The words we use to describe ourselves make a difference in what we end up doing.
Think about the words you use to describe what you want.
There are four stages in the process.
- I need… (acceptance)
- I can… (realization)
- I will… (commitment)
- I am… (actualization)
For example, if we’re talking about weight loss, one’s self-talk progresses through the three stages like this:
- “I need to lose weight.”
- “I can lose weight.”
- “I will lose weight.”
- “I am losing weight.”
Acceptance is usually painful so most people try to avoid it. However, once accepted, the next step is to find support to reinforce that it can be done.