Copyright Forbes
Kazuyoshi Hisano is the president and CEO of Conoway, Inc. Time and time again, my experience has shown me that the stories you tell yourself about yourself have the power to shape your reality. Self-affirmations—"brief exercises in which people reflect on their core values, identity and positive traits"—can help you increase your happiness, self-compassion and resilience, according to a recent meta-analysis of studies published by the American Psychological Association. Self-affirmations encourage you to see yourself in a different light and let go of limiting beliefs. Other research shows that these affirmations activate the prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain responsible for "emotional processing, decision-making, memory, self-perception, and social cognition." In a 2013 study, participants who wrote self-affirmations performed better on problem-solving tasks than those who didn’t. Putting Affirmations Into Action Incorporating affirmations into your daily routine is a fast, simple and free way to shift your mindset and behaviors. All you need to get started is a notebook, a pen and a few minutes of dedicated time each day. When I started my coaching business 10 years ago, I had moments of anxiety and self-doubt. Like many entrepreneurs, I worried if I would be able to grow and sustain a successful company. However, a mentor early in my career had taught me about the power of affirmations. Decades before, I had adopted his habit of writing and reading affirmations at the same time every day—and this practice served me well as I visualized my future as a business owner and leader. Every morning, I woke up and repeated a set of affirmations, including “I am capable of building a great company,” and “I am a good business leader." I crafted my affirmations around specific professional goals, including: • Coaching top leaders. • Writing and publishing books. • Increasing the annual sales of my company. • Working in an international environment. • Getting featured in prestigious magazines. Over time, I’ve seen these affirmations transform from words on the page to statements of truth. I am a published author, and soon my books will be available for readers in English as well as Japanese. I receive regular interview and speaking requests from international business magazines. I work with leaders and athletes at the top of their game, and I am continuously growing my business. Look for inspiration around you, but fine-tune your affirmations to make them uniquely your own. You can adopt the following three strategies to improve your chances of success. 1. Connect Affirmations With An Existing Routine Start by identifying the practices you have already incorporated into your daily routine. What do you do for at least five to 10 minutes each workday, such as drinking coffee, going to the gym, commuting by train or listening to a podcast episode? Select one of these actions as a trigger for your affirmations. For instance, do your affirmations as soon as you get back from your morning walk or right before you get in the shower. 2. Write Present-Tense “I” Statements Use the same notebook every day, and write positive “I” statements in the present tense. For example: • I am an important and valuable person and, therefore, people around me value my opinion. • I create a culture of respect, empathy, creativity and curiosity on my team that helps us all do our best work. • I constantly see great opportunities to move my company toward its goals and values. • I thrive under pressure and adapt quickly to overcome any obstacles. • I manage my time and energy efficiently to produce measurable results and surpass KPIs. Keep your language positive (“I am/do” versus “I’m not/I don’t”), and stay focused on your own forward progress. Comparing yourself with others can be counterproductive. 3. Feel It To Believe It Let yourself vividly imagine what your desired outcome looks and feels like. Research on imagery has shown its power. This helps you recognize opportunities to advance your goals in real life. Tap into your senses and visualize your success, positively tricking your brain into believing that each statement is already true. Ideally, you should write a clear, concise sentence for each affirmation, then combine the words with a mental picture and an emotion. For example: “My team and I have achieved our quarterly sales targets and we are celebrating by ordering every appetizer on the menu at our favorite restaurant,” or “We just won the championship game, and the crowd in the stadium is cheering and crying with joy.” Start Small—But Start Today Affirmations are simple but powerful practices. I encourage you to start small—but start today. Set aside five minutes to write just one to five affirmations in a notebook, then read them aloud. Do the same thing tomorrow, the day after and the day after. You may be surprised by how seamlessly you can create this new habit—and how much of a difference it will make in your life.
