During live presentations I do several “hands-on” demonstrations to show the power of words. For the article I will go another route.
Let’s consider a simple, seemingly innocent word: “DOG”
One word, but different possible associations. First, what someone might visually associate in their mind:
Person 1: Thinks of and sees his own dog
in his head
Person 2: sees a German Sheppard
Person 3: sees a Lab
Person 4: sees a mutt
Now what emotional association do they have to the word “DOG”:
Person 1: Happy. Thinking of his own dog.
Person 2: Anxious or Afraid. He’s scared
of dogs.
Person 3: Sad. His dog he loved just
recently died.
Person 4: No emotion. He can take ‘em or
leave ‘em.
This elementary example illustrates why even the simplest of words need to be individualize. Just because one person or many people find a word pleasant or motivating doesn’t mean someone else will. You’ve had different life experiences.
Now consider the following statement:
“A skilled surgeon takes a scalpel and makes an incision in the skin. Then he uses a surgical instrument to spread the chest cavity.”
How does that description make you feel? Kinda "eh"…Right? Any picture in your head? Pretty neutral.
Now compare it to this:
“A doctor stabs the patient with a knife, slicing the skin open. Then he takes a
saw and cuts the chest bone and pulls
the ribs apart.”
Think about the image that’s now in your mind. Pretty vivid right? Maybe feel a bit squeamish?
Notice how very different you feel to both types of language (words) used yet they say the same thing. It’s the same information describing what they do in open heart surgery. That’s the difference of using emotionally charged words vs. emotionally neutral.
Even your tone
Earlier this year a study identified specific brain cells whose only function is to make meaning out of the pitch or tonality of your voice. Co-author and neurosurgeon Edward Chang explained to Wired:
“These differences are all really important, because they change the meaning of the words without changing the words themselves.”
Which means even though you might be “saying” the right words or phrases to yourself, your tone might be working against you therefore your self-talk isn’t as effective if at all.
Self-talk is the ability of choosing your words, phrases and tonality with such specificity that you can experience unlimited possibilities.
Your choice. Self-talk can either reinforce keeping you closed minded and in a perpetual negative loop or keep your mind open to explore other possibilities and solutions.
15