Music is one of the most magical things in the world. It can make us laugh, love or cry; it give us energy and can change the world. The powerful effect and influence it has on the human mind is almost unparalleled.

Everyone has a magical tune that creates a positive frame of mind or sends you back in time to a nostalgic moment. When done right, harnessing the power of music is something that can completely transform our lives.

This transformation occurs when we start to understand how our mindset works. Our mindset is the main determinant of the quality of our life: it's not our circumstances that determine this, rather our interpretation of those circumstances. While we might struggle with limiting beliefs and negative emotions imposed on our mind, and these feelings might have been necessary in the past as a defense mechanism, at the present time they limit us and can even chain us, preventing our growth as human beings.

The good news is that, although it might not be easy, you can transform your mindset. Music can be an essential part of this, as we demonstrate in this article.

How our brain perceives reality

All our experiences, emotions and memories are perceived by our senses.

Our minds operate internal “maps” of the world that are learned through sensory experiences - auditory, visual, kinesthetic (touch), gustatory(taste), and olfactory(smell). The things you saw, heard, felt, smelled, and tasted are the pieces of the puzzle that your mind uses for encapsulating and storing what has happened to you. When the mind thinks that something important happened, it dedicates its resources to preserving this memory, making the sensory pieces of the puzzle as vivid as if they had happened yesterday.

These pieces of the puzzle are accessible to us: you can easily recall details of something meaningful (positive or negative) that has happened to you in the past. In fact, many, if not all, therapeutic paradigms, from NLP to psychology and mindfulness, place a huge emphasis on isolating and examining these building blocks of our experiences, and changing them for the better.

In other words, every experience and emotion can be triggered and accessed, and the auditory sense is a significant part of this.

How can music help you master your mindset?

Music triggers emotions quickly

Which song makes you feel pumped with energy? Which one makes you feel relaxed?

Which songs take you down memory lane to a specific positive situation? To your loving mom hugging you after school? To the theme song of the movie you saw on your first date with the girl/guy of your dreams? The effect and influence music has on the human mind is ultra-powerful, and a key aspect of it is how quickly music can change your mood and trigger your emotions.

Would you believe me if I told you that there's a magic pill out there that can make you feel great within three minutes, or even instantly as soon as you take it, no matter what, with absolutely no side-effects, in almost every situation? A pill that costs you (almost) nothing? Sounds too good to be true, right?

Well, you probably wouldn't take such a pill if offered it because you wouldn't believe it's real. But I don't need to persuade you that music is real, and that it can have a huge impact on your mood, emotions and overall life.

The beauty is that music is accessible: you just need to hit play on your phone or in your head. You can listen to your favorite music 24/7, at any time and in any place. So, if there's an important event or challenge ahead, you can provide fast access to your best mental and emotional state by using the right piece of music.

Furthermore, every time you experience negative feelings, thoughts or stress, remember that these sensations are temporary. These thoughts are not who you are, they are just a state of mind that you're currently in and can be stopped and changed quickly with help from the right tracks for you in a given moment. Can you be sad while listening to your favorite running song? Can you feel angry while listening to your meditation music?

Pay attention to the music and sounds that surround you. Do you think that you are using them to their full potential? How can you harness music to create an optimal environment for yourself?

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Use music as a powerful anchor in your schedule

Now that you understand how powerful the effect a short track can have on your mood and performance, make time for a few minutes every day to listen to it.

Every listening experience is another power boost that will help you to make your day better, and the more you stop to fuel yourself with great music, the more energy and opportunity you'll have to get the most out of the day.

What song can you listen to after waking up to have an amazing day? Before you go to bed when trying to empty your mind and relax after a long day at work? How can you instill the tracks that put you in the right mindset in your schedule?

These several-minutes-long music anchors can be complete game-changers and power multipliers every day, as you experience more empowering emotions and feelings. This is, of course, true as well for those times when you face a daunting situation or feeling. As soon as you find that your current mindset is not leading you to a place that is good for you, hit play and use your music anchors to change your emotional state. Use your favorite tracks to give yourself more of the good, and less of the bad.

'Yeah this sounds great and I love music and all, but you know...I'm not going to just stop my day every time I feel anxious or stressed and go somewhere and listen to a song!' Once you come to see how beneficial every little 'music-stop' can be, you'll see how, all of a sudden, you can find plenty of time in the day for more 'music-stops'.

Monitor your progress and you'll be amazed to see how quickly the quality of your mood, performance, and overall feeling, rises. How the miracle of momentum turns a few little songs a day into a complete mindset transformation.

You'll see how a simple three minute 'music-stop' to listen to a song that you like can be more important to your personal development and mood than a $200 therapy session or a prescription drug.

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