The Pink Elephant Experiment: Why “Don’t Think About It” Never Works

Did you know you can’t think of something you don’t want without first picturing it? It may not seem like a big deal until you understand that your subconscious mind “thinks” in pictures and feeling-states… and it treats whatever you imagine as a gentle nudge about what you want more of.

So when you think of something you don’t want, your subconscious mind assumes THAT is exactly what you do want — and it tries to help by leaning in that direction. (Not exactly what we meant, right?) And then you’re left wondering, “What the heck?!”

When you tell yourself, “Don’t mess up,” what image pops up?

Yup. Messing up. And when that’s the picture your mind is holding, it becomes much easier for your actions to drift that direction.

Not ideal, right? But you’re definitely not alone — almost everyone’s mind works like this.

Here’s a simple experiment that shows it beautifully…

The Experiment

The next time you’re with a couple of friends, tell them you want to try a quick little experiment in how the mind works. Ask them to close their eyes and picture their living room. When they see it clearly, they should nod "yes" and keep holding that image.

Then say:

“Now whatever you do, don’t picture the pink elephant walking into your living room. Don’t think about the pink elephant… and definitely don’t picture the red truck either.”

Then have them open their eyes and ask what they saw.

99 out of 100 people will picture the elephant, the truck, or both, because the mind can’t process a “don’t” without first imagining the thing you’re trying to avoid.

(I’ve done this with thousands of people, and there is always that 1 in 100 who insists they never saw either. If that’s one of your friends, smile and tell them they’re very rare and very delightful!)

Many people even try to “get rid of” the pink elephant — blowing it up, shoving it out the door, or otherwise trying to make it disappear. But whether pink or grey, no one needs lingering elephant energy in their living room — so let’s skip that part altogether.

The point is simple:

Start picturing what you DO want instead.

Free resources to help you get started:

If you’re ready to change the negative pictures your mind keeps replaying, take a look at my e-book Rewire It! It’s a simple-yet-powerful 3-step method to help you take back your brain from anxiety and negative thinking.

And whenever you need a calming reset, tune into the Meditation Minis Podcast (or visit the Meditation Minis YouTube channel) for short, soothing meditations you can use anytime you need.