How I Brainwashed Myself to Live My Dream Life at 23

Most people don’t realize this, but their entire life is a script written by someone else. Teachers, parents, friends, society. They all installed beliefs in your head that dictate how you live, what you think is possible, and what you believe you deserve.

I know because I lived that reality. At 19 years old, I woke up one morning and realized something terrifying:

I wasn’t living my life. I was living theirs.

Realizing I Was Brainwashed

I went through school like a good little student. I followed the rules. I sought approval. I checked all the boxes.

And yet, at 19, I was broke, lost, and had no clue what I actually wanted.

I dropped out of college. I tried to join the military. I even thought about getting a “real job.”

But deep down I knew it was all lies.

The life they were selling me was nothing but a trap.

That’s when it hit me:

If society had brainwashed me this far, then I could brainwash myself.

And that was the beginning of everything.

Why You Must Brainwash Yourself

Here’s the truth:

If you don’t reprogram your mind, someone else will.

The system is designed to keep you average. Your friends and family, even if they mean well will pull you back into mediocrity.

That’s why most people never escape the matrix.

They’re too scared to break the script.

But here’s what I learned…

The moment you take control of your beliefs, your identity, and your actions, that’s the moment your real life begins.

Creating My Alter Ego

To brainwash myself, I created an alter ego.

I gave him a name.

I gave him traits.

I gave him goals.

While the “real” me was broke, stuttering, and indecisive…My alter ego was confident, decisive, and unstoppable.

Every day I asked myself:

“What would my alter ego do?”

And then I acted like him until it became real.

Why Action > Affirmations

You don’t brainwash yourself by chanting affirmations in the mirror.

That’s surface-level fluff.

You reprogram your brain through ACTION.

I didn’t just think about being confident. I went out and talked to people.
I didn’t just think about making money. I pitched my services.
I didn’t just think about living abroad. I booked the flight.

Every action rewired my identity.

Every action reinforced my new beliefs.

That’s how you create real change.

Building My Dream Life by 23

At first, I had no clue what I wanted to do.

I tried side hustles.

I failed more times than I can count.

But I kept moving forward.

I discovered that I had a natural talent for writing. So I started selling writing services.

That led me to affiliate marketing.

That led me to email copywriting.

That evolved into my own social media consultancy.

By 23, I was living abroad, running my own business, traveling the world, and making more money than I ever thought possible at 19.

And it all started with one decision:

Brainwash yourself before the world does.

How to Brainwash Yourself (Step by Step)

Here’s the process I used and the one you can use right now:

1. Write Your Script: Define your alter ego with a name, traits, and realistic goals.
2. Take Action Daily: Action is the only real way to rewire your brain.
3. Cut Out Distractions: Your phone is killing your focus. Stop scrolling, start building.
4. Stay Obsessed: Wake up thinking about your goals, go to bed thinking about them.
5. Be Consistent: 1% better every day compounds into a completely new life.

Final Thoughts

By the time I was 23, I had already created the life most people only dream about.

Not because I was lucky.

Not because I was “chosen.”

But because I refused to live on society’s script.

I brainwashed myself.

I reprogrammed my mind.

And I built my dream life from scratch.

Now it’s your turn.

Want my full blueprint?

Grab my book Think and Go Hustle: the manual I wrote on how to brainwash yourself for success.

Your mind is already programmed. The only question is: who’s in control…you or them?

Always the best,

Dylan Madden