The way you think about yourself directly impacts your level of success. Choose to think positively, and your own ability might surprise you.
Photo by Jeremy Bishop
“I am so bad at math—my brain just doesn’t work that way!” “I forget things all the time!” “I’m never going to be able to manage all of the responsibilities that come with adulthood.”
These are just a few phrases I hear on a regular basis that illustrate the negative self-perception so common in our society. Craig Manning, a performance enhancement specialist psychology consultant for BYU Athletics, touches on this issue in his BYU devotional address “The Power of Your Words.”
In his speech, Manning teaches that “it is unimaginable the damage that self-doubt does to your hopes, dreams, and hard-earned skills. . . . Doubt is a mental habit, and it can—and does—spread to other areas of your life.” Through his personal experience and research, Manning has found that if we think and speak positively, we are more likely to accomplish our goals.
This principle of positive self-perception aligns with the gospel teaching of faith. Manning teaches that faith is what leads to action; if we don’t have faith to do something, we will never succeed in doing it. He further explains that “faith begins with how you talk to yourself.” As we choose to speak to ourselves positively, our belief in our own abilities will grow, and then that belief—or faith—will lead to action.
By concentrating on the positive, we can better realize our own potential: “I am getting better at math.” “I will remember that.” “I know there’s a lot that goes into being an adult, but I can do it.”
To learn more about how you can think and speak positively, read Craig Manning’s speech, “The Power of Your Words.”
Source: BYU Speeches
—Rebecca Cazanave, Mormon Insights
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Find more insights
Read or watch Elder Jeffrey R. Holland’s talk “The Tongue of Angels” to learn more about the power of your words.
Find out more about faith by reading the Mormon Insights article “Faith: Unlocking the Door to Heaven’s Blessings” by Michela Fleshman.
Fantastic and uplifting article