Self-Talk is a Superpower
“You are an idiot, why would you say that?”
“Is this even possible for you to do?”
“Give up, nobody cares anyway.”
“You’re not going to do good with this today.”
Those are some strong statements, and they are statements that easily reside in the privacy of our own mind.
The thought stream we nurture is SUPER powerful and the words we use MATTER.
Those statements above are not something most of us would speak to a friend or loved one…
So why would we speak this to ourselves??
The one person we talk to the most in our lifetime is ourselves.
The inner conversation in our head moves at a faster rate than written on paper or spoken to others.
That means the thoughts you think (or listen to) are moving at lightning speed and it can feel challenging to slow them down.
Self-talk can affect our self-image, how we view our abilities, and our appearance.
We say (on average) 60,000 words into ourselves EVERY DAY. (https://www.ndsu.edu/agriculture/sites/default/files/2024-04/cv1984.pdf)
Our inner voice and story shapes the perception of the world around AND within us.
A true performance enhancer and confidence booster is simple - becoming more kind to yourself.
Everything in life has opposing forces.
Something is working against everything, this includes the conversation within our mind…
An objection to every great idea.
A conflict for every mission.
An obstacle to every dream.
A consequence to every decision.
A naysayer for every leader.
We have the choice to shape our perception into thinking there is…
A great idea to every objection.
A mission for every conflict.
A dream for every obstacle.
A decision for each consequence.
A leader for every naysayer.
Unless we take time to stop and recognize the constant chatter going on, we can get lost in the internal conversation.
The way I see it there are two characters that dominate our inner dialogue - the Lesser Self and Heroic Self.
The opening statements of this blog were definitely voiced from the Lesser Self.
The Lesser Self is the easier route because our brain has a natural and primitive default to be negative.
On an instinctual level, the negative thought patterns are to “protect” us from external threats and harm.
But when was the last time a saber tooth tiger was chasing you?
Our perceived threats (performance anxiety, pressure, comparison, perfectionism, etc.) can spark the negative thoughts to dominate the conversation in our mind.
What we say to ourselves has an impact on what we believe.
If we let the Lesser Self dominate the conversation, it’s just a matter of time before we self-destruct.
Negative self-talk can come in a variety of ways - sometimes it’s blaming yourself, keeping scenarios only as good or bad with no space for middle ground, obsessing over the negative in every scenario, or learning to expect the absolute worst in every situation.
The Lesser Self is demeaning, harsh, feeds limiting thoughts and is pulled towards the negative.
The Heroic Self is just as accessible and is part of the conversation.
The Heroic Self is uplifting, gives oneself grace, recognizes limiting thoughts (but rejects the false reality), and uses effort to think positively.
The strongest of people have decided to feed and nurture the Heroic Self.
The Heroic Self is able to recognize perceived threats, recognize it’s not a saber tooth tiger but just [insert fake threat like perfectionism], and dominates the internal conversation with empowering words to help get through the situation.
The ability to recognize, manage and shift thought patterns is not easy, but is a powerful tools used by elite performers.
There will be external battles throughout your entire life, but the battle within your own mind is the most important conflict to win.
Every Hero starts as a bum or a character with no impressive resume.
The Hero is made and shaped by the conflicts and challenges in their way.
The Lesser Self allows conflicts and challenges define who they are when they fail.
The Heroic self allows conflicts and challenges elevate their ability and capacity for change.
The Lesser Self sees a door closing.
The Heroic Self sees a new door open.
If you want to figure out your own thought patterns, be committed and take time to sit in silence, by yourself, with no distractions.
A question I challenge you to ask is, “Who has been dominating my internal conversation?”
Recognizing the conversations, thoughts, and the story playing in your head is the first step to improve performance.
Identifying where the thoughts go identifies where the energy flows.
Top performers and athletes understand the importance of the WORK it takes to train their mind.
Notice your thoughts.
Manage your thoughts.
Shift your thoughts to focus on the powerful, strong, and brilliant truths inside of you.
Your superpowers are determined by the internal environment created with the words you feed yourself.
Can you become the Hero in your own life?
