Replace Destructive Thoughts

“The longer we dwell on our misfortunes,
the greater is their power to harm us.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson

What’s 2 + 2? Easy, it’s 4.
What’s 63 + 75? Boy, are you slow … (kidding). It’s 138. Much harder, eh?

Why do you easily know what 2 + 2 is, but not 63 + 75? Because of repetition. The more times you repeat something, the stronger that neuronetwork (group of nerves) becomes in your brain. The brain is a lot like a muscle — the more you work it, the stronger it gets. So if you keep focusing on a destructive thought, you will make the destructive thought a more powerful, dominant part of your brain.

Consider a four-step process to stop and replace your destructive thoughts. Clients say this simple, yet powerful, technique has had incredible long-term impact helping them overcoming negative thoughts and become more positive and confident. One recent coaching participant said, “It changed my default thinking from negative to positive!”

Replace Destructive Thoughts With Constructive Thoughts

1) Recognize the destructive thought.
2) STOP the destructive thought.
3) Replace the destructive thought with a constructive, true thought.
4) Feel good about taking control of one of the only things you can have 100% direct control of in your life ... your thoughts.

You will have to stop and replace destructive thoughts often, maybe hundreds of times before the replacement thought becomes your dominant thought. Keep working it — it will get stronger.

- TC North, Ph.D., High Performance Expert