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Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
Listen to the Intro
Soundtracks summary
Jon Acuff
The Surprising Solution to Overthinking
20 mins
Brief summary
Soundtracks by Jon Acuff is a motivational book that helps readers identify and change the negative thoughts that hold them back. It offers practical tips for creating and playing positive soundtracks, leading to a more fulfilling life.
Table of Contents
Soundtracks
Summary of 6 key ideas
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Key idea 1 of 6
If you want to stop overthinking, then change the soundtrack of your thoughts.
Imagine if you could only listen to one playlist of songs for the rest of your life – the soundtrack to a famous movie, say. Wherever you went, whatever you did, you’d hear the same songs repeated again and again. The soundtrack would become a permanent part of your life.
In that situation, you’d probably think long and hard about what kind of soundtrack you’d choose. Ideally, it wouldn’t be something depressing, or scary, or unimaginative. No: you’d choose something comforting and inspiring instead.
This raises some provoking questions: If we’d scrutinize a musical playlist that hard, why don’t we take the same attitude toward our thoughts? Why do so many of us allow a loop of worried overthinking to play on repeat in our heads? Why don’t we decide to swap out that old, tired soundtrack for something exciting, fresh, and encouraging?
The key message here is: If you want to stop overthinking, then change the soundtrack of your thoughts.
You often hear people describe their thoughts as though they’re independent, superpowered things – mind-dwelling creatures that can't be controlled. That’s why people mention getting caught up in their thoughts or carried away by them.
But the truth is, you can choose your thought patterns and you can change the way you think. In other words, you can swap your old soundtrack for a new one – and upgrade your life in the process.
When you ditch your habit of overthinking, you don’t just get rid of old thoughts. You give yourself the chance to replace them with new thoughts – thoughts that will encourage you to achieve your goals and that will raise you up rather than drag you down.
If you’ve been an overthinker for as long as you can remember, this might sound like an empty promise. As the old saying goes, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. But not in this case.
These days, we live in the age of neuroplasticity: we know that the brain itself will change in response to deliberate changes in our thinking. True, you won’t be able to stop overthinking overnight – but with a little determination, you can make serious strides in the right direction.
So just how can you rid yourself of the soundtracks that are holding you back? And what on earth are you going to replace them with?
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What is Soundtracks about?
Soundtracks (2021) is a simple guide to ending self-doubt, hesitation, and overthinking. Instead of being at the mercy of your fickle and often unhelpful thoughts, you’ll discover patterns of thinking that can strengthen you, make you happier, and bring you closer to achieving your goals.
Who should read Soundtracks?
- Lifelong overthinkers who finally want to start taking action
- Negative Nancies who need to inject some optimism into their lives
- Anyone who lets self-doubt interfere with work, life goals, or relationships
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