The Hidden Impact of Subconscious Programming on Your Performance
Hi, I’m Adrian Leach, Senior Mindset Coach at Samuel & Co Trading.
After years of coaching traders and high-performing professionals, I’ve noticed something that comes up again and again. When people struggle with performance, it is rarely because they do not know what to do. More often, it is because something underneath the surface is getting in the way.
Even a solid plan can fall apart under pressure if your internal reactions are not working with you.
So let me ask you:
- Why do you get tense before a big meeting or an important trade?
- Why do you avoid conversations you know you should have?
- Why do you sometimes freeze, overreact, or shut down at exactly the wrong moment?
That is not a weakness, and it is not a discipline problem. Most of the time, it is your subconscious doing what it has learned to do.
What Do I Mean by “Programming”?
When I say “programming”, I am not talking about code or software; I mean the mental and emotional patterns that run automatically in the background.
These patterns are built through repetition and emotionally charged experiences. A lot of them start in childhood, long before you ever had a job title or responsibilities like the ones you have now.
From the start, your subconscious is paying attention to everything. How people speak to you. How they react when you make mistakes. What feels safe and what does not. It stores all of this without filtering it.
Over time, this turns into a set of habits that help you make quick decisions, avoid danger, and deal with doubt.
If you grew up in a supportive environment, your inner voice might sound like, “You’ve got this.” However, if you grew up with pressure, criticism, or instability, it might sound more like, “Don’t mess this up,” “You’re not enough,” or “Better not take the risk.”
Most of these belief patterns are in place by around the age of six. Unless you question them, they tend to keep running quietly in the background for years.
Who’s Really in Control?
This surprised me when I first came across it.
Research suggests that roughly 95 to 98 per cent of your daily behaviour, thoughts, and emotional reactions are driven by your subconscious (Bargh and Morsella, 2008). Only a small part of what you do each day is the result of conscious choice.
That means you can be capable, experienced, and intelligent, and still find yourself getting stuck, reacting under pressure, or repeating the same patterns. James Clear puts it well when he says, “You don’t rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”
Some of those systems, the most powerful ones, are unconscious. You did not sit down and choose them.
How This Shows Up in the Workplace
I see this all the time. People who are genuinely good at what they do still find themselves procrastinating, dreading certain meetings, getting defensive under pressure, overthinking decisions, or saying yes when they really should say no.
These are not character flaws; they are learned stress responses. Old patterns kicking in when the stakes feel high.
The Good News: You Can Rewire It
This is where things get interesting.
We now know, thanks to research into neuroplasticity, that the brain can change. It can form new pathways and learn new responses. So those old subconscious patterns are not fixed. They are not “just the way you are”. They can be updated.
In my coaching work, I use a mix of practical tools. That includes cognitive behavioural techniques, identity-level mindset work, habit design, work at the subconscious level, and emotional regulation strategies.
When people start working on this properly, the change is not just emotional. They start handling pressure differently. They communicate more clearly. They make decisions with more confidence.
Not because they are forcing themselves to be better, but because the internal friction that used to trip them up is no longer in control.
What Would You Change If You Knew You Could?
It is worth thinking about this properly.
Would you feel more confident in situations where you usually hold back? Would you handle stress without going straight into panic or shutdown mode? Would you stop getting in your own way at important moments? Would you find it easier to speak up, set boundaries, and lead?
These are not theoretical questions. These are the kinds of changes people see when they deal with what is happening under the surface.
This is not self-help for the sake of it. It is practical performance psychology.
Ready for a Change?
If this has struck a nerve, that is probably for a reason. You do not need to change everything at once. But you do need to start somewhere. Sometimes, that starts with a conversation.
Drop me an email.
Clarity does not come from thinking about the same problems harder. It comes from taking action.
It’s time to switch off autopilot and step into performance that actually aligns with who you are.
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Adrian Leach – [email protected]
Senior Mindset Coach | Samuel & Co Trading
Helping Traders & Professionals Rewire Their Minds for Consistency, Confidence & Control
