Years ago, there was a television cartoon program that some of you may remember. Snidely Whiplash or Dastardly Whiplash was the villain who constantly concocted elaborate schemes and taunted Nell, the damsel in distress, by doing things like tying her to a railroad track. It was up to the good guy, Dudley Do-Right, to save Nell. Dudley Do-Right was an officer of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and he always knew the right things to do and say to foil the scheme and come to the rescue. Physically, the wicked villain, was slightly hunched over and had an exaggerated nose and chin. He wore a black cloak and hat and he had a handlebar mustache that he twirled menacingly while saying things like, “It’s curtains for you!” “Drat!” or, “Curses!”
But, that was in the cartoons. So, what does that have to do with you today? Today, there is a real villain and a hero who both want to live within you. They are on opposite sides and war against each other. Who will win? Well, that depends upon you.
Before we can move forward, move beyond our own limitations to a bigger and better place, we first must know - really know and understand - where we are and who we are at the core. That is an essential first-step to real, true success. However, even after we do the work, the self-reflection, the core evaluation – even after we recognize the areas of first importance and priority, there are enemies among us who would destroy us before we begin, if we allow.
We don’t have to look too far to find our success enemies. Matter of fact, we have success enemies within our very being… waiting….ready…to sabotage our success efforts. To find our greatness, to reach our highest possibility, we have to fight these enemies. We must wage a war, so to speak… defend the fertile soil of our success mindset, of our success landscape.
What is our defense against these enemies from within, these demons that want to possess us? We must dump the demons within, and the first demon that we want to talk about is the demon that I call The Voice Villain. You know him or her. Your self-talk – the unspoken words that we say to ourselves and hear in our minds. It is that little voice in your head… you know the one…the one that says…
“I shouldn’t even try. This is a sign!”
“You’re going to lose 20 pounds? ..Oh, yeah, and then you’re going to look like Jennifer Aniston too, right?” You can’t do that! … it is impossible!”
“You can’t get that promotion – why even try? You aren’t smart enough!”
“You may want to make more money, but it will never happen. You make _____ amount. That’s who you are!”
“In 2010, I’m going to walk everyday during my lunch hour – “No you’re not, Miss Piggy, you like to eat too much!”
“You want to do what???” Yeah, right, Loser!”
This negative, nagging little voice is a passion-pooper and a dream-stealer! It destroys your ambition! It causes you to doubt yourself, to doubt your abilities, to doubt your possibilities. It causes fear to set in. And the villain voice goes on…
“I thought I was good at that, but I’m really not sure. Maybe I’m not.”
Today’s success-tion is: Break free from the negative voice that limits your mindset AND your possibilities!
You probably are saying, “That is a great idea! - if I only knew how to do it!” Fact is, we all struggle with that inner voice villain and dumping that demon is easier said than done. But, there’s good news! There are weapons that we can use to build a strong arsenal of defense! And, if we will actively arm and engage these weapons, we will be empowered to successfully dump and defeat this demon!
#1: Describe your Voice Villain! Draw a picture of your demon, preferably on paper. What does it look like? Is your demon weak from fear? Is your demon too stuffy from being too reasonable? Is your demon frightening and ugly because it enjoys stealing your passion and joy? Is it human-like or animal-like? Does it have sinister eyes? Or red eyes and a forked tail? Does it have hair on its head or all over its body? Does it have a wart on its nose or warts all over its hands? You may even want to give it a name!
#2: Note what the Voice Villain is telling you! This villain tends to repeat the same things over and over again. Why does this Voice tell you these things? What causes this Voice to say these things over and over again like a broken record in your head? Today, we won’t be able to address the root causes in detail. Suffice it to say, your perceptions are your reality, and these perceptions have been created throughout your life by people around you, experiences – negative and positive, and your own evaluations. So, various situations and events bring about certain feelings, which trigger automatic negative thoughts. And, feelings of inadequacies, such as lack of self-esteem and lack of self-confidence, also trigger this negative Voice.
So, begin to listen and make note of what the Voice is telling you. Write it down on a sheet of paper in column 1. Example: “You’ll never be able to have a corner office like that, you big dummy! Dream on!”
#3: Find the truth. Is the message true or false? Partly true? Accepting the truth in the message doesn’t mean failure… absolutely the opposite if you make the right choices. Respond by affirming the nugget of truth along with your power to move forward from there. By doing this, you will be disputing the falsity in the message in a positive way. You might also affirm the partial truth and then positively state some related truth that you HAVE accomplished. Finding the truth of the message means you are aware of your true starting point and you can map a course to improve in that way. Example: “It’s true that I do not have the knowledge at this time to hold the executive position with the corner office, but I AM SMART, and I can gain that knowledge. I can and I will! I am smart and determined. After all, I was promoted in the first 3 months of this job! I can do whatever I want. Move over-- I know what to do and, corner office here I come.”
#4: Note what you want your Do-Good Voice to say! Use only positive terminology. “I can…” “I will…” “I am…” Take what is true and what is false into consideration. Then, use your objective information to come up with your opposite, positive message. A simple example: “I know I can be in management. All I have to do is work my plan one day at a time and I will succeed. I can do anything I make up my mind to do. And, I am determined… I can and I will.” Write it down.
#5: Treat this voice as the villain it is! Since you have a clear picture of your Voice Villain, you can now deal with it as a persona. When the voice begins, visualize telling it to “Stop! YOU are no longer in control here!” Visualize yourself pushing it out of the way, or handcuffing it… locking it up, taping its mouth. Or, open the door and command it to leave. Or, imagine it hushing in submission to your command. Whatever works for you to visually see that you are containing or stopping that voice. You have the power to remove and stop this villain.
#6: Replace the message! As soon as you silence your villain, replace the negative message with your positive message. Say it over and over and over again.
By changing your thoughts you change your feelings, and by changing your feelings, you change your behavior. You have the power to be your best! Everything you need is inside of you. Change your thoughts and you change your world!
Aside from dumping your Villain Voice, you can add one more thing that will empower you even more.
#7: Create and practice affirmations! Write them down and better yet, post them where you can see them on a daily basis. Affirmations are basically positive statements that create a visualization of a future you. It is “as if” you have already accomplished your goal. Example: “I love how it feels to open the shades and sit at my desk in my corner office. I enjoy the feeling of accomplishment that comes from seeing the successful completion of projects that I have overseen. People in my department learn leadership skills and are happy, which gives me an incredible feeling and each day I feel rewarded.” Affirmations are not statements using words such as “I can” or “I will”. They are statements using words such as “I am” , “I feel”, “I enjoy”, “I love”. It is present tense terminology.
Creating and practicing these statements on a regular basis will empower you by creating within your mind a “real” picture. Remember, your thoughts create your feelings which create your behaviors. Once your subconscious mind visualizes and sets that picture, the unconscious work begins, the attraction begins… drawing you towards this place.
This simple process that I’ve described isn’t necessarily easy. Most of us struggle to overcome that nagging, negative little voice. To successfully overcome and move to a better place, we have to take the time and make the effort. We have to purposefully do the work of recognizing the Villain Voice, creating an improvement plan (if necessary), replacing the negative with the positive, creating affirmations, and practicing, practicing, practicing. If we will make this ongoing effort, the possibilities are endless and the rewards are tremendous!
You have the power to believe and become whatever you want to be. Wishing doesn’t make it so. It takes purposeful work and an investment of time. But, everything you need, to create a joyful and fulfilling life, is within you.
Get started! Don’t waste this day. There’s power in today for tomorrow. You will choose your path. God created us as free-will beings… people who are allowed to choose. We can make good choices or bad choices. We can choose a life of goodness or of depravity. As James Allen says in “As A Man Thinketh”, “Of all the beautiful truths pertaining to the soul which have been restored and brought to light in this age, none is more gladdening or fruitful of divine promise and confidence than this – that man is the master of thought, the molder of character, and maker and shaper of condition, environment, and destiny.”
The shaping of our conditions, environment, and destiny begins with our thoughts. We choose, each and every day. Will we choose to stay within the familiarity of what is known? Or will we choose to break free and charge beyond the borders to new places?
Who will win? Dudley Do-Right? Or Dastardly Whiplash? The choice is mine. The choice is yours.
Dump your demons. Stop your Villain Voice. Change your thoughts, change your world!
Rhonda Hamilton is a professional life success speaker and communications skills expert who champions others to live a bigger and better life. She specializes in bigger life principles, business building skills and interpersonal communication skills. She offers motivational keynotes and training for business professionals, associations and organizations who want to leverage their strengths, improve morale, build relationships, improve communication skills, excel in customer service, and ultimately, raise their level of profitability. Rhonda is committed to helping others build a better self and thereby, build a bigger life and a better world. She can be reached through her website, www.RhondaHamilton.com.