17 Dec 2025 · 2 min
Brian Johnson offers a simple question to manage your inner dialogue: whenever you notice competing thoughts, ask yourself "Is this helpful or hurtful to what I'm trying to accomplish?" Repeat it as a habit to steer your thinking toward what actually matters.
Hi, this is Brian. Welcome back to another heroic plus one. In our last plus one, we spent some time with Alden Mills and those two competing voices in our heads. As we discussed, Alden named those voices barking at us all day, every day, the Whiner and the winner. Mark Devine likes to call them the Courage Wolf and the Fear Wolf. I like to call them the Daimon and the Demon. Whatever you like to call them, it's a good idea to listen to the most wise, disciplined, loving and courageous voices in our heads. Right Answer. Yes, Today I want to chat about another simple yet brilliant and practical way Alden brought this wisdom to life. Let's get straight to work, Alden tells us. Here is a simple exercise I want you to practice now and until your last breath. It involves asking yourself and your teammates a very simple question. Is this thought helpful or hurtful to what I am we are trying to accomplish? He continues by saying, quote, my boys hear me asking them this question all the time, especially when they are expressing some emotions, such as, I'm no good at this, my team sucks, I'm not going to early morning practice because other teammates aren't either, or why should I be the only one working so hard? My response to these and so many more emotions is asking them, boys, is that thought helpful or hurtful toward helping you achieve your goal? I say it so frequently. To them, the question is now abbreviated helpful or hurtful, and that's today's plus one. The next time you find yourself caught up in a less than helpful dialogue with yourself, pause and ask yourself, is this thought helpful or hurtful to what I am we are trying to accomplish? Plus one or minus one? Plus one or minus one, plus one or minus one. Helpful or hurtful? Helpful or hurtful? Helpful or hurtful? Let's choose wisely today.
