The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines self-talk as: “Talk or thoughts directed at oneself”. The key to self-talk to me lies in the question we have to ask ourselves as leaders: “Am I my own best friend or worst enemy?”
“The only thing standing between you and your goals is the bullshit story you keep telling yourself”
– Jordan Belfort, The Wolf of Wall Street
Are you telling yourself good, positive things about yourself and about your performance as a leader? If the answer to this question is NO, then I would submit that you fall into the category of being your own worst enemy – something that only YOU can fix. In fixing this, you first need to ask yourself the very direct question: “Why would I be so stupid to not be my own best friend?…”
The bottom line is that ‘as I think, I am’. Your thoughts are much stronger than what you can ever imagine. You will find that, if you deliberately fill your thoughts with positive stuff, you will reap the benefits as leader of taking a different, profitable approach to life. With this new approach you should also compliment yourself when you do well. This might sound silly, but it is part of living a life where you boost yourself by being your own best friend. Don’t let ‘your truth’ undermine the real truth about you.
Self-talk makes or breaks… It determines who you are and what you achieve in life. I wish you well with a new approach to self-talk in your life as leader, that is constructive, powerful and uplifting.
– Hekkie van der Westhuizen, director at Saldati.
