Negative Self-talk is Too Expensive

I'm always fascinated by the people who lift huge weights,particularly in competitions like the Olympic Games. Thereare events for men and women and they get up on stage tolift a bar with huge weights attached.I often wonder what sort of things they're saying tothemselves as they pace up and down, rubbing their handswith resin powder and taking huge breaths.

What if they were saying - "That looks really heavy - it'sheavier than anything I've lifted before. I'll probably dropit, make a real fool of myself and even injure myself toboot?.!"

Do you know what's going to happen if they say all thisstuff to themselves? Their subconscious will say - "Okay,you say you're going to drop it. Then, that's what I'llarrange - and I'll try to make sure you injure yourself atthe same time."

Of course, that isn't what happens. This weight lifter,who's trained for years to do precisely this thing, isscreaming at himself internally - "You're going to lift thatbar and push it right through the ceiling! You're going tobreak the world record! You're going to win this competitionand everyone in the world will see you doing it!"

In the day-to-day tasks that we face in our life, we shouldbe no different from these sportsmen and women. Thinknegative thoughts and that's what your subconscious willfocus upon.

If you think illness, you'll become ill.If you think gloom and doom - that's what you'll get.But if you think health, happiness and success - you'realready there.

"Most people are as happy as they make up their minds to be"- Abraham Lincoln.

I read this quote some years ago and I know some people havea problem with it. We all face difficult situations in ourlives and some people more than others. However, I've madeup my mind to be as happy as I can and I recommend you dothe same.

Focus on the positive things in your life - the things youcan do - not the things you can't. Think about what you'veachieved in the past - not what you haven't. Look at whereyou're going - not where you've been

There's a story about a young man who was really intopositive thinking. His workmates used to make a fool of himand of course, he was challenged by their taunts. He toldthem one day that positive self-talk was so powerful that ifhe told himself he could fly through the air, he'd be ableto fly.

"Prove it" they cried. So off he went, up to the 20th floorof the building they worked in. He jumped off and was heardto cry as he went past a 10th floor window - "Well, it's allgoing great so far."

That sort of thinking isn't what this article is about. Isometimes get tired of hearing people say - "Thinkpositive." What I'm suggesting is that - in all the thingswe face in life, we focus on the positive aspects.

Say for example a customer complains to you about someaspect of your product or service. It's so easy to think -"We've messed up, we're going to lose this customer'sbusiness, this is a disaster!"

It's far better to think - "Okay, we've made a mistake, whatcan we learn from this so that we don't do it again and makeour service even better."

Ironically, it's often the case that if you solve acustomer's problem, apologise and recover well, the customerwill forgive you and become even more loyal.

Here's another example of what I mean:Say you were to discover a small lump in some part of yourbody - or a mark on your skin. Positive thinking might causeus to say - "It's nothing, I'll leave it and it'll go awayby itself."

Negative thinking, on the other hand, would have us say -"Oh no! I've got cancer, I'm going to be in pain and miseryand I might die."

Focussing on the positive allows us to say - "I must getthis looked at immediately, whatever it is. They havemarvellous ways of removing and curing these thingsnowadays."

There will always be challenges to face with customers andthe people who work with you. Focussing on the positive willmake them so much easier to deal with.

Discover how you can generate more business by motivatingyour team!

Alan Fairweather is the author of "How to get More Salesby Motivating Your Team" This book is packed with practicalthings you can do to get the best out of your people . Click here nowhttp://www.howtogetmoresales.com/Motivating%20Your%20Team.htm