Highly successful people use 5 phrases to stay motivated, says expert
Every successful person faces disappointment. Whether it’s being overlooked for a promotion, receiving harsh feedback, or losing a contract to a competitor, setbacks happen. But most of us become demoralized by these setbacks because we often believe they mean we are inadequate or flawed.
Unfortunately, negative self-talk can sabotage the one thing every successful person needs to try again: motivation. As a behavioral design expert and author “Beyond Belief: The Science-Backed Way to Stop Limiting Yourself and Achieve Extraordinary Results“I saw how motivation drives human behavior and how our beliefs influence it.
Beliefs filled with self-criticism can reduce motivation, but transforming negative self-talk into more positive language can increase perseverance.
Highly successful people see challenges as opportunities rather than obstacles. Here are five phrases they use to stay motivated.
1. ‘I haven’t figured this out yet’
This statement reframes a fixed limitation as a temporary situation. Remember that every successful person strives to solve a problem or learn something new; It’s part of the growth process.
Instead of telling yourself, “I haven’t figured this out,” say, “I haven’t figured this out yet.” Small edits change the meaning of our words, and adding “yet” turns a self-critical statement into motivational wisdom.
Encouraging words may increase durabilityespecially when you are mentally tired. How you talk to yourself can prevent setbacks from crushing your motivation.
2. ‘This is not a decision, it is information’
Not hitting a metric, like missing a sales target or ignoring a promotion, can feel disastrous. When this happens, the brain may interpret the resulting bad emotions as evidence of inadequacy or a character flaw.
Confusing emotions with facts is a “thought trap.” “emotional reasoning.” According to cognitive psychologists, thought traps It can create negative feedback loops that lead us to negative conclusions.
This statement offers a more powerful approach by reframing your judgment of your own worth as just one of many data points.
3. ‘What would you say to a friend in this situation?’
Asking yourself this question can spark self-compassion when you need it most.
When a friend is struggling, we show up with words of encouragement and flowers and listen without judgment. But when we find ourselves in similar situations, it’s easy for our inner critics to stifle self-compassion.
The most important reason why people resist showing kindness to themselves is research foundIt is the belief that self-compassion indicates laziness or self-indulgence. Yet, research It also shows that self-directed kindness can increase our motivation to learn, help us change for the better, and prevent us from making the same mistakes.
4. ‘I’m not proving my talent, I’m improving the skill’
Imagine giving a big speech in front of your colleagues or taking the lead on a big project. In these situations, it’s easy for us to feel like we need to “prove” what we know or impress everyone watching.
When you find yourself in this situation, tell yourself: “I’m not proving my talent, I’m developing the skill.” These words remind us that we should focus on growth rather than performance.
5. ‘This feeling is temporary, not my purpose’
Personal and professional setbacks can trigger uncomfortable emotions such as fear, disappointment, and shame.
Although it is human nature to avoid these feelings, doing so can lead to what I call. “beliefs that justify failure.” Examples include beliefs such as “It is very difficult to take big risks” and “I should give up before something else goes wrong.” Unfortunately, these beliefs can sabotage our goals.
A better approach is to tell yourself: “This feeling is temporary, it’s not my goal.” Uncomfortable emotions never last, especially when you accept them. Research shows that embracing discomfort fosters personal growth. It can even increase motivation and bring us closer to our goals.
Nir Eyal He is the bestselling author of “Hooked” and “Indistractable” and a former Stanford faculty member. His last book “Beyond Belief: The Science-Backed Way to Stop Limiting Yourself and Achieve Extraordinary Results.” Download for free 5 Minute Faith Change Plan.
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