The block of the subconscious voice

Do you find that you regularly make the same goals? Then find that you either can’t get started or are unable to keep up the momentum and drive to help you reach them? Are you constantly looking for motivation only to find that it slips away with the slightest excuse?

If that sounds like you, you will be pleased to hear you are not alone. Most of us believe that it is our mind that controls what we think and how we behave. When, in fact, we have the power to choose what we plant in our minds, how we think and react. A mind possessed with negative, limiting beliefs and fears is a result of bad habitual thinking. The consequence of regularly seeding pessimistic and unhelpful thoughts will be low self-esteem, lack of confidence, no motivation and an unfulfilled life.

Our inner voice can self-sabotage our best efforts. Consciously we may be saying I am going to reach my target of X today, or contact 15 prospective clients, but what is our subconscious mind saying – that inner voice? Is it working for you or against you?

It doesn’t matter how intent you may be, if your inner voice (the gremlin) is saying “you know that won’t work”, “you won’t keep it up”, or “you’ll never succeed”, then how will you?

If you choose to listen and believe negative thoughts, you are in effect feeding your gremlin. And perhaps this gives you an excuse not to make the effort to pursue that goal – the ultimate opt out. Why bother when you [falsely] believe that you won’t succeed?

Being aware of your inner voice is one thing, understanding why it’s working against you can be quite revealing.

The following techniques may help you regain the control:

Self awareness
Over a 24 hour period monitor what you are thinking and how those thoughts make you feel. Note down how often you are negative, critical, or whinging? What triggered those thoughts and feelings? Be inquisitive and probe to become conscious of what’s really going on. And, what subliminal messages are you giving out?

Eliminate the negatives
Exercise your mind to break the habit of bad thinking. When you catch yourself thinking negatively, switch it off and swap the thought for the positive opposite (be aware here of the gremlin trying to stop you). To help eliminate negative thinking, ask yourself “how is this thought helping me?”, or “what evidence do I have to support this thought?” Your voice of reason is the realist. Use it instead of listening to the pessimistic unrealistic voice.

Just do it
Thinking too much about the goal and how you are going to get there could be the problem – over analysing can be exhausting and is an open invitation for excuses to stop you. Without thinking, justifying, feeding the gremlin by believing that you won’t succeed, just do it - nothing more, nothing less, just get on with it. Stop the thinking.

If you’re thinking that’s easier said than done, then you’ve already lost the battle. No doubt, a number of reasons not to do it have surfaced. I rest my case!

By Wendy Reeves

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.