“If you realized how powerful your thoughts are, you would never think a negative thought.”

Peace Pilgrim

The past few weeks, I have really paid attention to how I phrase things.  I have found that more times than not, I phrase things negatively.  For example, on the firing range, I found myself saying, “Don’t miss this shot.”

I am making the effort of phrasing it positively, “Hit the target.”

On the surface, this doesn’t seem like a big deal.  However, negative phrasing has invaded my inner dialogue and self-talk. The way we speak to ourselves, the language and phrasing we use when we think our thoughts, has an enormous impact on our attitudes, behaviors, actions and choices we make.

Don’t think about a clown. What did you just think about? It’s like having a golf caddy tell you not to think about the sand traps, the water obstacles, and definitely, whatever you do, do not think about how you hooked the last two drives.  What do you automatically think about? The sand traps, water obstacles and hooking the ball. Instead, focus on the positive process of performance.  Visualize the fairway, focus on the fundamentals of your swing, and see yourself placing the shot exactly where you want it to be.  Avoid thinking about the “don’ts”, where you don’t want the ball to land, and how you don’t want to screw up the swing.

It seems like a subtle and simple shift, but it’s actually quite difficult to rephrase everything to avoid using the word “don’t”.  Try it for a day, or at least an hour.  Stop yourself whenever you catch a “don’t” coming out of your mouth and rephrase it.  Then work up to catching “don’t” in your thoughts.

Strike “Don’t trip,” for “Keep your balance.”

Strike “Don’t lose,” for “Let’s win.”

Strike “Don’t hurt yourself,” for “Stay safe.”

Strike “Don’t fail,” for “Learn and grow.”

Strike “Don’t get sick,” for “Stay healthy.”

Strike “Don’t be afraid,” for “Be courageous.”

Strike “Don’t be weak,” for “Be strong.”

And on and on…..

Boo Yah!