What caused you to do it?
In simple terms, our “paradigm” means the way that we see ourselves subconsciously. We have paradigms for everything; the way we dress, the role that we see ourselves as playing in social situations, the money that we feel we’re “worthy” of earning, and far more.
So for example, if you see yourself as fair and well-mannered, and you insulted someone for no good reason, you’re going to feel an almost uncontrollable subconscious urge to apologize to that person.
However if you perceive yourself as “only looking out for number 1” and not caring about others at all, then you wouldn’t feel particularly bothered.
In the first example you’re acting out of line with your paradigm, and in the second you’re acting in line with it.
Your subconscious mind will always guide your behavior to keep you true to who you subconsciously believe that you are.
When we talk about it in the examples above, it seems pretty obvious. But when it comes to money, that often changes. Money has a very weird way of clouding all logic, because a lot of us link money to survival, and survival instincts will always overpower logic if we don’t have a certain level of awareness about it.
So how do we stop it?
So let’s say you’re about to close a huge deal for your company, or you’re about to land a massive promotion, or make a big win on the stock market.
If your paradigm about your salary fits you comfortably at around £50-£60k for example, and that’s who you believe you are, then anything which threatens to put you outside of that bracket, is going to be perceived as a potential threat to your identity by your subconscious.
Because suddenly having millions in the bank is such a massive paradigm shift, that their subconscious immediately goes to work on encouraging them to make stupid decision after stupid decision, until they have nothing left.
