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The Block of the Inner Subconscious Voice
Comments by Wendy Reeves at LifeGoal
How many times do you find yourself making the same goals? If that's the case, it's likely that you either can't get started or you are unable to maintain the motivation or drive needed to help you reach them. Our best efforts can slip away with the slightest excuse.
Sounds familiar? You are not alone. We tend to believe that what we think and how we behave is controlled by our mind. The fact is we have the power to choose what we think and plant in our minds, and how we react. A mind possessed with negativity, fears and self-doubts is the result of bad habitual thinking. The end result of regularly seeding unhelpful and pessimistic thoughts will be no motivation, low self-esteem, lack of confidence, and an unfulfilled life.
We can self-sabotage our best efforts because of our inner voice. At a conscious level we may have the intent of reaching our target/s, but what is our subconscious mind saying - that inner voice? Is it working for you or against you?
If our inner voice is saying "you won't keep it up", "you know that won't work", or "you'll never succeed", then how will we?
By choosing to listen to the negative thoughts, we are in effect feeding our gremlin. Perhaps this gives us an excuse not to make the effort to pursue that goal - the ultimate opt out. Why bother when we [falsely] believe that we won't succeed?
Being aware of our inner voice is a good first step. Understanding, however, why it's working against us can be quite revealing.
The following techniques may help you regain control:
Self awareness: Over a period of a day regularly tune-in and observe what you are thinking and how those thoughts make you feel. Write down how often you are negative, critical, or whinging? Identify what triggered those thoughts and feelings? Be inquisitive and probe to become conscious of what's really going on, and as a result, what subliminal messages are you giving out?
Eliminate the negatives: In the same way we exercise to stay physically fit, exercise your mind to break bad thinking habits. When you catch yourself thinking negatively, drop it or switch it off, and change the thought for the positive opposite (be aware here of the gremlin trying to stop you). Ask yourself "how is this thought helping me?", or "what evidence do I have to support this thought?" to help eliminate negative thinking. Your voice of reason is the realist - the truth sayer. Listen to this instead of listening to the pessimistic unrealistic voice.
Just do it: Are you thinking too much about the goal and how you are going to get there? Over analysing can be exhausting and is an open invitation for excuses to catch you out and stop you. Stop the thinking, the justifying, and feeding the gremlin by believing that you won't succeed. Just do it - nothing more, nothing less, just get on with it.
If your inner voice is saying that's easier said than done, then you've already lost the battle. No doubt, you are listening to a number of reasons not to do it. I rest my case!
Wendy Reeves runs LifeGoal a lifestyle business, providing coaching services. She is a qualified professional coach, specialising in business and personal lifestyle - helping clients to be the best they can be.
« Back to News | Published: 13/10/10