Many years ago, I was introduced to affirmations as a tool to enhance performance.
Affirmations accelerate your goal achievement based on the cognitive process of ‘Think. Say. Do.’
Think of a behaviour or attribute that you want to demonstrate or possess.
Say it (literally speak it out aloud) in the presence tense as if you demonstrated or possessed it now.
Do it. The combination of thinking and saying that you possess this attribute now, causes cognitive dissonance. Cognitive dissonance is a state when your mind can’t hold two competing beliefs at the same time. It causes a feeling of mental discomfort or imbalance. The mind then gets drawn to one of the two competing pictures to restore balance.
Using affirmations to imprint the belief you seek through repetition, combined with the subconscious mind’s cognitive dissonance, creates a shift in behaviour towards the adoption of the behaviour or attribute sought. Over time, the mind seeks that the affirmation be true. Behaviour follows to confirm, or validate, the belief.
Affirmations are used by many high achievers from successful business people to elite athletes.
The key to affirmations is going deep on who you want to be and committing to the discipline of stating your affirmations out aloud regularly.
An affirmation is typically an acknowledgement that a behaviour, goal or attribute is possessed by you now. Not in the future - presently.
I have been fortunate in being taught affirmation techniques by a range of great teachers.
The current affirmation technique I’m using is twofold. I combine an audio method on voice memo recorded on my iPhone with the reading of tradition written cards. The voice memo is simply an audio recording of me reading my affirmations. This can be listened to while walking or meditating. The written cards can be read in private reflection. Both of these methods are effective whether done solely or in unison.
To demonstrate, let’s set an affirmation on committing to your disciplines around affirmations, mindfulness and fitness. As a rule, 6-10 affirmations make a good set for those new to this.
I currently have 14 affirmations covering family, business, body/mind/spirit, friends, hobbies/interests and current projects.
The technique I use has 4 pillars being:
Acknowledge
Activate
Appreciate
Action
Your affirmation would be the following four phrases to be spoken out aloud as one complete affirmation.
It is with gratitude that I acknowledge the presence of my affirmation, mindfulness and fitness disciplines that make me great.
It is with gratitude that I activate the presence of my affirmation, mindfulness and fitness disciplines that make me great.
It is with gratitude that I appreciate the presence of my affirmation, mindfulness and fitness disciplines that make me great.
It is with gratitude that I action the presence of my affirmation, mindfulness and fitness disciplines that make me great.
The key is to state each affirmation (in these four parts) with the standard entry point followed by insertion of the behaviour or attribute sought.
The repetition of acknowledgement, activation, appreciation and action imprints the behaviour or attribute in your mind.
Think. Say. Do!
Behaviour follows thought.
Challenge yourself to adopt affirmations and your goals will become reality.
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