One of the most common topics with my coaching clients is addressing negative self-talk. At times, I’m guilty of it myself even though I know that what I think often manifests itself into reality.
It seems simple to reframe your negative language into positive thinking but it doesn’t always feel easy to do. A helpful technique is to banish the word “can’t” and replace it with “I could if I…” It’s a trick practiced by teacher and author Jim Wiltens, who believes so much in the power of words that he has offered his students $100 if they ever catch him saying “I can’t.” (Now that’s one way to hold yourself accountable!)
Too often we get stuck due to self-imposed barriers, and the “I could if I” phrase forces us to articulate what would make something possible. Language has power; harness it to positively influence your actions just by thinking in the affirmative.
Source: Creative Confidence by Tom Kelley and David Kelley, 2013, p. 198-199
