A few weeks ago, I wrote about self confidence, and how lack of it could be affecting your success. Since then, I’ve heard from several people who were touched by it because they find the voices inside their heads being overly critical.

This is a common problem, unfortunately, and until you get to the root of the problem, it will keep you from achieving the level of success that I know you are capable of.

So today, I want to delve further into the messages we tell ourselves, day in and day out.

Is the voice inside your head positive? Or negative?

Is it pointing out your flaws? Or boosting your confidence?

Is it holding you back? Or propelling you ahead?

This is a choice that you have control over. You don’t have to accept the negative messages telling you, “I’m just average,” “People don’t want to hire me,” or “I would make more money if I were good at what I do.”

Sometimes those messages come from your past, as far back as childhood, and that makes it harder to quiet those negative voices. Maybe people you cared about criticized you. And that makes it even more difficult to get their words out of your inner dialogue.

However, harsh words only have power if you give them power.

I want you to think about the people who have said kind words to you that increased your confidence. Are those words running through your head too? They should be.

As humans, we have a bias toward remembering negative criticism about ourselves better than positive feedback. So we have to work extra hard to quiet those critical voices, and give a megaphone to voices that have told you what a good person you are, how capable you are, and how skilled you are at what you do.

Researcher and author Brené Brown says in her most recent book, Dare to Lead, “Don’t grab hurtful comments and pull them close to you by rereading them and ruminating on them… Whatever you do, don’t pull hatefulness close to your heart.”

You owe it to yourself to tune out negative voices, or better yet, change the channel.

Here’s a simple exercise to do next time negative messages about yourself pop into your head. Stop yourself and ask: Would you let someone say those same things about your best friend? Would you believe them? Or would you stand up for your friend?

I know you’re the kind of person who would say, “Don’t talk about my friend that way.” The same goes for yourself. Stop believing the negative messages on repeat in your head.

Start telling yourself a new message: “I am talented, I’m hard working, people want to work with me, I feel good about who I am, I am a person of integrity, I have what it takes to be successful, and I am kind.”

It’s hard to change that message. It feels uncomfortable at first. It might feel like you’re bragging. But it’s not about bragging or feeding your ego.

This is the work you need to put into being more self-confident, self-assured, and secure about who you are.

And the more you tell yourself those positive thoughts, the easier it will be. That will become the channel you’re tuned into, rather than the negative channel you’ve been stuck on for too long.

You can practice this every morning. You put effort into getting yourself ready on the outside every morning, getting dressed and doing your hair, so why not take a few minutes to get yourself ready on the inside?

Life can be hard enough without you making it harder on yourself by feeding negative messages all day long. But that’s not the only reason to invest time into changing the voice in your head.

Confidence is infectious.

Have you ever spent time around someone and thought, “I don’t know how she does it. I just feel so good whenever I’m around her,” and that has made you want to spend more time around that person?

That goes for professional relationships just as much as it does for interpersonal relationships. The more confident and self-assured you are, the more people will want to work with you and the more successful you will be.

Is a negative voice holding you back?

As a coach, I work with my clients on practical business strategies as well as life skills that not only increase their capacity for success but also improve their quality of life. If you want to overcome criticism and gain confidence, contact me today.

---

Blueprint Magazine – Volume 4

“Celebrating Generations”

In this latest issue of The Blueprint, several articles focus on how you can smartly meet your professional and personal goals. Articles are written by authors spanning all generations, filled with knowledge to inspire and motivate you.

My hope is that The Blueprint inspires you in all aspects of your life – to grow your business, to prosper in your personal life and to serve the community and world around you.

Click here to subscribe for your free copy.

---

Celeste Giordano’s mission is to help business owners develop the skills, knowledge and attitude necessary to “DoublePlus^TM” their income and become effective and inspirational leaders in their fields. Whether it’s taking your successful business to the next level or starting a new venture, she will teach you the exact skills and strategies you need to enroll more quality prospects, build a rock-solid team, and break through obstacles to achieve real profit and lasting success. Celeste is a professional business growth specialist, a master sales strategist, and dynamic speaker with 40 years experience in direct sales and managing high-performing teams.

To learn more about Celeste, click here.

---

Want to use this article? Please feel free to use this content as long as you keep it in its original format and include a link to the original post and Celeste Giordano’s brief bio.