Level Up Your Self-Talk: From 'Maybe Someday' to 'Watch Me Do This'
How to Shut Down Self-Doubt for Good
Ever catch yourself saying "maybe someday" or "I probably can't" when thinking about your goals? That's your mindset doing the talking, and to be honest, it might be the thing holding you back.
This is where daily affirmations come in, and no, I'm not talking about those cheesy mirror pep talks you see in movies. These are legit tools that can rewire how you think about yourself and what you can achieve.
Why Affirmations Actually Matter
Look, building the right mindset isn't just about reading motivational quotes or following inspiration accounts. It's about how you talk to yourself when nobody's listening.
Affirmations are like mental gym sessions - they strengthen how you think about yourself and what you're capable of doing.
It's not about asking yourself "can I?" or even "will I?" anymore. It's about straight-up saying "I will."
That shift might seem small, but holy crap, does it make a difference. When you stop questioning if you can do something and start declaring that you will, your brain actually starts looking for ways to make it happen instead of reasons why you can't.
Making It Real
I've been working on this mindset pretty much my whole life, but it really clicked when I got into Stoicism a few years back. Philosophers like Seneca and Marcus Aurelius were onto something big. But here's the thing—you can't just read their quotes and call it a day.
You've got to live it.
When I started diving into new tech platforms, it felt like drinking from a firehose - totally overwhelming. You look at all these new tools, frameworks, and features, and your brain goes "nope, too much." But instead of letting that fear win, I flipped the script on my self-talk.
Every morning, I'd tell myself, "I'm going to learn one new thing today - just one." Not "Can I figure this out?" but "I'm figuring this out."
Small steps, consistent progress. Before I knew it, I was navigating these platforms like I'd known them forever.
Same thing with building my personal brand online. It's still a work in progress (aren't we all?), but the mindset shift made all the difference. Instead of wondering if I could build an audience or if my content was good enough, I started affirming "I'm building something valuable" and "My voice matters."
No maybes, no what-ifs—just straight-up "I'm making this happen." And, it is happening, one post, one connection at a time.
The Social Media Reality Check
You know what's wild? Watching people absolutely crush it on social media. I see folks who started with way fewer followers than me suddenly blowing up, reaching levels I haven't hit yet. But instead of getting jealous or discouraged, I look at it differently now.
Their success isn't taking anything away from me—it's proof that when you put in the work and believe in yourself, shit happens. It's like real-time proof that this mindset stuff actually works.
Keeping It Real
Let's be honest - some days this is harder than others. Especially if you're like me and have a sarcastic sense of humor. I used to fall into that self-deprecating humor trap all the time. But here's what I realized: even when you're "just joking," those words stick somewhere in your brain. So I actively work on cutting that out.
Making It Stick
When I talk about people crushing it or greatness awaiting, it's not just some motivational speaker BS. It's about creating a loop of positive reinforcement - both for yourself and others.
Because until you actually convince yourself that you can and will do these things, nothing else really matters. You can read every self-help book on the planet, but if you don't believe it deep down? It's just words.
Your mindset is like a garden - you've got to tend to it daily. Affirmations aren't magic words; they're tools. And like any tool, they work best when you use them regularly and believe in what you're doing.
So yeah, start talking to yourself like someone who's going to make it happen. Because at the end of the day, that's exactly who you are.
Quote of the Day:
“The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts." - Marcus Aurelius
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Great post Micheal, Stoicism also changed my life. When I was reading it I reflected on one point. It's not about having all the answers and the grand plan mapped about before starting. It's about taking action even though you don't know where to begin. When you just make a move you will run into the hurdles that block you, and you need to find a way to get over them. That's the key.
Moving.
Finding where there are challenges.
And solving them as you go along.
As long as you do that, everything else will click.
Nice post!