What’s it about?
At its core, “Don’t Believe Everything You Think” is about the power of perception. Joseph Nguyen explores how much of our suffering, stress, and frustration is created not by the world around us, but by the stories and thoughts inside our own minds. Using clear language, real-life examples, and powerful quotes, Nguyen shows that peace comes not from changing our circumstances, but from changing our relationship to our own thinking. The book blends ideas from mindfulness, psychology, and wisdom traditions, encouraging us to step back, question our beliefs, and let go of familiar patterns—even if that means embracing the unknown.
Book Review: Don't Believe Everything You Think
by Joseph Nguyen
Published: 2022
Review published: September 9, 2025
What I Learned / My Take
1. Our feelings do not come from external events, but from our own thinking about those events. The root cause of suffering is our own mind.
2. People often hold onto suffering simply because it feels familiar—better the pain you know than the uncertainty you don’t. (Thich Nhat Hanh)
3. Everyone lives in their own reality, shaped by unique thoughts and perceptions; the same question brings ten different answers.
4. Money, like everything else, has no fixed meaning—it’s our beliefs that make it a symbol of freedom, greed, or security.
5. Situations and people cannot truly make me upset or angry; my reactions give them that power. Like the parable of the empty boat, anger comes from within.
6. “Anxiety is thought without control. Flow is control without thought.” (James Clear)
7. “There are no limitations to the mind except those we acknowledge.” (Napoleon Hill) Our only real limits are the ones we accept or imagine.
8. Goals can come from inspiration or desperation—knowing the difference matters.
9. “There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so.” (William Shakespeare) Events themselves are neutral; our judgments make them positive or negative.
10. “Don’t think. It complicates things. Just feel, and if it feels like home then follow its path.” (R.M. Drake) Decisions become easier when we listen to our intuition rather than endless mental debates. Only I can truly know what feels right for me.
11. “Whether you think you can or can’t, you’re right.” (Henry Ford)
12. We cannot control everything that happens, but we can choose to let thoughts pass instead of getting trapped by them. This is the beginning of peace.
13. Everything happens for a reason and there are no failures in life, only lessons and opportunities for growth.
Scenes and Images that Stuck with Me:
- The empty boat story: Realizing that people or situations that upset us are often “empty boats”—they don’t create anger; our own reaction does.
- Thich Nhat Hanh’s insight: “People have a hard time letting go of their suffering. Out of a fear of the unknown, they prefer suffering that is familiar.”
- The anxiety/flow contrast: “Anxiety is thought without control. Flow is control without thought.”
- Money’s many meanings: Noticing how money can represent freedom, fear, opportunity, or evil—depending on our mindset.
- Following intuition: “Don’t think. It complicates things. Just feel, and if it feels like home then follow its path.”
- No failures, only lessons: Every “mistake” is simply a lesson and opportunity to grow.
Would I recommend it?
Absolutely—for anyone caught in cycles of overthinking, anxiety, or frustration. This book is a simple, wise reminder that our thoughts are not always facts, and learning to let go of them is the real secret to inner peace.