Mindset Monday - Story Telling
“Words Matter, and the ones that matter most are the ones you say to yourself” – Unknown
Humans are storytellers. We always have been. It is a part of the human DNA. The very reason we have survived as a species and flourished is due in large part to story. Knowledge and lessons were passed down from generation to generation through story.
We are trained to listen to stories. It is how we connect a lesson to take action or a create a behavior. Before the written word, we told stories. After written language was developed, we wrote stories. Stories shape our reality, move us, inspire us, educate us, and have the power to change us. They have the power to show us the way forward. We understand the power of story in our lives, our cultures, and our businesses.
We understand the power that story has to connect with people, connect to our customer base, to close more sales, to build professional and personal relationships. We revere the storytellers in our lives. Some of us put immense amounts of effort into becoming a better storyteller and seeking out those that tell captivating stories.
We know all of this, and yet we don’t use this evolutionary superpower on ourselves. We fail to realize that the stories that we tell ourselves are just as powerful as, if not more powerful than, those we tell others. The story that runs in our heads is often not one that serves us, but one that holds us back.
This week’s challenge is to actively and deliberately change the story that you tell yourself. Here is a quick and simple way to do this.
Pick a topic regularly creates “negative self-talk” We all do it. Some worse than others, but we all have this little negative mantra that plays in our head that gives us just enough resistance to hold us back.
Mine is discipline, I have discipline but not the kind of unshakable discipline I know I need to hit my big hairy goals.
Pick something that happens to you multiple times a day. IE: Walking through a doorway, sitting at your desk, getting in the car, etc and repeat the same thought each time this occurs.
I have a quick little mantra that I say when I enter a doorway to work, the office, my house, the bedroom, the gym, etc. Its quick and easy but sets my intention multiple times a day. Like little course corrections.
“I am relentlessly disciplined, I make the right decisions every day with my health and business”
To start, hang it on the wall in your office, house, stick it on your computer screen, nightstand etc. Whatever you need to do to keep it front and center.
Use this little hack to start writing some new chapters of your story.
Written by Chris Catania
Chris Catania entered the mortgage industry in 2005. As a seasoned Branch Manager and coach at Fairway, Chris has consistently been at the forefront of providing, creative problem solving, exceptional service and tailored financial solutions. His commitment to excellence and deep understanding of the mortgage landscape have made him a trusted advisor and a leading figure in the field.
Beyond his professional achievements, Chris is a Army veteran, devoted husband and father. He is an avid outdoorsman and hunter. Chris also brings his leadership experience and skills to the community as a coach, where he mentors individuals, teaching them the values of teamwork, discipline, accountability and perseverance. Chris Catania's blend of professional acumen, family dedication, and community involvement truly sets him apart as a respected professional and valued community member.
