I ran track once when I was 12. I hated it. I refused to run any race over 200 meters, and I was constantly walking at practices. Finally I got tendonitis, so they stopped trying to make me care.
Lately I've gotten it into my head that I'm a runner. I've been running give or take 15 miles a week on and off for a few years out of sheer necessity (no money = no gym = no pool, no elliptical, no dance classes), but something finally clicked for me and now I'm training for a half marathon. Um, WHAT?
That's right folks, I'm going to run 13.1 miles... in a row... on purpose... and I'm excited about it! I've been able to turn something I'm bad at into something I love, and now I'm getting pretty good at it. How? Affirmations..... and lots of practice.
For better or for worse, the human brain is really powerful. It has the power to convince you that you CAN or CANNOT do something. Anxious about a test? Tell yourself you're not going to do well and you'll probably live up to your expectations. Tell yourself you're prepared and intelligent, and I bet you'll ace it. Don't like approaching investors? I bet you won't pick up that phone and set those appointments half as often as someone who enjoys pitching their show.
Not all of us are born good at everything (Shocking!). Some of us have to work at different aspects of our jobs and lives. While nothing replaces good old fashioned practice, affirmations speed up the process and make it a heck of a lot more pleasant. So next time you approach that task you're not good at, tell yourself,
"I can do this. I am (smart/strong/able/accomplished/etc) and I will make it happen."
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