Whether they belonged to the "good" or the "bad" – the great leaders of history have always been aware of the power of words. Those who know how to use language correctly get ahead in life and actively shape their future. Tony Robbins sees it the same way: with his concept of "Transformational Vocabulary", he shows how easily anyone can improve their quality of life.
The Language World of Emotions
Our emotions are strongly linked to our everyday language. The spectrum of feelings is like a rainbow with many different shades. Life is not just black or white – just as we are not simply either "happy" or "sad." There is a whole range of words that can describe the human emotional chaos. Sometimes we are bored, then excited again; sometimes nearly ecstatic, and then really depressed.
Self-Test: What Do You Feel?
Now for the self-test: how many different emotional states do you experience in a week? Take a few minutes and think about how you have felt in the past few days. Were you happy, content, annoyed, or unmotivated?
Most people write down about 12 words in this test – and, surprise: usually more than half of these terms are negative. It almost seems like we are more creative in describing our negative feelings than focusing on the positive. The good news: it doesn’t have to be that way! Because you have the power to change your mindset.
Choose Words Consciously
Tony Robbins explains where the problem lies: we usually do not consciously decide to associate a certain word with our mood. Our brain does this almost out of habit on its own. Here lies the challenge: to consciously try to describe situations and emotional states with stronger (or weaker) words. These tips also help at work, both professionally and interpersonally. Here are a few examples of statements and softenings for practical use:
1. "I am so angry about this situation." > "I have been more pleased before."
2. "I have no idea what to do anymore." > "I am looking for new solutions."
3. "That went totally badly!" > "The outcome was suboptimal and definitely has room for improvement."
4. "That guy is a total *********!" > "I don’t get along well with this type of person."
5. "I can’t work like this at all!" > "I will strive for better working conditions."
Be unstoppable – reach your goals!
Of course, we can also use the power of words to give more weight to our positive experiences and thus improve our lives fundamentally. At work, are you on a real roll right now? Great, then you don’t just feel "good" but definitely "great," right? Are you diligently training and reaching your athletic goals? Then you can confidently call yourself a "motivated athlete." Just try consciously highlighting your positive experiences with words for a week. You will see – eventually, it will come naturally. Because don’t forget: "Thinking makes it so" – strengthening positive emotions with words is purely a matter of mindset. And once you understand that, you really are unstoppable!
Sources
https://www.tonyrobbins.com/mind-meaning/change-your-words-change-your-life/
