Do not speak badly of yourself.
For the WARRIOR WITHIN hears
your words and is lessened by them.
David Gemmell
I see so many martial artists who are always bad-mouthing themselves and putting themselves down. They have done this so much that it has actually become a habit. Anytime they make a mistake or do something wrong, the first thing out of their mouths is something like, “I am so stupid! I always mess something up.”
While this may sound like no big deal, it can actually start to cause you some problems. As David Gemmell states, “The warrior within hears your words and is lessened by them.” The more you speak those negative statements, the more your subconscious mind takes your words as the truth. Your thoughts and your words matter more than you may think.
Many people use positive affirmations to help them change bad habits and improve their lives. That is why I included 365 warrior affirmations in my new book, BUSHIDO: The Way of the Warrior. This process works whether you use it in a positive way or a negative way. When you constantly belittle yourself, you are making a pronouncement or a declaration about something. The more you do it, the more your mind takes it to be the truth. Essentially, you are continually digging a hole for yourself and making it harder for you to become who you want to be.
Quit saying negative things about yourself! Even if you believe them to be true, don’t verbalize that fact; work on changing that behavior, not on reconfirming that behavior in yourself. That is what positive affirmations are for. You need to break that bad habit just like any other bad habit you may have.
Starting today, refuse to speak badly about yourself, even if you have to say nothing. Start being more careful about controlling your thoughts and your words. You have to have the thought before you speak it. When you start to slow down and control your thoughts before you speak, you will slowly see positive changes in your life. When you change your thoughts, you will change your words and your attitude.
Don’t lessen or diminish the warrior within; always work to strengthen your warrior spirit, not weaken it. Have confidence in yourself and who you are. Warrior up and start controlling your thoughts and your words!
