Inner Thought
“Pay close attention in conversation to what is being said, and to what follows any action. In the action, immediately look for the target, in words, listen closely to what is being signaled. ”
Words are powerful, and inner thought is very potent. How you speak to yourself will determine how you view yourself and ultimately who you are. Pay close attention to the inner dialogue you have day-to-day. Notice negative thoughts and see how they make you feel; see what actions come from thinking in this manner. Did the words "I'm no good at this, why even try?" keep you from pursuing something in your life? Is this truly because you didn't want to do it or because you told yourself you couldn't before you even tried? "I am _____." Fill in the blank--weak, slow, lazy, bad at math, a terrible person, etc. Are these things inherently true or have you decided that this is who you are and so you have done nothing to change it? Most of the time these thoughts come and go without us even noticing, but they hold a lot of weight. What you tell yourself and how you speak to yourself dictates who you are and what you do. Recognize these thought patterns and change your inner dialogue. If you never listen to yourself, you'll never change your self-perception. Start paying attention.
Jonathan Poole