There is an insidious force working against us, yet many of us don’t even realize this enemy exists.
This invisible villain can have a profound impact on our business goals, self-confidence, relationships, financial security, and freedom.
It can be scary to think about how powerful and effective this foe can be. So what is it exactly?
Well, it’s actually quite straightforward – it’s the words we tell ourselves. The great news is that this villain can turn into an ally.
Build Awareness
In order for our villain to become an ally, we must first recognize its existence and power.
Unfortunately, many people don’t even realize this villain’s presence or the hold it has over us, as it masquerades as the thoughts we tell ourselves.
We often think things like “I would love to do that, but it will never happen for me,” or “That would be amazing but I’m not good enough,” or “I don’t deserve to make that happen,” or “No one will ever love me the way that person is loved.”
We sometimes think we are not smart enough, rich enough, influential enough, experienced enough, etc. to make our dreams come true.
All of these are examples of the invisible villain – something that can be much more subtle, and therefore significantly more dangerous than a traditional ‘external’ villain.
It is us who allow ourselves to impose limitations upon ourselves, our own self-talk which can be our most potent invisible nemesis.
It is remarkable how people would never let a stranger talk to their children, spouse, mom or dad the way they talk to themselves – yet this happens every day.
You need to be aware of how we speak to ourselves and work on ways to build self-compassion.
Reprogram Your Brain
You are your own invisible enemy; it’s your thoughts.
Now, if you understand why this happens, then hopefully it will give you the power to overcome it.
You might be asking yourself: why am I doing this? It looks like self-sabotage – but why would my own brain tell me these negative things?
The reason is because the human brain is not designed for success.
It is designed for survival – conserving energy, keeping you safe, creating certainty, and avoiding risk.
We know that success requires doing things that are new, growing, learning, taking chances, and doing things that are uncomfortable – all of which are very different from survival.
The fact that your brain tells you those negative things is its way of keeping you safe and in a world of certainty, even if it means not having everything you want.
Your brain thinks it’s working for you, but if you are an achiever and someone who wants more out of life, then it is actually working against you.
And how come if you would never allow someone to talk to your child in a way that is unkind, demeaning or disrespectful, why would you stand for it when it comes to the way you talk to yourself?
It’s important to understand that this type of negative self-talk is simply a mechanism of your brain protecting you and keeping you safe, but it’s your job to reprogram your brain for success.
To do this, you need to rewrite the program in a positive way and play it over and over again like a record.
Once you start doing that, all aspects of your life will improve. As you relearn and reprogram the way that you talk to yourself, you’ll be able to create a more positive and empowering mindset.
