The Stone of Life and Gremlins Audit
Install healthy core beliefs and root out the automatic thoughts that sabotage you
The Stone of Life and Gremlins Audit provides a systematic method for examining and reprogramming the automatic beliefs stored in what Peters calls the Computer—the part of your mind that runs autopilot programs without conscious thought. The Stone of Life contains your foundational truths: stable, healthy beliefs about yourself and the world that serve as your psychological anchor (such as life is not fair and I accept this or my value does not depend on others approval). Gremlins are unhealthy beliefs that have been accidentally programmed into the Computer, often during childhood or through repeated negative experiences (such as I must be perfect to be loved or if someone disagrees with me they are attacking me). Gremlins are particularly dangerous because they operate automatically—they trigger Chimp reactions before the Human even becomes aware of the situation. The audit process involves identifying these hidden programs, testing whether they are healthy truths or destructive gremlins, and systematically replacing gremlins with stone of life truths through conscious repetition until the new programming becomes automatic.
- The Computer runs automatic belief programs that trigger Chimp reactions before conscious awareness
- Gremlins are unhealthy beliefs programmed through past experiences, not conscious choice
- Stone of life truths provide stable psychological anchoring in difficult situations
- Replacing gremlins requires conscious repetition until new beliefs become automatic
- Surface Your Automatic BeliefsIdentify the automatic thoughts and beliefs that appear during stress, conflict, or challenge. These are your Computer programs—they often take the form of I must, I should, people always, or I cannot. Common examples include I must never make mistakes, if people knew the real me they would not like me, and conflict means the relationship is over. Write these down without judgment or editing. The goal is to make the invisible visible so you can evaluate whether these programs are serving you.Pro tipPay attention to the thoughts that appear in the first five seconds of a stressful moment—these are almost always Computer programs, not rational Human analysisWarningThis process can surface painful beliefs—approach it with self-compassion and consider working with a professional for deeply traumatic material
- Classify Each Belief as Truth or GremlinFor each surfaced belief, apply the test: is this belief healthy, realistic, and helpful, or is it unrealistic, unhelpful, and causing unnecessary suffering? Truths of life include acceptance of uncertainty, acknowledgment that others have the right to their own views, and recognition that your value is inherent rather than earned through performance. Gremlins include perfectionism, catastrophizing, mind-reading, and conditional self-worth. Be rigorously honest—many gremlins feel true because they have been operating for so long.Pro tipAsk a trusted friend to review your list—they can often spot gremlins that you have normalized
- Construct Your Stone of LifeWrite a set of foundational truths that you want to anchor your psychological stability. These should be beliefs that remain true in all circumstances and that create emotional resilience when internalized. Examples: life is not always fair and I can work with this, other people are entitled to their opinions without it affecting my self-worth, I will do my best and accept what I cannot control. Keep the list to seven to ten core truths so they are memorable and reviewable.Pro tipTest each truth by imagining your worst-case scenario—a truth that holds even then is genuinely a stone of lifeWarningAvoid aspirational statements that sound good but you do not actually believe—inauthentic truths will not hold under pressure
- Replace Gremlins Through RepetitionFor each identified gremlin, write the replacement stone of life truth and practice it daily. The Computer learns through repetition, not insight—understanding that a belief is a gremlin is not sufficient to change it. You must actively rehearse the replacement truth until it becomes the new automatic program. Review your stones of life every morning. When you catch a gremlin activating during the day, consciously override it with the replacement truth. Over weeks and months, the new programming will become automatic.Pro tipUse triggers as practice opportunities—every time a gremlin fires, it is a chance to strengthen the replacement truthWarningExpect the process to feel artificial and unconvincing initially—this is normal and does not mean it is not working
An Olympic athlete identified the gremlin if I do not win gold I am a failure, programmed through years of being valued solely for competitive results. Peters helped them replace it with the stone of life truth I will prepare thoroughly and perform my best—the outcome is separate from my value as a person. The athlete practiced this replacement daily for months, including visualization sessions where they imagined both winning and losing while maintaining the new belief. When the new truth became automatic, the performance anxiety dropped dramatically because the Chimp no longer perceived competition as a threat to self-worth.
Peters developed the Stone of Life and Gremlins concept while working as a consultant psychiatrist in the NHS, where he observed that many patients recurring emotional problems were driven not by current circumstances but by deeply held beliefs programmed years or decades earlier. A person who was frequently criticized as a child might carry the gremlin I am not good enough as an automatic operating assumption that triggered Chimp anxiety in every evaluative situation for their entire adult life. Peters realized that traditional therapy often focused on managing the Chimp reactions without addressing the Computer programs that were triggering them. By identifying and replacing these hidden programs, patients achieved more durable change because the triggers themselves were eliminated.