When Your Brain Lies, Your Habits Drive, and You Mistake Projection for Perception

Welcome back to the no-BS corner of your leadership journey, where we stop pretending busy is productive and start looking at what’s actually going on under the hood. This week we’re peeling back the psychological layers to reveal three uncomfortable truths that will radically improve your decisions, your leadership, and your sanity.

1. What You See in Others? Yeah... That’s You.

Here’s the hard truth: that thing you can’t stand in your team member, partner, or that rando on LinkedIn? There’s a solid chance it’s something unresolved in you. That’s not blame. It’s a mirror.

Projection is what happens when your unconscious mind takes something you dislike (or deny) about yourself and pastes it onto someone else. This isn’t just a psychological theory — it’s a survival mechanism. We exile the parts of ourselves we’re not ready to deal with, then spot them everywhere else. Congratulations: you’re the problem and the pattern.

But here’s the flip side: the greatness you admire in others? That’s also in you. You wouldn’t recognize brilliance, strength, or creativity unless it was already alive (maybe dormant) inside of you.

Learn more from Verywell Mind.

2. Your Beliefs Are Basically Old Childhood Scripts

By age seven, your brain’s running scripts it didn’t consciously write. Beliefs like "I have to be perfect to be loved" or "It’s not safe to speak up" don’t just fade with age. They run silently in the background, disguised as adult logic.

These beliefs were downloaded in your most hypnotic brain state (theta), when you were too young to vet the narrative. Now they drive everything from how you lead your team to how you spiral at the word “feedback.”

Want to know why you procrastinate that pitch deck, over-explain on client calls, or second-guess every decision? Old beliefs.

The fix? Start noticing the story behind your stress. Ask yourself: Is this belief helping me... or hurting me?

Explore how early childhood experiences shape beliefs according to Healthline. 

3. Your Habits Are Making Your Decisions

Here’s where things get sneakily self-sabotaging: most of us aren’t making decisions from clarity. We’re reacting from emotion, stress, or habit. Especially when our feelings are loud.

When you’re in a triggered state, your brain defaults to old survival patterns. Translation? You’re not calling the shots. Your nervous system is.

So if you keep trying to "think your way out" of stress? Stop. Your thoughts are using a faulty GPS.

Try this instead:

• Move your body to move your energy.
• Pause before reacting. Seriously, count to 10 like a grown-up.
• Tune in to what feels calm, not what feels familiar.

Because familiar is often just code for "unhealed."

Why This Matters for Real-World Leaders

This isn’t about becoming a monk. It’s about recognizing that your leadership is only as clear as your internal landscape. Projection, old beliefs, and habit loops don’t just mess with your mindset—they mess with your results.

Want to lead with less drama and more traction? This is your sign to:

• Start downloading your Human Design Leadership Blueprint and lead with your wiring, not someone else’s.
• Sign up for the Weekly Newsletter so your brain gets regular reminders that you're not crazy — just conditioned.
• Book a Free Strategy Call and build a business that actually fits how you’re built.