The Two Minds
Posted on October 03, 2025 by Tara Rogers, One of Thousands of Business Coaches on Noomii.
You don't have one mind—you have two. Learn how your unconscious intelligence solves problems your conscious mind can't and how to access it.
The Two Minds: Getting to Know Your Conscious and Unconscious Mind
Introduction to the Two Parts of Your Mind
Most people don’t know this deep truth: you don’t have just one mind; you have two. As you read these words right now, your conscious mind is processing and understanding them. But there is another huge intelligence working behind the scenes, tirelessly, without your knowledge. This is your unconscious mind, and learning how these two parts of you are connected may be one of the most important things you ever learn.
What Do We Mean When We Say “Two Minds”?
Some psychologists and therapists call this second mind the “subconscious mind,” but many people use the terms “unconscious” and “subconscious” interchangeably. No matter what words you use, the idea is the same: there is a powerful mental system that affects everything from your automatic behaviors to your deepest insights that you aren’t aware of.
A common mistake is to think that your unconscious mind is “unconscious” in the sense that it is asleep or not doing anything. You don’t know about it, though. It’s the part of you that works without you knowing it at all times, but it’s very important for keeping you alive and working well.
The Conscious Mind: Your Logical Guide
Your conscious mind, which you think of as “you,” includes the voice in your head, the decision-maker, and the analyzer. It has certain features that make it perfect for some jobs:
The mind that is aware is:
Analytical and logical in the way it works
Sequential, working on one thing at a time
This concept is limited in its focus and ability, as it is based on thought and cognition.
Directive, purposefully controlling results
Active while awake
It acts on purpose and with thought.
Your conscious mind is like the captain of a ship, making choices, setting the course, and focusing on the problems that need to be solved right away. It is great at using logic to solve problems, making plans for the future, and thinking rationally.
The Unconscious Mind: Your Limitless Intelligence
Your conscious mind is in charge of the ship, but your unconscious mind is in charge of everything else, like the engines, navigation systems, maintenance, and a million other things you don’t even think about. Its traits are very different:
The mind that is not aware is:
Without limits on its ability
Aware of a lot of things and in a big way
Working while you sleep and dream
At the same time, doing more than one thing at once
Based on feelings and intuition
In charge of all automatic functions and movements that happen without you wanting them to
The person who has answers to problems that your conscious mind can’t solve
Your link to deeper knowledge and understanding
Your unconscious mind keeps your heart beating, breathing, immune system, and thousands of other body functions in check without you ever having to think about them. But it does a lot more than just keep you alive. It remembers things, processes your feelings, sees patterns, and often comes up with answers that your logical mind could never find by just thinking about them.
Why it’s important to know both minds
Your conscious and unconscious minds don’t compete with each other; they work together. We run into problems when we try to control everything with our limited conscious mind and ignore or suppress the vast intelligence of the unconscious mind. On the other hand, living on autopilot without any conscious direction can make us feel powerless and reactive.
The key to getting the most out of both minds is to learn how they work together, use each one’s strengths, and make sure they get along.
In the next articles in this series, we’ll look at:
How to talk to your subconscious mind
What the unconscious mind does to help with creativity and problem-solving
Why your unconscious mind knows things your conscious mind doesn’t and how to tap into that wisdom
How to get both minds working toward your goals
The first step is to realize that you have these two separate but related parts of your mind. Be aware of when you’re using your conscious, deliberate mind and when you’re using your automatic, unconscious mind throughout the day. Just being aware of this can start to change how you see yourself and what you can do.
In our next article, we’ll go into more detail about how these two minds talk to each other and why the unconscious uses symbols, feelings, and intuition instead of words and logic.
