Words are extremely powerful for many reasons. They are the wings of your thoughts as they travel back and forth between your conscious and subconscious. They also carry your thoughts between you and the outside world. Many of us allow rogue thoughts to bounce around in our heads that ultimately result in self-sabotage.

Your words are one of the most powerful forces that you have at your disposal. They have both the power to create as well as to destroy. Ask yourself “What words do I habitually choose to express my thoughts to myself and to others?” Is your inner dialogue helping or hurting you? Does your external dialogue help or hurt others? Do your words support your goals, or do they attract the opposite of what you want?

The words that you say to yourself make up your Inner Voice. This voice has the power to be:

• The Inner Coach or Inner Guide 
• The Inner Cheerleader
• The Inner Critic

Think of your Inner Voice as a scale that moves back and forth between negative and positive thoughts

The Inner Critic would be on the far left; the Inner Coach would be around the middle; and the Inner Cheerleader on the far right. You’ll be most effective when you keep the words you use and the “tone” of your Inner Voice in the middle to the right of the scale. 

When your Inner Voice is under control, it is a source of constructive criticism that manages your judgment and keeps you on the right path. That’s the Inner Coach – your reasoning mind. The wise part of you. It helps you evaluate a situation objectively with a minimal amount of emotion. This is your most neutral voice.

Your Inner Cheerleader is the one that encourages you. It motivates you to take positive action and gives you the confidence that you need. One of the jobs of your Inner Voice is to protect you. But in doing so, it often tries to insulate you from things that you don’t need protection from.  

This happens when you lose control and your Inner Voice becomes your Inner Critic. It protects you to the extreme and if you don’t control it, it will take over the words that you say to yourself. 

The Inner Critic is negative, self-sabotaging and it can make you miserable. 

 It will crush your dreams and block you from success. The Inner Critic is destructive and can have long-lasting effects demanding on how strong it gets. 

 The Inner Critic usually speaks most loudly during a decision-making process, and again when things are about to go well 

 It is self-doubt in disguise as rationalization. It overwhelms you with reasons for why you should or shouldn’t do something. The louder it gets, the more power it has, and the less likely you are to succeed.

The goal is to “fire” your Inner Critic and “hire” your Inner Coach and your Inner Cheerleader. When your Inner Critic says, “You’ll probably fail,” immediately replace it with your Inner Cheerleader saying, “The only way I can fail is not to try.” 

And whenever your Inner Critic pushes you to beat yourself up over some mistake you’ve made, push back. Simply acknowledge that you need to improve and make a commitment to do so. 

 Play this little “You’re fired” game with yourself to keep your Inner Voice constantly positive in words and in tone. After you consciously use your willpower to do this for a while, it will become a subconscious habit that you won’t even need to think about. 

Psychotherapist, Kali Munro, tells us to soften the Inner Critic’s power and recognize that you are not your Inner Critic. It may be a part of you, but it does not define you. With this understanding, you are able to step back from your Inner Critic. 

By observing it in a detached way, you take the power out of its words and diminish its power over you. Taking charge of your Inner Voice allows you to take charge of your life. Prioritize the voice that prioritizes your success.

Stop self-sabotage. Your self-talk must be affirming and uplifting as if it’s the only option.