Jonathan Butler enables people to overcome limiting beliefs and habits that hold them back. He is a Mindset Architect and Transformation Coach, using neuroscience and 30 years of experience in leading organisational and personal change. He is the Founder of My Fit Mind and the Author of Bye-Bye Anxiety.
Unlock the secrets to cultivating the mindset of an elite performer with proven strategies and insights. This guide will equip you with actionable techniques to elevate your mental game and achieve peak performance across all areas of your life.
Learn the skills of top elite performers
Would you like to be more successful? Do you feel that with just a bit more of an edge, you could elevate your career or business to new heights? You’re not alone. Many people excel at what they do but feel something is holding them back from reaching their full potential. Perhaps you struggle with self-belief? Maybe you procrastinate or even sabotage yourself when critical opportunities arise.
Now, imagine if you could master a reliable way to perform at your best exactly when it matters most. What if you could thrive under pressure, raising your performance and taking obstacles in your stride?
I want to share with you the powerful technique that the top 1% of high achievers have mastered–and how you can learn it, too. The best part? It's easier than you might think.
How I discovered this powerful technique
At 16, cycling wasn’t just my passion–it was my entire world. Every race was a chance to prove myself, and on my best days, I could take on almost anyone my age and win. I wasn’t just talented–I had raw determination coursing through my veins. I was one of the top ten racing cyclists in England. But that wasn’t enough. I didn’t want to just be ‘Top Ten’. I wanted to be ‘Number One’.
Yet time after time, when it counted the most, I fell short. I couldn’t figure out why. I knew I had the ability, but something was holding me back. The frustration was maddening. So, I pushed harder–trained more, clocked in extra hours on the bike. But instead of getting faster, I began to break down. Injuries piled up, and my body started to rebel.
Then came the offers. Drugs. They were everywhere in cycling back then, like an unspoken rule. “Everyone’s doing it,” a prominent coach told me, handing me a packet of pills as if it they were sweets. But I refused. That wasn’t how I wanted to win.
During the winter break, as we prepared for the new season, I found myself at an elite training camp on an indoor track. It was there that I first saw him–the rider that everyone was talking about. Young, fast, and smashing records that shouldn’t have been possible at his age. He was setting times that left the rest of us in awe. It seemed like no one could touch him. Whispers circulated about how he was pulling it off. Was it talent? Something else?
One afternoon, I spotted him alone, sitting on a bench at the edge of the velodrome, headphones on, completely isolated from the rest of us. Curious, I approached him. We had exchanged words before, so I asked casually, “What are you listening to?”
He looked up, eyes intense but calm. “Self-hypnosis,” he said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “It wipes out any negative thoughts. And when the pain kicks in, I can block it out and push even harder.”
That moment changed everything for me.
I realised that his secret wasn’t drugs or some mystical physical gift–it was his mind. He had trained his brain to rise to any occasion, to shatter the limits that held the rest of us back. That was the day I decided to learn self-hypnosis.
And as for that rider? He went on to become a multiple Olympic Champion. His true edge wasn’t physical–it was mental. While others sought shortcuts, he mastered the art of controlling his mind, overcoming both pain and fear to become unstoppable.
Me? I won multiple regional championships and even a National Championship. Several times I even beat the guy in the velodrome who was setting all these records. I had become a consistent top performer. I could rise to the big occasion and perform even when I was not feeling my best.
What is self-hypnosis?
Imagine having the power to unlock a hidden part of your mind, where doubts and fears no longer control you. This is the power of self-hypnosis. It’s not just about relaxation–it’s about diving deep into your subconscious mind, the place where real transformation happens.
When you guide yourself into this state of deep focus, often called a trance, your conscious mind–the part that overthinks and second guesses–takes a step back. In its place, the subconscious opens up, becoming more receptive to new ideas and positive change. In this state, you can rewire old habits, beliefs, and patterns that have held you back, replacing them with new, empowering ones.
The magic of self-hypnosis isn’t just a one-time trick. With practice, you can train yourself to enter this state more quickly and effectively, using it to shape different aspects of your life–whether it’s building confidence, overcoming fears, or achieving peak performance.
It’s not just a tool. It’s your personal superpower waiting to be unleashed.
How self-hypnosis helped me
Sadly, my career was ended by a serious illness at the age of 18 when I suffered a burst appendix which filled my body with toxins that took years to fully clear. I needed to find a new direction
Fast-forward several years, and I found myself in the corporate world working in the up-and-coming technology industry. I was not very technical, and I found myself gravitating towards sales. By nature, I was quiet and introverted, hardly the type of person you'd expect to excel in sales. But armed with the tools I had gained from hypnosis, I not only succeeded, I thrived. I created an ability to create rapport, remain calm under pressure, and learning to visualise outcomes allowed me to become one of the top salespeople in the tech industry. Year after Year.
My career blossomed and the offers came thick and fast! I was promoted into very senior roles focused on delivering both high-growth and turnaround agendas. I became a go-to person for turning around failing teams and businesses. Wherever I went, there was one consistent theme that underpinned my success: Creating deep belief. This was the foundation of every successful transformation. Whether it was creating belief in individuals, teams, or entire organisations, the mental shift was always the key to success.
Today, as an RTT therapist, Clinical Hypnotherapist, and Transformation Architect, I combine 25 years of business and people transformation experience with the most up-to-date understanding of hypnosis and neuroscience. Having been one of the first people trained by Marisa Peer and having worked as Marisa’s own In-House Therapist for two years, I have been fortunate enough to help transform the thinking of thousands of people. My mission is simple: to help people unlock their potential by teaching them how to harness the power of their subconscious minds.
How does self hypnosis work?
We all naturally enter different brain states every day. Self-Hypnosis involves learning how to take your mind into what is called a Theta Brain State which usually only occurs in adults as we are falling asleep or when waking in the morning. When we are in a theta brain state our mind becomes relaxed, cutting out ‘noise’ and enhancing our ability to accept new ‘programming’. Self-hypnosis allows you to:
Easily relax
You enter a calm, relaxed state.
Effortlessly focus
You narrow your attention, typically by focusing on a specific thought, idea, or image, which helps to quiet the mind and shift away from distractions.
Readily accept new suggestions
While in this focused state, you give yourself positive affirmations or suggestions aimed at addressing specific issues.
Powerfully visualise outcomes
By visualising a desired outcome your mind accepts that this is achievable.
Why self-hypnosis works for high achievers
If you want to perform at the top of your game, you need to understand what high achievers do differently. People who consistently perform at the highest levels are using hypnotic principles, whether they realise it or not. They’ve learned to block out distractions, enter a state of flow, and push through discomfort with ease. They have learned to harness their subconscious mind
How self-hypnosis can help you
Consistent high performance
Self-hypnosis helps you enter into flow states, allowing you to perform at your best, even when conditions aren’t ideal. You can cut out fears, doubts and distractions.
Overcome self-doubt
Imposter syndrome, self-sabotage, and negative self-talk are common obstacles to success. Self-hypnosis helps you reprogram your subconscious to develop unshakeable confidence and perform ‘on demand.’
Create mental resilience
Hypnosis teaches you how to recover quickly when things go wrong. Whether you’ve experienced a setback in business, sports, or personal life, it helps you bounce back stronger.
Enhance enjoyment
Shifting from fear-based thinking to a mindset of opportunity and possibility makes your journey more enjoyable, and paradoxically, leads to even greater success.
When to use self-hypnosis
Self-hypnosis is highly versatile and can be applied to various situations. Some common uses include:
Interviews and presentations
Whether you’re preparing for a job interview or a major presentation, hypnosis helps calm your nerves and boosts your confidence. It can enable you to become ‘magnetic’ in these situations and create a ‘pull’ effect towards you.
Difficult conversations
Hypnosis can help you stay composed and focused during tough discussions, whether at work or in your personal life. While no-one enjoys difficult conversations self-hypnosis will allow you to stay calm and remain in control. What’s more you can feel calmer and less anxious in the build-up to a challenging conversation.
Sports performance
Sportspeople use self-hypnosis to get into the zone, overcome setbacks and poor form and push through physical barriers. Whether you want to improve your gold handicap or set a new personal best self-hypnosis is a formidable tool to learn.
Big life events
Whether you’re preparing for a wedding speech, a big date, or any significant life event, self-hypnosis can help you stay calm and perform at your best. You can make that speech confidently or tap into the law of attraction to exude confidence and desirability to a date. Self-hypnosis is a powerful tool for quickly regaining control of your emotions and aligning your thoughts with the outcomes you desire.
Is hypnosis real?
Hypnosis is a powerful treatment for a wide range of issues and situations. Many studies attest to the efficacy and effectiveness of hypnosis. Highly respected organisations such as the UK’s Royal College of Psychiatry attest to the power of hypnosis in treating both psychological and even physical conditions. Hypnotherapy is based upon well understood neuroscience that shows our minds are capable of being reprogrammed to think, feel and act differently.
The ability to remain focused even under extreme pressure is demonstrated by Studies that show that hypnotized volunteers are up to 50% more capable of handling painful stimuli (Faymonville et al., 2006). Scans reveal that hypnosis can lower activity in the brain’s anterior cingulate cortex, linking sensory stimuli to emotional and behavioural responses, and switch off pain signals. Some studies suggest that hypnosis is more effective than standard medical care when used to reduce pain during labour and childbirth (Landolt & Milling, 2011).
Is hypnosis dangerous?
One of the greatest myths surrounding hypnosis is that it's some kind of mystical mind control, a Hollywood illusion that’s left people wary or even afraid. But hypnosis is not magic–it’s a natural and powerful state of focused awareness. It's the same kind of deep concentration you experience when you're completely absorbed in a gripping book or a captivating movie. In this state, the mind becomes incredibly receptive, opening the door to profound transformation and change. Far from being something to fear, hypnosis is one of the most empowering tools we have for taking control of our own minds. Hypnosis allows you to bypass your conscious mind and access your subconscious, where most of your beliefs and habits are stored. By learning to influence your subconscious, you can reshape your thoughts, feelings, and actions to align with your goals.
You cannot get stuck in hypnosis and rather than losing control, hypnosis is a tool that gives you control over how you can live your life. Because hypnosis allows you to move from living in fear to living in ‘possibility’.
Learn self-hypnosis
The amazing thing about self-hypnosis is how easy it is to learn. With just a few days of practice, you can learn enough to start using it in your daily life. I’ve taught thousands of people the basics of self-hypnosis through my YouTube videos, and many have reported significant improvements from just learning from my videos.
In my YouTube videos and training courses, I teach the following key elements of self-hypnosis:
Understanding the mind
I break down complex mental processes into simple, relatable concepts so you can easily grasp how your mind works.
Steering your thoughts
Like driving a car, you don’t need to understand every mechanical detail to drive effectively. The same goes for your mind–you just need to know how to steer it in the right direction.
Creating powerful hypnotic scripts
I teach you how to craft personalized scripts that allow you to reprogram your subconscious, aligning your thoughts, feelings, and actions with your goals.
Master self-hypnosis
If you would like to master self-hypnosis, I teach a streamlined program where you can learn the art of self-hypnosis in as little as 3 weeks. You can choose from one-on-one or online learning options, giving you the flexibility to develop this powerful skill and use it to achieve your life goals.
When to seek a professional hypnotherapist’s help
While self-hypnosis is a powerful tool, it’s important to recognize its limitations. For more complex issues, such as overcoming trauma, anxiety, or physical conditions, working with a professional hypnotherapist is essential. In my RTT hypnotherapy sessions, I guide clients through a process of uncovering the root causes of their issues and help them to release limiting beliefs.
Ready to learn more about self-hypnosis?
If you’re ready to unlock the power of self-hypnosis, I invite you to visit my YouTube channel, where you’ll find a wealth of free content designed to help you get started. Simply like, share, and subscribe to stay updated on new videos and techniques.
For those who want to take their self-hypnosis skills to the next level, I offer powerful, personalised programs. Book your free Discovery Consultation to explore how I can help you to transform your subconscious thinking and equip you to be the best version of yourself.
Read more from Jonathan Butler
Jonathan Butler, Mindset Coach and Transformation Architect
Jonathan Butler is a leader who helps people identify and overcome limiting thoughts, beliefs, and habits. He was a high achiever in corporate life, holding senior positions in global technology and management consultancies when he was hospitalized for a life-threatening, yet mystery illness in 2014, Four years of recovery led Jonathan to understand the power of the mind-body connection. He saw how learning to control our thoughts with tools such as hypnosis and NLP could overcome many physical ailments.
