Most people believe a good attitude will take you farther than a bad one. And it’s better to be positive than negative. But believing and knowing it aren’t the same as practicing it. The practice of these mental tools takes place within our thoughts and conversations. Visionaries and peak performers understand this so they take great care in what they think and say to themselves and aloud.
Inspirational life coach and author Robin Sharma says, “You become your conversations.” Look at the most successful and happy people in the world and in your life. Now close your eyes and picture them talking. Is their conversation filled with doubt or negativity? No, it’s not. Their words are filled with confidence. Now, they may mention their fears and challenges, but it’s in the context of how they will face them. Their conversation is a powerful one. When peak performers approach big games regardless of the odds, they express confidence and a commitment to give it everything they’ve got.
Now compare that to the conversation from someone who is filled with doubt. Instead of saying, I know I will lose weight and be in the best shape of my life, they say, “I’ve always been heavy. It’s too hard to eat right and really push myself in my workouts.” If someone has gotten hurt doing something challenging, their first words are likely, “I knew this was going to happen. This always happens to me. That’s why I hate doing that.” These conversations aren’t bad. They just aren’t powerful. And instead of keeping you safe, they become your limits.
When I broke my shoulder snowboarding, I had fear about getting back on the slopes. But my conversation was never, “If I board again, I will eventually get hurt again.” I refuse to allow my fears to become limitations. I reevaluated what I might’ve done to contribute to my accident. In my case, my skills were not good enough so I invested in lessons for three seasons. Now I am better on the board and safer.
Your conversations matter. Choose what you think and say wisely. They will become self-fulfilling prophesies. So make them positive and bursting with humble confidence.
Be Stronger,
Keith