How many times in life have you talked yourself out of something?

How many times has that inner critic convinced you, “there’s no way you can do that, it’s impossible.”

I spent the majority of my life letting my inner critic drag me down.

It’s taken a long time for me to get to the point where I can object and stand up for myself.

Why not me?

Why can’t I be a successful artist / designer in my tiny corner of Iowa?

Why can’t I become a professional podcaster or a traveling keynote speaker?

Why not me?

On those days where I’m convinced, it just feels like I’m going in the right direction.

There are some days you’re just feeling it like the universe is this divine source of creative intuition and it’s nudging you along the path you’re supposed to follow.

I’m pretty sure this is how Kobe was feeling the day he dropped 81 points on the Raptors (I’m a huge Laker fan if you didn’t know).

On most days, however, it doesn’t come so easy.

My mind automatically defaults to doubt so it takes A LOT of effort and A LOT of repetitive self-talk to convince myself it’s possible.

I shit you not I will stare intensely at the inner critic in the mirror and repeat to myself, “Why not me?” until I'm convinced…or until I creep myself the fuck out.

Why Not You?

Self-talk is important, good self-talk I should say because we are already pros at the negative self-talk.

Try it sometime even if it feels weird.

Why not you?

Why can’t you make these things happen in your life?

Why can’t you be happy building something you love?

If it’s something you’re good at and it’s something you’re passionate about, it’s not impossible…but it’s also not easy.

Winning Your Mind Requires Effort

My coach, Rick Willis. during football at Wartburg College used to drill it into our heads that, "If it was easy, everyone would do it."

This sounds so cliche but it's completely relevant to practically every aspect of life.

Because it requires effort, many people are hesitant to pursue whatever "it" is for them. It’s much easier to let that inner critic run every minute of your life and passively exist or complain about the circumstances that supposedly hold you back.

From my experiences of letting the inner critic be in the driver seat, I personally feel you pay the cost of living with regret.

So I want to challenge you to challenge yourself.

When you want to do something and that inner critic injects doubt into your mind, talk to yourself…preferably in your own head if you’re around other people.

Repeat to yourself, “why not me?” and mean it.

Say it to yourself as many times as necessary until you start believing it.

Once you start believing it, act on it.

  Ally or Enemy?

The mind is a powerful machine and it can either be your ally or your enemy.

After letting my inner critic kick my ass for well over 23 years, not mention the past 4 years of dealing with anxiety, I’ve learned one valuable thing:Having the proper mindset and some type of belief in yourself or your abilities can get you to practically anywhere you want to be in life.

Having the proper mindset and some type of belief in yourself or your abilities can get you to practically anywhere you want to be in life.

When I started convincing myself that I could become a great artist in the middle of bum fuck Iowa, everything changed.

When I decided I’m going to try and make a name for myself through blogging, teaching, speaking and podcasting, everything changed.

None of this would’ve happened if I wasn’t challenging that inner critic with reaffirming self-talk.

I had to change my way of thinking.

I had to change my perspective.

For things to change, you have to change. It’s all in your mind.

You are more capable then you will ever realize and you have a lot more going for you than you think.

Why not you?

Why not now?

Key Takeaways