Do Not Talk Yourself Down

Do Not Talk Yourself Down

This week we are looking at the two opposing forces that are inside ourselves and everyone else.  We hold the ability to do many beautiful things. And yet, we also have a strong ability to talk down to ourselves about our good deeds and errors of whatever we did.

I am talking about the ‘would of, could have, and should have’s.’  They are often backed up with phraseology such as ‘if only,’ and the devastating ‘who said you could.’  These phrases can snatch defeat right out of the jaws of victory.

The problem with all of these phrases is that they are beating you up over something you no longer have control over.  You cannot go back in time and change anything.  It happened, and now it is history.  Whatever happened, we have to accept it and take the lessons learned to do something different and possibly better next time the same set of circumstances present themselves.

One of the critical actions in doing this is to change your attitude and vocabulary.  ‘Woulda, shoulda, coulda,’ has got to go.  In its place, we need to install new words. They may include: ‘I will do this the next time that happens,’ ‘I can handle the situation this way,’ I shall not be _______ next time.’

We cannot change the past.  Also, we cannot predict the future.  All we can do is learn positive actions from past scenarios and remember them as we move towards the future.  Look to the future, not the past.  After all, we cannot go back, only forward.

Thank you for being with me today.  I hope to be with you again tomorrow.

Author: Mike Balof

A retired Air Force Master Sergeant, Mike used to lay in bed at night and worry about what would happen if his plant closed or found himself without a job. One day his plant closed. Rather than panic and hysteria (OK, maybe a little) Mike found himself carried away on the adventure of his life. Mike started with the best job he ever had working at Home Depot. He spent 8 years working with job seekers at a local workforce center, helping them to find employment. He then started his own company developing courses, writing books and urging others to follow their own paths into the future. Mike holds a Master of Arts in Adult Education and Training and a Bachelor of Business Management, earned through the University of Phoenix and an AAS degree in Electronics Systems Technology from the Community College of the Air Force. Mike is a member of the Delta Mu Delta Business Honor Society. View all posts by Mike Balof