The way a person speaks and words they use not only affect the way others perceive them, but also have the potential to influence their behavior, says a Stanford professor.
Swapping for another could help you achieve your goals.
This ensures thatBernard Roth, professor of engineering at Stanford University and academic director of Stanford's Hasso Plattner Design Institute.
In his new book,The Achievement Habit, Roth suggests some linguistic changes that can help you be more successful. Here are the two simplest:
You'll probably once be tempted to say, "I want to go to the movies, but I have to work."
Change "but" to "y"
Instead, Roth suggests you say, "I want to go to the movies, and I have to work."
He wrote: "When you use the word but create aConflict, sometimes a reason, which doesn't really exist." In other words, it is possible to go to the cinema and also do your job, you just have to find a solution.
Instead, when you use the word and, "you're forcing your brain to process both parts of the sentence," Roth explained. Maybe you'll watch a shorter movie or maybe you'll delegate some of your work.
Change "I have to do" to "I want to do"
Roth recommends a simple exercise: the next time you think 'I have to', I change I have to.
"This exercise is very effective for people to takeConsciousnessthat what they do in their life, even the things they find unpleasant, is because they've chosen it," he said.
For example, one of Roth's students felt he had to enroll in the math courses required by his graduate program, even though he hated them. After finishing the exercise, he realized that he really wanted to take the classes as the benefit of completing the courses was greater than the discomfort of attending the classes he did not enjoy.
Both changes are based on a key component of the troubleshooting strategy calleddesign thinking. When you use this strategy, you challenge your automatic way of thinking and you can perceive things as they really are.
When you use different language you can realize that a problem isn't as hard to solve as it seems and that you have more control over your life than you really think.
-Shana Lebowitz-
Original article: A Stanford professor says eliminating 2 phrases from your vocabulary can make you more successful.