before your conscious brain even knows what’s happening.
Think of it like this:
Your conscious brain is the driver.
Your subconscious brain is the GPS, deciding which routes feel “safe.”
So even when you consciously want something new (a healthier routine, a new job, a bigger goal) your subconscious might slam on the brakes if it senses danger (aka unfamiliarity).
That’s why willpower alone doesn’t work.
If your two brains aren’t on the same page, your subconscious will always win the tug-of-war.
Your subconscious is doing a lot
Your subconscious mind is a machine that operates on factory settings.
And most of its “factory settings” were installed decades ago - shaped by childhood experiences, family beliefs, and (yep) even inherited trauma.
Fun fact: research shows we can inherit up to 14 generations of emotional memory. So when you overthink or hold yourself back, you might be responding to fear patterns from the 1500s. (Cool. Cool cool cool.)
And your subconscious is wicked fast.
For example - Ever been to a party when someone says something across the room that catches your attention? It’s because your brain is taking in EVERYTHING and sorting it into things that are important and things that are lame.
But where your subconscious is fast, your conscious is sloooooooooow.
And to make things even more fun, your subconscious is always influencing your conscious.
Which means even your conscious decisions are often driven by things outside of your awareness.
Why your subconscious keeps you stuck
One word: Familiarity
Your subconscious is gonna pick safe over happy every time.
Familiar feels safe. New feels like dying."
And “safe” to your brain = “familiar”
Anything new? Ehhhh. Your brain has no evidence that it’s safe. Might die = better not.
Pssst…lion, email to your boss, looking bad, etc - your subconscious isn’t actually that good at knowing which danger feels bad and which one is deathy.
That’s why you stay in the same patterns even when they suck.
Better the devil you know than the dream that feels risky.
You stay in jobs that drain you.
You keep choosing the same kind of partner.
You repeat old habits that sabotage your success.
You think you’re changing (new job, new strategy, bangs) but your subconscious keeps sneaking back in like, “Nope, we’re doing it this way.”
Change hasn’t worked because you’ve only been working with half your brain
If you’ve ever felt like change “doesn’t stick,” here’s why:
You’ve only been working with your conscious mind - the logical, planning part.
But that’s just the tip of the iceberg (literally). About 90% of your behavior is driven by your subconscious patterns.
You keep choosing new strategies.
You keep trying to “will” yourself to change.
And it hasn’t worked because you haven’t addressed the 90% (aka - Your factory settings).
(So you can just go ahead and throw away the idea that you are uniquely messed up somehow.)
Here’s what successful people actually do
The most successful people don’t take “new action” that’s fueled by “old patterns.”
Instead, they:
Understand their subconscious patterns and manage them (cause that junk never goes away completely. I know. It’s a drag).
Teach their brains how to think
Use strategies that work for them
How to Identify and Rewire Subconscious Blocks
The good news? You can reprogram your subconscious.
Here’s how to do it:
1 - Notice Your Patterns.
Look for repeat results in your relationships, work, or goals. If you keep ending up in the same place, there’s a subconscious pattern running in the background.
2 - Get Curious, Not Judgmental.
Ask: “What does my brain think it’s protecting me from?” Every behavior (even the unhelpful ones) once served a purpose.
3 - Rewire the Pattern.
This means pairing mindset work with conscious action. You’re teaching your brain: “It’s safe to do this new thing.”
4- Stay Consistent.
Your subconscious learns through repetition and emotion, not logic. So keep reinforcing the new story until it becomes the default.
Why awareness isn’t enough
A lot of smart people stay stuck in "awareness jail."
They understand their patterns intellectually, but they don't take action to change them.
Real transformation happens when you combine self-awareness + action + nervous system regulation.
That's exactly what I help my clients do.
We find the subconscious blocks that keep you stuck, move them out of the way, and teach your brain that it's safe to do things differently.
Click the button below to learn more.
Keep Reading: Other Posts You Might Like
Why you're ready for the next level but can't seem to get there - The Upper Limit Problem is a cousin of the subconscious block.
4 habits of people with low self-confidence - The behaviors your subconscious tends to produce when confidence is the block.
How to finally feel "good enough" - For the subconscious belief that might be running the whole show.
5 Signs You're Ready to Take a Bold Leap in Your Career - When your conscious mind knows it's time but your subconscious is slamming the brakes.
FAQs About Subconscious Blocks
Q: What is a subconscious block?
A: A subconscious block is a pattern running below your awareness that keeps you stuck in behaviors, beliefs, or outcomes you consciously want to change. Even when you know what to do and want to do it, the block pulls you back toward the familiar.
Q: How do I know if I have a subconscious block?
A: The clearest sign is a pattern that repeats despite your best efforts to change it. You keep dating the same type of person. You keep landing in jobs that burn you out. You keep hitting the same ceiling right before a breakthrough. Patterns like that aren't random. They're being maintained by something underneath.
Q: Can you reprogram your subconscious mind?
A: Yes, but willpower alone won't do it. The subconscious learns through repetition, emotional experience, and consistent action over time. Thinking about change isn't enough. You have to pair new understanding with new behavior, over and over, until the new pattern becomes your default.
Q: Why does my subconscious keep me stuck?
A: Because your subconscious is running a safety algorithm that equates "familiar" with "safe." Even when the familiar thing is making you miserable, at least it's predictable. New things carry unknown risk, and your subconscious would rather you be miserable-and-alive than happy-and-eaten-by-a-metaphorical-tiger.
Q: What's the difference between awareness and actual change?
A: Awareness is knowing the pattern. Change is doing something different in response to it. Most people stop at awareness and wonder why nothing's shifting. The pattern doesn't dissolve because you understand it. It dissolves because you keep acting in spite of it until something new becomes the default.
Q: Is working with the subconscious the same as manifesting?
A: Not exactly. Manifesting tends to focus on visualization and positive thinking alone. Working with the subconscious also includes examining the beliefs in the way, regulating your nervous system around change, and building new patterns through action. The mindset piece matters, but thinking alone won't rewire your defaults.
Hi! I’m Erica
Mental health therapist. Corporate droupout.
Wife to Brendan. Mom to twins + one. Dog mom. Slow runner. Coffee drinker. GIF enthusiast.
I’m a licensed mental health therapist and life coach and career coach. I help you accomplish in 6 months that thing you’ve been thinking about doing for years.
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