Secrets to Success
Secrets to Success
Language
can be barrier
or key to successAsk anyone who has ever said, "I do", and you'll quickly understand the power words have to change our lives. The language we use is the catalyst to our success or failure in life.
Our minds will support our beliefs whether they are accurate or not. When we approach what seems to be an impossible task, we must pay careful attention to the words we use to determine whether we will succeed. If we find ourselves thinking, "It's too difficult" we will find ourselves facing certain defeat. But if we consistently say, "I'll find a way" and truly believe it, we will find ourselves amazed at the strategies we develop to overcome a challenge. Add a proactive twist, such as, "I'll find an enjoyable way to accomplish this in no time!" and you'll find yourself motivated to finish the task.
For instance, instead of resenting how busy and stressful your job may be, try thinking of all the positives associated with working. Focus on the privilege it is to be in business, being busy with clients coming in vs. other companies who are closing up shop or letting employees go.
To illustrate how the power of words can make a difference in the success of your business, I will share a personal story with you. This past month, a friend invited me to run the Women's 10K Race to benefit Straub Hospital. Despite my total lack of experience as a runner, I accepted the invitation and agreed this would not only be a challenging task for me to undertake, it would also be a great way to meet my fitness goals.
You can bet I quickly began to regret this commitment as I commenced my training at Kahana Bay each morning. I felt tortured as I prepared for the 6-mile race less than a week away. I tried to focus on the majestic mountains that outlined the sky, but I just kept thinking this was hopeless!
Being a business coach who teaches the principle of language as a key to our success in any undertaking, I figured I should analyze why this task was so difficult for me to enjoy. Once I started paying attention to the "self-talk" that was going on in my brain, I realized that with each stride I was asking myself "limiting questions" such as: "What the heck am I doing to myself?", "Am I crazy?", and "What am I doing this for anyway?" I thought, "There are better ways to get into shape than running!"
I realized I had to shift my debilitating questions and instead focus on how I would finish the 10K while enjoying the process. The next day, I began to consciously change my thoughts into positive ones in order to keep moving toward my goal.
All of a sudden, when I found myself in the zone, I noticed I was saying, "I'm in the zone, I can do it! This feels great!" I didn't change anything else about my routine other than changing my language, and yet my time for each mile quickly improved. I began to look forward to my training instead of dreading it. When race day came, I was able to finish my first race, enjoyed my journey around Diamond Head and had an incredible sense of accomplishment once I crossed that finish line.
Coaches Challenge: What are some proactive questions you can ask in order to accomplish a task that has seemed difficult to near impossible up to this point? How can you apply this principle of "using the right language" in order to enjoy your work each and every moment? Where must your focus be in order to blissfully accomplish your goals today?
Deborah Cole Micek, chief executive officer
of RPM Success Group, is a business success coach
and life strategist. Reach her at DCM@RPMsuccess.com
or (888) 334-8151.