Listen To This Everyday - Affirmations for Success
1 Nov 2023 · 22 min
In this Mindset Mentor episode, host Rob Dial explains why affirmations are more than "woo‑woo" and presents a science‑backed, practical framework for using them effectively. He begins by noting the podcast’s new four‑day‑a‑week schedule, then cites Claude Steele’s 1988 self‑affirmation research to establish psychological credibility. Dial contrasts disempowering language (“I have to…”) with empowering phrasing (“I choose to…”) and emphasizes the central power of the phrase “I am,” arguing that the words following it shape identity and outcomes. He introduces the concept of a personal “BS meter” that flags statements that feel false, illustrating why affirmations must be true, present‑tense, and empowering. The episode walks listeners through a three‑part system for crafting effective affirmations, provides concrete examples, and encourages testing the validity of negative thoughts. Toward the end, Dial promotes his new book “Level Up: How to Get Focused, Stop Procrastinating and Upgrade Your Life.” The episode is interspersed with several sponsor ad reads (Progressive, LinkedIn Hiring Pro, IXL, Mint Mobile, NetSuite, Instagram, Native deodorant).
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Welcome to today's episode, the Mindset Mentor Podcast. I'm your host Rob Dial. If you have not yet done so, hit that subscribe button so that you never miss another podcast episode. And if you're out there and you love this podcast, you'll also probably love listening to us an extra day. We're going from three days a week to four days a week. So now there's gonna be a brand new episode every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. So make sure you tune in four times a week for brand new episodes. Today we're gonna be talking about the power of affirmations and the power of all of the words that you use. And I get it. I've been there before. I've heard affirmations and been like, that's weird. That's woo woo. There's no fact or science behind it. It's just lying to yourself in order to start thinking a certain way. I'm going to show you why that's actually not true. And there's actually science behind affirmations and how the words that you use, not just to other people, but the words that you use inside of your own head actually start to shift your perception of everyone else and everything else around you, but also start to shift your perceptions of yourself as well. And we're gonna talk about the powers of the words that you use and you've probably heard in past episodes I've talked about how to manifest so you can create the life that you want and you can go back and listen to that. But part of manifesting the life that you want deals with the words that you use, and not just once again the words that you use verbally, but the words that you use inside of your head. There's many psychological studies that show how affirmations actually help people. And one of them was done in 1988 in the Journal of Social Cognition by Claude Steele. And the paper was on the concept of self affirmation in the context of social psychological theory. And it showed that affirmations helped build and maintain self integrity and self belief by reminding yourself constantly of the important personal values and how you want to show up in the world, which impacts your overall wellbeing and your self esteem as well. So just by the words that you use to yourself, it affects your overall wellbeing and your self esteem and helps you build your own personal integrity and to maintain that personal integrity. So it's basically like speaking into existence what you want in the world, but also speaking into existence who you want to be. It's almost like you're, you're speaking to yourself and reminding yourself over and over and over again of who you want to be and how you want to act. Because all too often we sit there and we talk bad to ourselves and we say, oh, I'm stupid, I'm not smart enough. And those are the affirmations that we're using. Those are not positive affirmations. Those would be negative affirmations. But if we say I'm stupid, I'm not smart enough, I'm not pretty enough, whatever it is, then we're not going to take the actions that we need to create the life that we want. So on the flip side of that, if we start using positive affirmation, wouldn't it make sense that we would start taking more action to create the life that you want? And there's, there's so much power in the words that you use, but not just power. I don't want you to just think about the, the words that you use. I also want you to think about the energy behind it. Um, I'm going to give you the most powerful phrase in any language in just a little bit. But think about the phrase for a second. Like just think about this. And, and I've, I've heard myself many times say something like, I have to, oh, I have to go to the gym today. Oh, I have to Go record podcast episodes. I have to get this zoom call done with the team. Think about the energy behind I have to. I have to go do something. Makes me a victim of my own life. Think about the energy behind that. I hear it all the time. I still catch myself saying it sometimes. But when you say, I have to do something, how does that feel? How does it feel in your body and in your mind to have to do something? What's a visual or a memory that you have that comes up for you when you have to do something? For me, it's like being a little kid and having to do something as a child and me dragging myself miserably through the house to have to go do it or to have to mow the lawn. And I remember fighting with my mom about having to mow our big old lawn or having to clean my room because I never cleaned my room, and my mom getting mad at me for not cleaning my room. So when I start to think about having to do something, that's what's associated in my mind with it, having to do those things. So when I say I have to go record podcast episodes, I'm associating that same feeling, that same energy with having to come and do something that I actually love to do. Having to do something, to have to do something doesn't bring a motivated energy to my body. Does it for you? Do you feel like when you have to do something, oh, I have to go to the gym. You just kind of drag your ass to the gym and try to get it done? Because having to do something doesn't bring motivation to me, doesn't make me feel the energy of motivated and inspired, I guess you could say. So what do you think that does to me subconsciously when I have to do something?
It slows me down.
It lowers my motivation, makes me not look forward to those things. When was the last time you said, you have to do something? Have you ever said, I have to go work out? No, you get to work out. You get to work out because, you know, many people wish they had arms and legs like you. Do that work, or a beating heart or the ability to move their muscles
in the ways that you can.
Or how about this? Instead of saying I have to or even saying I get to, you could say, I choose to. I choose to work out. I have to work out. Makes you a victim. I choose to work out. That's personal power. That is choice. That is sovereignty behind the words that you use.
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Think about that for a second. It's these little incremental shifts in the words that we use. This is neuro linguistic programming right here of how to actually change the way you've programmed yourself through the words that you use to show up differently, to be different based off of all these different words that you use. Or I don't have enough time. I'm too busy. Okay. How does that make you feel to
use words like that?
I'm trying to. No, it's like they say in Star wars, do or do not. There is no try. I'm trying to do these things. I don't have enough time. I'm too busy. Think about the energy behind the words that you use. It's really important. And so you've got to start thinking about how to bring more energy to the words that you use. And I told you at the very beginning I was going to tell you what I believe is the most powerful phrase that a human could use and the most powerful phrase that a human can use. And the phrase is I am. It is the most powerful statement in any language, whatever it is translated to, because it either opens the door to all possibilities or it slams it shut and quite literally creates your identity as well. I am. Think about the words I am. And if you don't say anything empowering after I am, you need to change it. There are no words that are more powerful than I am because when you speak it, you start to speak it into existence. And when you look at the word abracadabra comes from Hebrew and it means, as I speak, I create. As you speak the words I am, whatever follows that is what you're gonna create in your life. Do you say stuff like, I am stupid. I'm not pretty enough, I'm not very smart, I'm lazy. Do you say those words? I'm even hesitant saying them out loud to myself right now because I don't want that to sneak into my subconscious. Or do you say things that are powerful and have energy behind them? I am powerful. I am beautiful. I am sexy. I am smart. I am amazing. I am loving. I Have loved. I am healed. Whatever it is. I'm working really hard to create the life that I want and to give my children the abundance they deserve in their lives. I'm working really hard to be able to buy a house in a great part of town to provide better education for my children, whatever it might be. I am. Don't ever say I am and have the words that follow. I am. Be something that is anything less than really fucking empowering. Otherwise you're just kicking yourself in the crotch before you even try to start doing something. What's the energy behind the words? When you say I am powerful, beautiful, smart, amazing, healed, love, smart, sexy, all of that. What's the energy behind those? Much better than I am stupid. I'm not good enough. I'll never be loved. Wouldn't you agree? What's the energy behind the words? Always think about the energy behind the words that you use. Oh, I'm dumb, I'm fat, I'm unlovable, I'm ugly, I'm stupid. What's the energy behind those words? How does that feel in your body? Because as you speak, you will create. Ask and you shall receive. There's so many different ancient texts that speak this in some sort of way. And here's the thing, now, mind you, I don't think that you should sit there and say, I am rich if you have negative $14 in your bank account. I tried that for years when I was broke. It didn't work. Do you want to know why? Because you have a BS meter and the BS meter is going to go off and you're going to say, I'm rich, I'm rich, I'm rich. And then there's going to be the BS meter. It's going to be like, ding ding ding. Actually, you're broke as hell and it's not going to come into your subconscious. So don't say like, I am rich, I am healthy, I am wealthy. If you're not, what you need to do is you need to have an actual system to create affirmations. And so this is a system that I have created. It's three parts to creating a powerful affirmation. And it's very simple, it's very easy to do. So if you have your pen and paper, you can grab it. We can actually start to create affirmations. So when I first learned about affirmations, I was probably 20 years old, 21 years old, and I started using them and I started saying stuff like, you know, I learned the very woo woo way of doing It. I. I am attracting money from all areas of the universe. And then I would open my eyes and be like, that's bullshit.
You're broke, dude.
And you're not making any money. You have negative dollars in your bank account. Bank of America literally just took money from you because you have neg. You don't even have enough money in your bank account. Right. So. So you actually start to have your BS meter go off. The way that I have developed it over time and through working with clients and, you know, thousands of people through my programs and stuff, it's three parts to it, okay? Very simple. It's got to be true, it's got to be present tense, and it's got to be empowering.
Okay?
So true, present tense and empowering. So if I were to not have any money in my bank account and I sit there and I say, I am wealthy. I am rich. Is that true? No.
It's a lie.
Not going to work. Not going to work. You can't lie to yourself and expect that you're going to get what you want. Is it present tense? It is. Is it empowering? Sure. But it's not true. Your BS meter is going to go off. So instead of saying something like, I am rich, which is going to set off your BS meter, it could be, I am working hard to create more wealth in my life.
Okay.
That makes me feel better, doesn't it? Doesn't that feel better in the body versus saying I am rich? I am attracting money through all areas of the universe.
Mmm.
That doesn't feel good in the body. But if I say I'm going to work really hard today to create more wealth for myself and my family, does that feel better inside your body? Yes. Think about the energy behind it. Can you accept that into your body? Can you accept it into your subconscious? Probably because it's true, it's present tense and it's empowering. Now, if you're 100 pounds overweight, I don't recommend you sit there and say, I am fit. I look amazing in a bikini.
Why?
Because your BS meter is going to be like, no, you're not fit right now. And it can actually be demotivating when you're starting to lie to yourself. Nobody wants to just lie to themselves and take action from that. But instead of saying, I am in the best shape of my life and you're not, and that's just lying to yourself, it'd be better to say something like, I'm working hard to create a strong and healthy body. I'm going to work really hard today to be more healthy, to be stronger, and to eventually look amazing in a bikini next year. Doesn't that feel better? It doesn't feel like a lie. And that's one of the things I think people really get caught up in with affirmations and why it doesn't work for a lot of people, but then also a lot of people just resist it is because they basically are like, so you're telling me that I need to lie to myself until I finally believe it. And that's why people get hung up on it. But if you were to sit there and you were to say, instead of saying, I am rich, I'm attracting money from all areas of the universe, you say, I'm going to work. I am committed to working really hard today to bring in more wealth into my bank account. Well, that feels better, doesn't it? It feels true. I can commit to that. I can believe in that. I can believe in today versus I am fit. I am in the best shape of my life. I am. You know, people are like, if you're 250 pounds and like, I am 180 pounds and 3% body fat or whatever it is, and you're literally lying to yourself.
No.
Instead of saying that it's, I am committed to going to the gym today, to working on myself, to take a step in the right direction for my health, for my strength, and for my body, doesn't that all just feel a whole lot better? It does. And so when you start to think about affirmations, you have to realize there is a whole lot of science behind this that proves that speaking to yourself in speaking in your head, but also out loud about what it is that you are, what is that you want to create, and what it is that you believe that you're going to do is proven to actually make you a better person, to help you take a step in the right direction. Because all too often we have a story that's going on in our heads, and that story that's going on in our heads is usually negative. It's usually not motivating, it's usually not helping you take a step in the right direction, and it's slowing you down. And you start self sabotaging because you're actually believing the things that are going on in your head. And I want you to ask yourself this question. If you really, really want to start to dive into what's going on in your head, think about this for a second. Is what you're saying in your head absolute truth? I Mean, like, is it written into the fabric of the universe that you are dumb? Is it written into the fabric of the universe that you are unlovable? Is it written into the fabric of the universe that no one will ever love you or that you will never be a successful business owner? Whatever it is that you're continuing to repeat in your head, that's just false. But you're believing it because you've been saying it so much. Is it written to the fabric of the universe?
Is it absolute truth?
The answer is no. Which means that it is a belief. And beliefs can be changed. Your thoughts can be changed, your beliefs can be changed. And so really, what it comes down to they talk about in cognitive behavioral therapy is challenging and testing the validity of your thoughts. Whenever you notice these thoughts come into your head that are not empowering, test the validity of them. Is this true? Is this absolute truth? And here's what you're gonna start to realize. It's not. And like, I always tell people the story that you're telling yourself. This false narrative that you've built your entire life around, this identity of who you think you are is like a house of cards. And once you start testing the validity of these thoughts, it's like flicking out another card and flicking out another one. It's about to crumble. You think that it's this strong personal identity and belief, and this is who I am, and you start testing the validity of it, and you go, oh my God, none of this is true. But I am believing and repeating it so much that I am taking it as if it is absolute truth and it is not absolute truth at all. So what I want you to do is when you notice negative thoughts come into your head, you have to challenge them. And when you challenge them, start to
ask yourself, what would be a better
positive affirmation for myself that is true, that is present tense, and that is empowering. And that's what I want you to start doing. Change the way that you speak to yourself. I love that. It's not weird and woo woo anymore. It's actually based in scientific and psychological fact. When you talk better to yourself, you end up thinking better about yourself, taking better actions and creating a better life for yourself. So that's what I got for you for today's episode. If you love this episode, you'd probably also love my book that just came out last month. It is called Level how to get focused, stop procrastinating and upgrade your life. It is a book on the psychology of how to take action to create the life that you want. It's a step by step process to understand the most complex piece of machinery in the world, which is the brain and the mindset that is in between your ears. So if you want to get it once again, it's wherever books are sold. It's called level up, how to get focused, stop procrastinating and upgrade your life. And with that, I'm gonna leave you the same way I leave you every single episode. Make it your mission. Make someone else's day better. I appreciate you and I hope that you have an amazing day.
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