How to Talk Your Way to Success

Words can wound and heal, soothe or distress, ignite passion or deflate, bring us confusion or ensure clarity - they can build us up or tear us down. Words whether you realise it or not wield a power all of their own. It is one of the least understood and yet one of the most significant abilities that everyone with the gift of speech(spoken or otherwise) possesses.

Science has discovered that the speech centre has dominance over all the other nerve centres in the human body. This is one of the foremost reasons why you can choose how you feel and behave. Consider the individual who consistently makes the pronouncement over themselves that they are 'sick' and 'tired.' It is only a matter of time before they actually get what they have been saying and physically begin to feel both 'sick' and 'tired.' This summarises the well known saying 'you talked yourself into it.'

It is interesting to note that the Hebrew word for WORD is 'dvar' meaning 'things', 'substance' and/or 'matter.' In short your words have creative power and what you keep on saying/declaring over yourself is the 'tomorrow' you will eventually experience. Of course it is all too easy to just blurt out what first comes to mind but there is some worth to the biblical advice to take on the attribute of being slow to speak. So, take that extra momment to pause and consider whether or not you really do want what you are about to declare/pronouce over your life and the lives of others. The scriptures further exhort that 'life and death are in the power of the tongue.' Ask yourself the question - Is my tongue yielding seed that will produce a harvest of 'life' or a harvest of 'death' for me.

One way that you can take more control over the words that you speak and their creative power is to start by analysing the effectiveness of your existing speech patterns. Using a daily journal to note down your findings is helpful for this purpose as well as proving a suitable means of monitoring your progress in this area.

There are a number of tell-tale negative patterns to watch out for including:

1. Low Energy Speaking - 'I'm fine..alright..okay'

Although this is not out-rightly negative it will reduce your energy levels and restrict your overall motivation.

2. Self defeating Language - 'I could never...'

This type of talking rules out all possibility thinking altogether and effectively stops you before you even start.

3. Over generalising - 'I don't get picked...'

This language is over dramatic and makes ridiculous statements which are more often than not completely innaccurate. Furthermore these statements identify you in an untrue light both to yourself and to others.

Once you have identified that you are using these patterns it is simply a matter of selecting more appropriate responses/statements to be used in place of the former. Responses that are: more positive in nature, possibility based as well as being more accurate. Although this may seem unnatural and a little contrived at first - stick with it and you will yield positive results such as an increase in self-esteem/confidence, energy levels, overall motivation as well as increasing the likliehood of opportunities that present themselves.

As well as identifying existing language patterns that are not serving you and then correcting the same you can also use positive affirmations to help create the changes and accelerate the success you desire. Positive affirmations whether in the written or spoken form are a much under-rated means of achieving this. Using both forms is the most effective way to improve your results. Affirmations can not only change the way you feel but can also be helpful to create a compelling future for the individual concerned.

There are 3 important factors to consider when using affirmations. First and foremost is that they must be fully in the positive and in the present tense - that is, clearly stating what you DO WANT as opposed to stating what you don't want. For example, instead of saying 'I am not as shy...' state instead that you are already 'confident.' To state your affirmation in the present tense, always begin with 'I am...as opposed to I will....' Secondly, if you want to get results you must develop the practice of being consistent. This applies to any new behavious you want to utilise. Thirdly, it is imperative that you maintain a body posture that is congruent with the affirmation itself. There is no point declaring that you are 'strong and confident' if your shoulders are drooping and your head is bowed down. The mind and body are part of the same system and both parts need to uphold the same objective.

Remember that as with most changes you make to your behaviour there will be days when you feel like giving up and reverting back to the old, more familiar ways of doing things. However, it is useful to remember that you only got where you are today with years of practice albeit unconsciously. It will therefore take a little time to consciously incorporate the new beahvious before you see the desired and sustainable results. It is the little changes that you now choose to make on a daily basis that will eventually accumulate and form the future that is yours to create.