Filter 1: Delete -Your brain deletes, generlises and distorts
The Invisible Editor: How Your Brain Deletes Reality Without You Noticing
Every day, your brain is making thousands of decisions without asking for your permission. It’s sorting, filtering, and editing the flood of information pouring in through your senses. From the flicker of a lightbulb to the faint hum of a distant conversation, most of it never reaches your conscious mind. It’s not because your brain is lazy—it’s because it’s efficient.
But efficiency comes at a cost. To keep you focused, your brain uses one of its most powerful tools: deletion. It trims, cuts, and erases details it deems unnecessary or irrelevant. Sometimes, this works in your favor, helping you zero in on what matters. Other times, it quietly removes vital pieces of the puzzle—pieces that could change the way you see yourself, your relationships, or your opportunities.
We rarely question this invisible editing process, but if we want to better understand ourselves—and make smarter decisions—we need to start noticing what’s been deleted.
Why Your Brain Deletes Information
At any given moment, your brain is processing an overwhelming amount of sensory data. Scientists estimate that we’re exposed to about 11 million bits of information per second, but our conscious mind can only handle about 40 bits.
This means your brain is working overtime to simplify your reality. It deletes background noise, repetitive details, and anything it doesn’t consider immediately relevant. It’s like having an overzealous personal assistant who decides which emails you should see and which go straight to the trash folder.
This editing isn’t random. It’s shaped by your experiences, your beliefs, your fears, and your goals.
In Social Situations: If you believe people don’t like you, your brain might delete signs of warmth—like a friendly smile or an open body posture—and focus instead on a passing frown or someone looking away.
In Moments of Stress: When you're overwhelmed, your brain might delete creative solutions and focus only on the most immediate threat.
In other words, your brain isn’t showing you the full picture. It’s showing you its version of reality—a version tailored to keep you safe, efficient, and (in theory) focused on what matters.
The Problem With Deletion: Blind Spots in Everyday Life
While deletion is a survival mechanism, it also creates blind spots. Think about these scenarios:
You receive praise from nine people, but one person criticizes your work. Your brain deletes the praise and highlights the negative feedback.
You’re walking down the street deep in thought, and you miss the friend who waved at you from across the road.
You’re trying to solve a problem, but your brain deletes unconventional solutions because they don’t match what it considers "logical."
These deletions aren’t malicious—they’re shortcuts. But shortcuts aren’t always accurate. They can reinforce limiting beliefs, cause misunderstandings, and make you miss valuable opportunities.
Spotting the Deletes: How to Hack Your Brain’s Filter
You can’t stop your brain from deleting information—it’s hardwired into your biology. But you can become more aware of it. Here are a few strategies:
Ask Better Questions: When you feel stuck or overwhelmed, ask yourself: What might I be missing here?
Slow Down Your Thinking: Deletion happens most aggressively when you’re rushing. Take a moment to pause, breathe, and intentionally scan your environment or situation for what might have been overlooked.
Challenge Your Assumptions: If you find yourself stuck in a pattern of thought—like “This will never work” or “I’m not good enough”—ask yourself, What evidence have I deleted to support this belief?
Write It Down: Putting your thoughts on paper can help expose what your brain tried to delete. Sometimes, seeing your thoughts visually can highlight missing details.
When Deletion Becomes a Superpower
While deletion can create blind spots, it’s also one of your brain’s greatest strengths. It allows you to focus in a noisy café, ignore irrelevant details during an important conversation, and prioritize tasks when you’re on a deadline.
The goal isn’t to stop your brain from deleting—it’s to learn when those deletions are helping you and when they’re holding you back.
Helpful Deletion: Ignoring the sound of traffic while reading a book.
Harmful Deletion: Ignoring your achievements and only focusing on your failures.
Conclusion: Pay Attention to the Invisible Edits
Your brain is a master editor, and deletion is one of its sharpest tools. But like any tool, it’s only as effective as the person wielding it. When left unchecked, deletion can limit your potential, distort your reality, and reinforce unhelpful beliefs.
Start asking yourself better questions. Pause. Reflect. Look for what’s missing, not just what’s obvious. Because sometimes, the most important details aren’t the ones you notice—they’re the ones your brain decided not to show you.
And if you can learn to spot those invisible edits, you’ll start seeing the world—and yourself—with far greater clarity.
