Turning the volume down, on that voice in your head
You just left an event where you were inspired to invest in this great new program. The program gives you some outstanding tools to make you better at what you do. While listening to the presenter, you have envisioned yourself getting better, getting ‘gooder’ as one of my colleagues likes to say. That path of getting good is going to lead you to double your income in your field.
You picked up the package at the checkout, and head off in a positive direction. As you climb into your car, it starts - the voice in your head says - “Where are you going to find time to listen to this?” You start this dialogue with that voice, and tell him “I plan on waking up 30-minutes early every day to get through this material in 60-days”. There, you won!
Then the voice says, “this is a lot like the last program you invested in, and you never received those benefits”. The dialogue goes on and on. This voice is annoying, and he is going to continue. Technically, he’s right. He is bringing up every related item that you have tried and failed at in the past.
Do you know when that voice stops?
When you give him alternative facts! By proving to him that you can get better. Prove that you will make more money. Turn that negative voice into something positive. You know it’s possible. You see others doing it.
Whether you are starting your own business, switching jobs, or a sales person looking for an edge on your competition. There is risk reward in everything we do. Our voice is protecting us against the risk. That’s all. To get that voice to shut-up, tell him thank you for the advice, then just do it.
As a coach, I get to be the other voice. The one that asks you if you are ready for this endeavor. Are you prepared to work hard, to prove that voice in your head wrong? I see that the little voice so often in my client’s heads, and it holds them back from taking those necessary steps.
The goal setting exercise that I teach gives you the tools to beat this voice as well. Determine your why. Find that compelling reason that will keep you going when you are beating that voice in your head. Let the voice show you the pitfalls of your plan, but then plan around them! You will run into problems, like the above example of waking up 30-minutes early occasionally. When you do wake up a little late, don’t let the voice say “see … I told you so”. You know you’re going to hear it.
Here is the bad news. That voice never goes away. This was reinforced this morning during a mentorship call with Paul Martinelli from the John Maxwell Team. Regardless of where you are in your journey, this voice never goes away. That voice thinks it is protecting us from future heartache. Again, thank him for reminding you, and go to work. If you have prepared yourself for whatever journey you are about to take, don’t let that voice stop you.
Turn Down the Volume
If you can’t stop the voice, you need to turn down the volume. Take the advice as I wrote above, and use it to define your new plan. Get an alternative voice to kick things around as well. Whether that is a coach or Mentor. Develop your Inner Circle, this is Law #11 in John Maxwell’s 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. Find people to be around that you trust their opinion, and to help you defeat that inner voice.
Listening to the The Jordan Harbinger Show ... Shaquille O’Neill was being interviewed. He has his own 5-person panel that he screens ideas through. This is his way of making sure he is on the right path. Even a person that has excelled in as many things as he has, will have his doubts.
Jim Rohn says you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. Don’t let that voice be part of the group.
Mike Kole is an executive coach working with executives, business owners, small to medium sized companies, developing their leaders of today! As a John Maxwell and Zig Ziglar Team Member, Mike is equipped to give you or your organization the competitive edge you are looking for.