The Thought That Tells You To Stop

We all have a voice in our heads that has something to say. Sometimes it encourages us. Sometimes it warns us. And sometimes it tells us to stop before we have even started. Don't do it. You won't be good enough. What if you fail? It's safer to stay where you are.

The problem isn't having these thoughts. They are part of being human. The problem begins when we accept them without asking whether they are actually true.

A thought is not a fact. Your mind makes assumptions based on your experiences, fears and beliefs. It remembers what went wrong and can use those memories to predict what might happen next. But yesterday's disappointment doesn't guarantee tomorrow's outcome.

So when that voice tells you to stop, don't automatically obey it. Question it. Why do I think I can't do this? What evidence do I have? Am I afraid of failing, or do I genuinely believe this isn't right for me? What might happen if I tried?

Those questions create something incredibly important: choice. You don't have to replace every negative thought with an unrealistically positive one. You can replace it with a more useful question.

Instead of “I can't,” try “What would I need to learn?” Instead of “I'll fail,” ask “What can I learn if I try?” And instead of “I should stop,” ask “Why?”

You are not broken because your mind sometimes fills your head with doubt. You are human. But you don't have to give every thought permission to decide what happens next.

Sometimes the thought telling you to stop isn't protecting you from failure. It may be protecting you from discovering what you are capable of.