Mindset and Following Your Feelings: What They Really Mean
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Mindset & Feelings: Beyond the Illusions
The art of not avoiding yourself.
Everyone talks about it. “Work on your mindset.” “Follow your feelings.” Sounds nice. But what do we actually mean by that? For me, mindset is not a trick or a positive-thinking mantra. And “following your feelings” is not an excuse to stay in your comfort zone. It’s raw work. It’s looking into the mirror. It’s making the distinction between what is true and what is just a story. It’s the art of not avoiding yourself.
What is Mindset, Really?
Mindset = your modus operandi. The way you think and act.
It’s the lens through which you interpret your feelings and experiences. Rain can be misery (“ugh, wet”)—or an invitation to dance. Setback can be an ending—or the spark of a new beginning.
Mindset decides whether you play the victim, or step up as the leader of your own life.
Limiting vs. Empowering Beliefs
We live in stories. Some stories keep you small, others set you free.
“I’m not good enough.” → blocks you.
“I’m learning; I can grow.” → opens you.
The first belief stops you in your tracks. The second moves you forward. The art is to uncover the beliefs that work against you — and rewrite them into beliefs that work for you.
Three Forms of Intelligence
We have three sources of knowing:
Mind (reason): analysis, logic, planning.
Heart: compassion, empathy, love.
Gut (intuition): instinct, the inner feeling compass.
The mind is a brilliant servant, but a terrible master. The art is to let the mind be guided by the heart—your moral compass—carried by trust and authentic feeling.
The Feeling Compass—Beyond Black and White
“Follow your feelings” is not traffic-light logic. Just because something doesn’t feel good doesn’t mean you should avoid it. Sometimes the friction is simply you stepping outside your comfort zone. And that is exactly where growth lies. And just because something feels good doesn’t mean you should blindly do it. Sometimes it feels “good” only because it’s safe and familiar. And that keeps you small.
The real question is not: Does this feel nice or not? The question is: What is this asking of me? What is there to discover here? That is what it means to listen to your feeling compass in a mature way.
Radical Honesty
This only works if you are brutally honest with yourself.
Am I avoiding something? Do I call it “intuition” when it’s actually avoidance? Or do I feel that something truly doesn’t align — and can I trust that?
Growth is not always light. But it is always real.
Core Beliefs: Scarcity or Abundance
Beneath all your thoughts lies a foundation: your core assumptions about the world.
Scarcity says:
There is not enough.
If someone else wins, I lose.
I have to fight for my place.
Abundance says:
There is enough for everyone.
I can create, contribute, and make things grow.
Another person’s success takes nothing away from me—it can even inspire me or add to my own.
The difference is massive. From scarcity you live in fear. From abundance you live in trust. And these core beliefs are not set in stone. You can examine them, challenge them, and replace them with assumptions that open instead of block.
Mindset as a Creative Force
We are creative beings. What we believe, expect, and perceive shapes the reality we live in. That’s why mindset is not just a mental trick—it’s a creative principle.
And the system knows this. From a young age, our minds are programmed—through education, media, and consumption—to create in favor of a small group with power and interests.
But once we see through this, a different path opens up. When we start creating from abundance—not for the few, but for the benefit of all—a new world emerges.
That is the true power of mindset: both personal and collective.
A Scientific Echo: What Quantum Physics Does—and Doesn’t—Say
There is an interesting parallel in physics. Not as proof that thoughts magically shape reality, but as an echo showing that observation and setup matter.
The classic double-slit experiment shows that light and particles behave differently depending on whether they are measured. Observation changes the outcome. Read more here
In Wheeler’s delayed-choice experiment, the choice of setup is made only afterwards—yet it still determines the result. See explanation here
In psychology, we know the observer-expectancy effect: the expectations of researchers can unconsciously influence results. More info here
Important: physicists emphasize that “observer” here does not mean consciousness—it refers to a physical interaction or measurement.
The Translation to Mindset
What does this teach us? That perception and expectation matter. In physics: the way you measure. In life: the way you look, believe, and expect.
Live from scarcity, and you will see lack everywhere.
Live from abundance, and you will experience possibilities.
It’s not magic. It’s focus. It’s creation.
Inner Leadership: The Power of a Conscious Mindset
By consciously shifting your mindset, you become more than a follower of circumstances or systems. You become an inner leader.
An inner leader doesn’t wait for the world to change—he starts with himself. He sees his beliefs and chooses which ones serve him. He uses his feeling compass, not as an excuse, but as a guide. He lets his mind be steered by his heart—carried by trust and authentic feeling.
Inner leadership is not about controlling others. It’s about mastering yourself. That mastery creates freedom. And from that freedom, you can contribute to a world larger than yourself.
Conclusion – The Art of Not Avoiding Yourself
Mindset is not a trick. It’s not shallow positive thinking. And following your feelings is not an excuse to stay in comfort.
It’s about the art of:
Being radically honest with yourself.
Examining and rewriting your beliefs.
Choosing core assumptions that open rather than block.
The art is to let your mind be guided by your heart—your moral compass—carried by trust and fed by your feeling. Not the black-and-white of “does this feel good or not”, but your authentic feeling: the one that is honest, even when it cuts deep.
Mindset does not only shape how you live your own life. It shapes what we create together.
And maybe that is the greatest truth of all: You are not just a participant in the world. You are a co-creator—with the power to shape the world as you choose. An inner leader.
That makes you responsible. It empowers you. It makes you free.
And there—beyond comfort and masks—truth begins. That is where real life begins.