Have you fallen into the trap of putting "if" in front of your statements about dreams or goals? It creeps in like, "If this happens, or if the stars align, or if I can only…"
Here is a great twist on using the word, "if." Chris Nashawaty, a writer for INC magazine, interviewed Michael Strahan of NFL and television stardom. It made me nod in agreement.
"Any time we use the word if, we put doubt on whatever comes next," Strahan says, explaining his father's core philosophy. "If you say, 'If I make it off the couch, I might rake the leaves,' well, that's probably not gonna happen. We were taught to say, 'When I do this... ' And just that little difference tells you it can and will happen." * What a great New Year’s resolution – eliminate "if" when talking about your dreams, goals and next action steps!
Try this - New Year Mind Flip
Here are a few things that you can make part of your New Year resolutions and shift from negative, defeating thoughts to positive ones. You can eliminate those troublesome words that we all sometimes fall into using. This week, check your mood and motivation when you say:
- If: Shift to "When" (If I lose weight – When I lose weight)
- But: Shift to "And" (I would really like to lose weight but I haven't - I would really like to lose weigh and will.)
- Never: Shift to "Always" (I never lose weight - I always lose weight)
- Can't: Shift to "Can" (I can't lose weight - I can lose weight)
These simple shifts make all the difference in your motivation, and your ability to use positive statements to move forward.
* Full article by Chris Nashawaty, in INC magazine https://www.inc.com/magazine/202102/chris-nashawaty/michael-strahan-nfl-entrepreneur-good-morning-america-apparel.html