The Power of Your Subconscious Mind by Joseph Murphy

This was my first read outside of study, and it’s where I fell in love with books. I was about 17 years old at the time, preparing for my 12th exams, when Joseph Murphy introduced me to a whole new perspective on how the human brain thinks and works.

Now, at 25, I decided to revisit The Power of Your Subconscious Mind and reflect on its key takeaways. Let me share how Joseph Murphy’s insights changed my life and shaped my journey.

Book in Five Sentences

• If you truly believe in something, your subconscious mind will work to make it happen.
• Visualization and affirmations are stronger than you think—they can change how you think and what you achieve.
• The placebo effect is real, and it shows how belief can create results.
• There’s enough for everyone, so stop thinking badly about others. Focus on your own goals instead of comparing.
• If you’re stuck, take a break or sleep on it—your mind will often find a better answer later.

The Power of Your Subconscious Mind Summary

The Power of Your Subconscious Mind explains how visualization and affirmations can shape the way you think and act. It shows just how powerful your subconscious mind is and shares simple ways to guide and control it.

A big part of the book is about using visualization and affirmations effectively. Joseph Murphy also touches on the law of attraction. While I have my thoughts on that, which I’ll share later, it’s worth exploring.

Let’s dive in and see why a book written back in 1963 still holds value today!

How Your Subconscious Mind Works

Think of your mind like an iceberg. The small part above the water is your conscious mind, and the massive part below is your subconscious mind.

When you tell yourself, “I will exercise today at 3:00 PM,” this is your conscious mind giving an order.

But whether you actually exercise or not depends on your subconscious mind.

Your subconscious will quietly evaluate things like:

• Do you enjoy exercising?
• When was the last time you exercised?
• How did you feel after exercising last time?
• Do you have the time today?
• What will you gain from exercising?

You won’t consciously notice these thoughts, but your subconscious processes them in the background. In the end, you’ll either work out or come up with excuses.

For instance:
“I’m too tired today; I’ll exercise tomorrow morning at 7:00 AM for sure.”

But tomorrow comes, and the cycle continues—you never actually exercise.

This is where awareness comes in. Until you recognize the excuses you’ve been making, it’s hard to break the pattern.

Now, let’s dive into the true power of your subconscious mind.

Power of Your Subconscious Mind 

Joseph Murphy emphasizes visualization and affirmations as powerful ways to train your subconscious mind and make it work for you.

Here’s an example:

If you struggle with exercising daily, try these steps:

• Watch motivational videos about exercising.
• Write down why you avoid exercise.
• Repeat this daily until you start exercising.

This is the essence of affirmations. By repeatedly telling your subconscious mind that exercise is essential for a healthier life, you begin to reprogram it.

However, if you’ve never exercised before, your subconscious mind may resist at first. That’s why it’s important to remind yourself every day.

Keep watching videos about the benefits of exercise, read books on health, and reinforce the idea consistently.

It may not feel like a quick fix, but if you stick with this for 10–20 days, you’ll likely see results.

This approach works for anything—whether it’s exercising, reading, meditating, or building any new habit. Give it a try!

Yes, it might not feel like it will work initially, but give it some time. Your brain will eventually try its best to deliver what you want.

I’m not a big fan of affirmations, maybe you give it a try.

Power of Belief

From the day you were born, you’ve seen pictures or heard stories of GOD—whether at home, outside, or in places of worship. It doesn’t matter if you’re Hindu, Muslim, or Christian; what matters is that you believe there is GOD.

Now, imagine you’re 40 years old. If someone tells you there’s no GOD, you won’t accept it. You’ll argue, bringing up things like the Mahabharat, Ramayan, Shrimad Bhagwat Gita, or the Bible.

You won’t stop because you’ve grown up believing in GOD—your parents told you, you’ve read about it, and you’ve visited temples, mosques, or churches since you were a child.

What I’m saying is, that belief is powerful.

In the same way, if you believe in yourself, it will be hard for anyone or anything to break you. That belief will keep you moving toward your goals.

So, believe in yourself more than anything else.

Piece of advice: question whatever you believe in, whether it’s GOD, someone else, or even yourself. Asking questions doesn’t mean disrespect—it means growth. It pushes you to think deeper and understand better.

Why The Law of Attraction Doesn’t Work

The Law of Attraction is powerful, but it only works if you take action.

For example, if you want to read a book, you have to actually pick it up and start reading. You can’t just sit on the couch and expect the book to come to you.

Similarly, if you want to achieve your goals, you need to put in the work. No one is going to come and say, “Hey, I’ll take care of your goals for you.” You have to do it yourself.

I’ll share my own example. I wanted to start a website about books, but I kept telling myself that 2020 wasn’t the right time. So I waited for 2021, but still didn’t start.

Finally, in November 2021, I decided that if I didn’t feel like starting right away, at least I could buy the domain name and figure it out later. So I bought BookiesTalk.com in December 2021, and that step pushed me to start working on the website.

The point is, once you take that first step, your mind starts working in your favor. If you keep thinking about doing something but never take action, nothing will happen.

But if you start, even in small ways, you’ll begin making progress. Remember, if you don’t act on your goals, someone else will.

Placebo effect

If you believe in GOD and you’re facing a tough time, and then you visit a temple where the Guru tells you, “Don’t worry, your hard time is about to end, and you will soon see the light,” that simple line can completely change your mindset. Suddenly, you start thinking more positively, believing things will get better.

The truth is, nothing in your situation has changed, except for the words the Guru said. Because you trust the Guru, who you believe speaks with GOD, you now believe that things will improve.

This is the power of the Placebo effect. For example, when you’re 10 years old and your mother tells you that something will make your stomach feel better, and after taking it, your pain magically disappears.

Even though the medicine may not have been the real cure, your belief in it makes you feel better. Your mind plays a huge role in your healing and mindset.

In 2014, Oxford University Press did research on the Placebo effect and they found out

“The placebo effect is a well-documented phenomenon in which a patient experiences an improvement in symptoms simply because they believe they are receiving treatment. Studies have shown that the placebo effect is largely driven by the power of the patient’s subconscious mind to influence their perception of pain and other physical sensations”

So maybe, you should try believing in yourself.

Favorite Quotes From The Power of Your Subconscious Mind

“Remember, you have the capacity to choose. Choose life! Choose love! Choose health!”

“The only path by which another person can upset you is through your own thought.”

“As you sow in your subconscious mind, so shall you reap in your body and environment.”

“All of us have our own inner fears, beliefs, opinions. These inner assumptions rule and govern our lives. A suggestion has no power in and of itself. its power arises from the fact that you accept it mentally.”

“Busy your mind with the concepts of harmony, health, peace, and goodwill, and wonders will happen in your life.”

“You are as young as you think you are. You are as strong as you think you are. You are as useful as you think you are. You are as young as your thoughts.”

“The law of action and reaction is universal. Your thought is action, and the reaction is the automatic response of your subconscious mind to your thought. Watch your thoughts!”

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