Self-talk, it’s such a simple term that you’ll hear bandied around in social circles, in the office, and on the sporting field. But, is it as simple as we like to make it out to be?
Now, the way you talk to yourself consciously is one thing; however, have you considered the impact your inner voice has?
It is this inner voice that combines conscious thinking with inbuilt beliefs and biases to create an internal monologue.
Oftentimes, this monologue is not conducive to performing in your life at your peak. It often becomes the inner mean girl or guy.
And, it is this inner mean voice that has the potential to hold you back.
You see, a person who has high standards may find themselves fixating on the last poor performance on the field, in the boardroom, or in everyday life.
So, for example, you’re up against an opponent who triggers a thought pattern that goes something like, “he/she is bigger than me,” “is better than me,” “stronger, faster, etc...,” “has a better support system than I do,” then that sort of thinking begins to consume your thoughts and behaviours.
The frustrating part of all of this can be that your attempts at ignoring the chatter have just made it stronger.
SO, HOW CAN YOU TAME THE VICIOUS INNER MEAN VOICE?
1 - Mental Log Keeping - pay attention to the pattern of thoughts and self-talk and identify themes.
2 - Challenge the thoughts – check in on what you think about the thoughts and what you say to yourself.
3 - Reframe how you think about the thoughts – ask questions such as, Is that true? Is this my belief or someone else’s? What needs to change for this to change?
4 - Flip the unhelpful self-talk with encouraging self-statements – statements such as “I am a great athlete,” “I am determined to be the best I can be,” “I am an important part of the team,” “I am strong and aggressive on the court.”
Now, if you're an athlete, you're likely to be really good at logging training, nutrition, and hydration. And, by adding mental log-keeping you’ll be one step closer to giving yourself the mental edge over your competition.
Need help to tame your unhelpful mental chatter?
Book a FREE Assessment call with our Peak Performance Mindset Coach, Anxiety Relief Specialist, and Master Conversational Hypnotherapist Sally Barker
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