Artwork for podcast Five Year You
Encore: The Power Of Looking for Evidence
Episode 13419th August 2026 • Five Year You • Andrew Dewar and Catherine Collins
00:00:00 00:26:03

Share Episode

Shownotes

Ready to go deeper? Work with me here:

https://fiveyearyou.com/coaching/

If you’ve been expecting things to go wrong… like your mind notices every setback but overlooks your progress… like success always feels just out of reach—this episode is for you.

Because here’s the truth:

Your brain is always looking for evidence to support what you already believe.

And more importantly… you can teach it to start noticing a different story.

💭 What This Episode Covers

  • How your thoughts shape the way you experience reality
  • Why your brain naturally searches for evidence that confirms your beliefs
  • How negative expectations can quietly sabotage your success
  • Why you may overlook progress, victories, and positive moments
  • Practical ways to challenge limiting beliefs
  • How to train your mind to notice joy, possibility, and growth

🚨 Why Your Brain Looks for Negative Evidence

  1. Your Mind Wants to Be Right
  2. Once you believe something about yourself or your life, your brain begins searching for proof that confirms it.
  3. If you believe you always fail, every mistake becomes evidence.
  4. Meanwhile, your progress may be ignored or dismissed.
  5. 👉 Result: A belief starts to feel like a fact simply because you keep noticing what supports it.
  6. Negative Expectations Feel Protective
  7. Expecting the worst can seem like a way to avoid disappointment.
  8. You may think that if you prepare for failure, rejection, or difficulty, you will be less hurt when it happens.
  9. 👉 Result: You spend more time experiencing imagined pain than enjoying what is actually going well.
  10. Victories Are Easy to Minimize
  11. When something goes wrong, you may replay it for days.
  12. But when something goes well, you might call it luck, dismiss it as small, or immediately focus on the next problem.
  13. 👉 Result: Your mind collects evidence of failure while forgetting evidence of growth.
  14. Old Beliefs Shape New Experiences
  15. Beliefs such as “I’m not capable,” “Nothing works out for me,” or “I’ll never succeed” influence what you notice and how you respond.
  16. You may avoid opportunities, give up early, or interpret uncertainty as proof that you should stop.
  17. 👉 Result: The belief begins creating the very outcome you were afraid of.

😞 The Emotional Cost of Looking for the Worst

When you believe life is always working against you, it creates:

  • Anxiety
  • Discouragement
  • Self-doubt
  • Hopelessness
  • Emotional exhaustion

You may struggle to enjoy positive moments because you are waiting for something to go wrong.

You may overlook how much you have grown.

You may stop trusting yourself before you have even had the chance to try.

And the worst part?

👉 You can become so focused on proving your fears that you miss the evidence that you are already succeeding.

⚠️ The Hidden Danger

A mind trained to expect failure can quietly guide you toward choices that keep you stuck.

Examples:

  • Turning down an opportunity because you assume you will fail
  • Giving up after one setback
  • Ignoring compliments while believing every criticism
  • Comparing your struggles to someone else’s success
  • Dismissing small wins because they do not feel significant enough

👉 What you repeatedly look for becomes what you repeatedly see.

🔑 The Truth You Need to Hear

Your thoughts are powerful—but they are not always true.

A belief can feel familiar without being accurate.

A fear can feel convincing without predicting the future.

  • You are not defined by your setbacks
  • Your progress still counts when it is small
  • One difficult moment does not erase your growth
  • You can question the stories you have carried
  • You can train your mind to notice what is working

👉 You do not have to believe every thought your brain offers you.

🔄 What Negative Thinking Actually Means

Negative thinking does not mean you are broken or destined to be unhappy.

It may mean your brain has practiced one pattern for a long time.

It may be trying to protect you.

It may be repeating beliefs that once helped you make sense of difficult experiences.

But learned patterns can be challenged.

New evidence can be collected.

A different story can be practiced.

👉 Awareness is the beginning of changing what you believe is possible.

🛠️ How to Shift Out of the “Looking for the Worst” Mindset

  1. Identify the Belief
  2. Notice the thought beneath your reaction.
  3. Ask yourself:
  4. What am I assuming right now?
  5. What do I believe this situation says about me?
  6. Is this a fact—or a familiar story?
  7. Look for Contrary Evidence
  8. Gently challenge the belief by searching for examples that do not support it.
  9. If your thought is “I never follow through,” ask:
  10. When have I kept a promise to myself?
  11. What have I completed?
  12. Where have I shown consistency?
  13. 👉 You are not forcing positivity—you are allowing yourself to see the whole picture.
  14. Record Your Wins
  15. Write down moments of progress, courage, connection, and joy.
  16. They do not have to be dramatic.
  17. Maybe you had a difficult conversation.
  18. Maybe you rested instead of pushing through.
  19. Maybe you tried again.
  20. Your brain needs repetition to create a new pattern.
  21. Replace Absolutes with Possibility
  22. Notice words such as:
  23. Always.
  24. Never.
  25. Everyone.
  26. Nothing.
  27. Try replacing them with more honest language:
  28. “This is difficult right now.”
  29. “I am still learning.”
  30. “This outcome is not decided yet.”
  31. “Something different may be possible.”
  32. Choose What You Want to Find
  33. Begin each day with a simple question:
  34. What evidence can I look for today?
  35. Evidence that people are kind?
  36. Evidence that I am growing?
  37. Evidence that good moments exist?
  38. Evidence that I can trust myself?
  39. 👉 When you intentionally look for possibility, you become more available to experience it.

💡 Key Takeaway

Your brain will search for evidence that supports the story you tell yourself.

If the story is rooted in fear, it will find reasons to expect failure.

But you can interrupt that pattern.

You can notice your wins.

You can question old beliefs.

You can look for evidence of growth, joy, support, and possibility.

👉 Change what you are searching for, and you begin to change what you can see.

✨ Glimmers from This Episode

  • Catching a negative thought before automatically believing it
  • Remembering a victory you once dismissed
  • Noticing one small thing that went right today
  • Realizing that a hopeful perspective can also be honest

💬 Final Thought

Your life contains more evidence than your fear wants you to notice.

There is evidence that you have survived.

Evidence that you have grown.

Evidence that you can begin again.

Evidence that joy still finds you.

You do not have to deny what is difficult.

You simply have to stop letting difficulty tell the entire story.

If this episode resonated with you, share it with someone who needs this reminder 💫

Chapters

Video

More from YouTube

More Episodes
134. Encore: The Power Of Looking for Evidence
00:26:03
133. Encore: The Lost Art Of Vulnerability
00:31:23
132. Encore: What To Do When You’re Feeling Behind
00:31:09
131. Encore: Redefining Success On Your Own Terms
00:34:31
130. Encore: How To Feel Your Feelings: A Practical Guide for Beginners
00:31:19
129. Encore: Are Expectations Destroying Your Relationships?
00:32:56
128. Encore: The Art of Finding Your Daily Joy
00:29:36
127. Encore: How to Train Your Brain for Optimism - Best Case Scenarios
00:28:02
126. Sympathy or Solutions - Re-Release
00:29:37
125. The Power of Contrast - Re-release
00:28:21
124. Who is Holding You Back? - Re-release
00:26:13
123. The Secret of Life - Re-Release
00:29:36
122. How To Love Yourself - Re-Release
00:30:21
121. How To Add More Whimsy To Your Life
00:22:49
120. Why You Don't Feel Good Enough
00:25:14
119. How to Overcome Setbacks - Re-Release
00:27:50
118. How To Handle Jealousy
00:23:53
117. Why You Sabotage Good Things
00:25:28
116. Why You Feel Behind in Life (and What's Really Going On)
00:24:16
115. How to Take Ownership of the New You
00:23:06
114. How To Know When You Are On The Right Path
00:23:16
113. How To Set Boundaries
00:29:16
112. How To Stop Anxiety Fast
00:20:45
111. How To Stop Spiraling
00:27:57
110. How to Grow When No One Supports You
00:24:47
109. When Growth Hurts: How To Stay Consistent
00:28:43
108. The 5 Habit Categories of Your Future Self
00:29:01
107. How Habits Shape Your Identity
00:22:20
106. How To Decide Who You Are
00:29:53
105. How To Reinvent Yourself (Without Blowing Everything Up)
00:27:23
104. Why Starting Over Feels So Scary
00:28:25
103. Why You Feel Like You’re Outgrowing Your Life
00:25:08
102. Why Resolutions Don’t Stick
00:23:54
101. How to Stop Taking Rejection Personally
00:27:04
100. How to Reset After a Bad Day
00:26:13
99. How to Enjoy Christmas This Year
00:25:42
98. How To Feel Less Lonely
00:25:55
97. Why Your Life Feels Boring All of a Sudden
00:25:30
96. How to Make People Like You
00:23:53
95. How to Protect Your Peace
00:30:46
94. When Growth Feels Exhausting
00:27:57
93. How To Have More Fun
00:25:23
92. How to Find Hope Again
00:24:04
91. How to Stop Being a Control Freak
00:21:51
90. How To Calm Down Fast
00:21:51
89. How to Find Joy in the Ordinary
00:27:02
88. How to Stop Overthinking
00:22:57
87. How to Settle Arguments Fairly
00:29:06
86. Afraid of Making The Wrong Choice
00:28:59
85. Feeling Like I'm Failing
00:25:41
84. The Rules Are Fake
00:26:14
83. How To Make Friends As Adults
00:27:54
82. How To Manage Anger
00:21:02
81. The Layers of Life: A Guide to Living Life With Purpose
00:26:33
80. How To Be Your Best Friend
00:27:25
79. How To Save More Money
00:29:44
78. 5 Things That Will Make You Wealthy
00:25:34
77. How to Solve Money Problems
00:29:18
76. How to Feel Worthy of Wealth
00:26:49
75. How To Stop Being Scared Of Money
00:27:41
74. How To Deal With Uncertainty
00:29:17
73. How To Start Improving Your Self
00:25:51
72. How To Deal With Disappointment
00:25:13
71. How to Stop Procrastinating
00:29:44
70. How We Lost 50 Lbs
00:36:04
69. Not Feeling Ready
00:24:53
68. How To Find Hope
00:26:43
67. Healing Isn't Always Pretty
00:27:16
66. Overcoming Setbacks
00:28:37
65. How To Find More Time
00:27:35
64. How to Constantly Improve Yourself
00:26:13
63. Courage over Comfort
00:28:18
62. How to Detach from Outcomes
00:27:48
61. How to Move On
00:29:41
60. Breaking The Cycle
00:33:46
59. Selfish Is Good
00:30:03
58. You Are Not Starting Over
00:32:04
57. How To Build Trust
00:35:17
56. Expression Not Depression
00:29:10
55. Leaving a Legacy
00:29:12
54. Seeking Substance
00:31:16
53. Finding Your Tribe
00:37:22
52. Honoring Your Self
00:33:19
51. Discovering Your Purpose
00:29:16
50. Getting Better Sleep
00:28:56
49. How to Create a 5-Year Plan
00:30:23
48. Feelings Aren't Facts
00:30:00
47. Prioritizing Peace
00:28:39
46. Managing Anger
00:22:57
45. Cultivating Confidence
00:27:57
44. Is Success Trapping You?
00:29:23
43. Letting People Go
00:29:14
42. Feeling Good Enough
00:29:37
41. Simplifying
00:28:32
40. Finding Calm
00:28:22
39. Running Late
00:27:58
38. Needing Permission
00:29:38
37. Storing Emotions
00:29:51
36. Embracing Enough
00:27:56
35. Conquering Perfectionism
00:28:58
34. Releasing Rigidity
00:29:12
33. Shifting Your Mindset
00:27:22
32. Moving to Authenticity
00:27:19
31. What’s Working, What’s Not
00:28:45
30. How to be Content
00:26:48
29. The 60 Second Rule
00:26:46
28. Finding Work You Love
00:29:27
27. Slowing Down
00:27:45
26. The Rules are Fake
00:27:02
25. Making Friends as Adults
00:28:41
24. Reclaiming Your Power
00:28:49
23. The Art of Flexibility
00:28:46
22. Are Antidpressants Worth It?
00:29:02
21. Hitting Your Limit
00:28:37
20. How to Get Rich
00:28:44
19. How to Restart Your Life
00:29:08
18. Coping Skills
00:27:25
17. Is the Law of Attraction BS?
00:27:28
16. Looking for Evidence
00:26:03
15. The Art of Vulnerability
00:31:23
14. When You’re Feeling Behind
00:31:09
13. How to Redefine Success
00:34:31
12. How To Feel Your Feelings
00:31:19
11. Is This Relationship Destroyer Hurting You?
00:33:44
10. The Art of Finding Your Daily Joy
00:29:53
9. Best Case Scenarios
00:28:19
8. Sympathy Over Solutions: A Game-Changing Communication Tactic
00:29:54
7. Power of Contrast: The strange way of turnings things around
00:28:38
6. Do You Know Who is Holding You Back? Hint: It’s not who you think…
00:28:25
5. How to Be Your Own Best Friend: A Beginner’s Guide
00:25:30
4. Secret of Life: Why something so simple is so hard?
00:29:36
3. How to Love Yourself: An Easy Way to Feel Self Love
00:30:21
2. Layers of Life: What if we’re living life the wrong way?
00:27:38
1. Fresh Starts
00:24:49
trailer Welcome to Five Year You!
00:02:33