The Power of Our Words

The words you hear and speak are vital to your success.

When I was younger, I was told by a family member that it wasn't necessary for me to go to college. Even though I did go to college, I never completed my degree. I often wondered if what I was told many years ago about college subconsciously kept me from graduating. We may not realize that the things we were told while growing up could hinder us from moving forward in the way that we desire, however it is very possible.

Many years ago, I saw a woman walking down the street with her daughter and just as they were passing by me I heard the little girl say, “Mommy, where are we going?” The woman replied, “Be quiet and just be happy you’re going somewhere!”

What struck me, initially, was the way the woman spoke to her daughter. However, what was more damaging was what she said. Being told something like this could be one of the reasons why some people walk around aimlessly, without knowing where they are headed in life or not even striving to do something to make their lives better.

I’m sure the intention of the little girl’s mother and my family member mentioned above was not to stop us from moving forward with our dreams and goals. On the other hand, messages such as these get filed right into our subconscious mind. They just sit there waiting for the exact moment when we are faced with an obstacle, a challenge or major life decision. Without knowing it, we may have given those words power over our life. As children, we may not have had any control over what we heard.  As adults, we have control over what we choose to take in and how we let it affect our life.

When striving to complete a goal or working toward your success in any endeavor, you will have major decisions to make and obstacles to overcome. You absolutely have the potential within to overcome every challenge you are faced with.

Negative words, whether you hear them or speak them can slow down your progress toward success. Here are two ways to knock out the negative messages that may be blocking your success:

Speak Positive 

To get rid of negative thoughts, you have to constantly plant good thoughts. The best way to plant good thoughts is to change the way you speak. This may sound very simple, however, speaking positively is one of the quickest ways to tap into your successful self.

In an effort to create more positive thoughts, I started changing the way I say things. I noticed that whenever I said the word "bills" I didn't really feel good. So, I started thinking about the debt I have and how I acquired these "bills" to begin with. I realized that I was given a privilege to enjoy and pay later. Now, when I talk about the debt or the bills that I have, I refer to them as "privileges to be reimbursed."  I started thinking about other words I hear people say in not such a positive way. Take the word "job" for instance. I've heard the word job being referred to more negatively than positively. I have even heard job used as an acronym for "Just Over Broke." I decided to give job a new meaning: Joyous Opportune Blessing. Making those changes definitely made a difference. Now, I have very little debt and rarely get mail requesting payment for privileges needing to be reimbursed.

Seek Out Positive People

It's absolutely necessary to be in the company of people who are supportive and interested in seeing you succeed. There may be times when you want to share your dreams, goals and ideas with your friends and family.  Your friends and family may not have a clear idea of everything you're trying to accomplish and how important it is to you. People in our lives tend to reflect back to us what is already in our thoughts. If you are determined and passionate about having the success you desire, you will attract positive people who will support you with your dreams and goals. Similarly, if you have a little doubt or fear about something you want to pursue, you will find someone to confirm those feelings as well.

Seek out positive people and get the positive support you need! Think about someone who you identify as having a positive influence in your life whether you know them personally or not. If you have a relationship with them already, take some time to meet or speak with them to discuss your goals. If you don't know them personally, get all the information you can to find out how you can arrange a meeting with them.

JoAnn Youngblood King, CTA Certified Success Coach, Author, Speaker and Owner of Live Your Potential is a member of Coach Training Alliance, and The International Association of Coaches. She specializes in working with mom entrepreneurs to find the time needed to start their business or
take their existing business to the next level. To reach your immediate goals get strategic steps by subscribing to her newsletter to the right. For ways of achieving goals with your faith, JoAnn's book, Live Your Potential and Let Your Faith Lead You to Success available on Amazon.