As a Day 1 fan of author Jon Acuff, I have read nearly all of his books and regularly listen to his podcast, All It Takes Is a Goal. A few years ago I came across his book, Soundtracks, and I’ve honestly not stopped thinking about it since.

He gives readers a word picture for the concept of mindset. He likens our thought patterns, good or bad, to musical soundtracks. Just like catchy songs can become ear worms we’re constantly singing, so, too, can our mental attitudes become engrained.

That’s great if we have positive soundtracks and potentially detrimental if they are particularly gloomy or pessimistic. The overarching theme of his book? Start building a playlist of confident and affirmative soundtracks and a better mindset (and a host of other benefits) will soon follow.

What Are “Soundtracks” and Why Do They Matter?

Jon Acuff’s formula:

Retire broken soundtracks.

Replace them with new ones.

Repeat the new ones until they’re as automatic as the old ones.

Acuff is not the first person to put this notion to words. In fact, many famous folks have had their version of this same idea:

• “You become what you think about all day long.” (Emmerson)
• “A man’s life is what his thoughts make of it.” (Aurelius)
• “As a man thinks, so he is; as he continues to think, so he remains.” (Allen)

Most notably, the Bible shares this exact sentiment in Proverbs 23:7 (ESV), “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.”

I’m not going to lie, the weight of the world lately has made it hard to think good thoughts. I won’t list all of the ways that heaviness is playing out, but if you watch the news, scroll social media, or are one of the few who still read a tangible newspaper, then you already know.

When the world feels weary, creation is groaning, and feelings of chaos threaten us, I have to find a way to mentally detach from the macro “big, wide, world” and go micro and ask myself, “What can I actually affect in my own heart and mind, my own home, and my own community?”

When the World Feels Heavy: Rewriting My Mental Playlist

Today, I want to start with just my own heart and mind. (Perhaps I’ll revisit this idea as a series write more on ways I’m seeking to do this in my home and community.)

Enter: Soundtracks.

Jon Acuff recently shared one of his family’s soundtracks, “Hit the Squirrel.” This was born out of simple driving advice he gave his teenage daughters. If a squirrel darts out in front of you, just hit the squirrel. You hate to do that but it’s better than swerving your car into a ditch and hitting a tree. You get the gist.

Gretchen Rubin’s “If You Can’t Get Out of It, Get Into It” and “When Given the Choice, Choose the Bigger Life,” are two I keep on repeat.

The first has been a great motivator of basic tasks like dreaded home keeping chores all the way to choosing to make the best of a life circumstance you may not love–if you can’t get out of doing the thing– then find creative and resourceful ways to get into it. This is sort of the Just Do It! or attitude follows action idea.

The second soundtrack or mantra about choosing the bigger life has been frequently used when I have a choice to make about an opportunity and fear or imposter syndrome is threatening to hold me back. Some examples of choosing the bigger life would be self-encouragement to take the trip, take the job, or spend the money. When in doubt, opt for the adventure!

While authors like Acuff and Rubin generously share their own Soundtracks, they also encourage others to create their own based on personalized life experiences.

My Own Soundtrack: “Life Is Long, and I Am Young”

At the end of 2023, as I was considering my goals for the upcoming year, I was prayerfully revisiting the idea of starting a doctoral program. I was 46, soon to be 47, and when the doubts and excuses about being too old started flooding me and talking me out of the idea, I came up with my own Soundtrack. I even wrote it down: “Life Is Long, and I Am Young.”

It was a reminder that age is a state of mind and that it’s never too late and you are never too old to pursue a passion or goal. I started my first course two months later. Now, almost two years and 30 credits later, whenever I question myself about why I have put this academic burden on my plate as a grown adult mostly doing it for the joy of learning and I’m feeling weary, I simply repeat my Soundtrack.

Another Soundtrack I’ve been workshopping this fall with ongoing changes to Ryan’s daily, weekly, and annual work operational tempo that regularly throws his (and subsequently, our whole family’s) schedule into ongoing revision is “We Are Flexible, and Things Usually Work Out Better Than We Originally Planned.”

This one has been a hard one to say with a straight face and deep belief, but honestly, the more I say it, the more I’m feeling it and seeing it play out. When the field exercise shifts timelines, when there’s an extra trip planned and an early morning airport chauffeur duty, when work runs late again, when a dreaded phone call cancels family plans, I simply repeat my Soundtrack.

I can see how some might say that using Soundtracks in this way is just a form of toxic positivity. Or that it’s not honoring difficult choices or conditions. However, as a person who has often struggled to allow negative thought patterns turn into intrusive thoughts or chronic overthinking, using Soundtracks in this way has begun to shape my attitude more optimistically. I don’t know about you, but lately I’ll take all of the tricks, encouragement, hope, and positivity I can get– no matter the form it takes.

Do You Believe in the Power of Positive Soundtracks?

All of these Soundtracks have their moments to redirect negative thought patterns and the whole concept has me on the lookout for other areas of life or scenarios where I could use a new song in my heart or head. I am keeping a note of these in my phone and hope to focus in on it with even greater detail and specificity in 2026.

What about you? Do you believe in the power of Soundtracks? Do you have any you swear by?