Mackay: Positive self-talk is key tool to staying ahead

World-renowned ocular surgeon Dr. James Gills is the only person to complete six double Ironman triathlons.

When asked how he did it, he said he talks to himself instead of listening to himself. In other words, he doesn't listen to the doubts and complaints and instead gives himself motivation.

Such is the power of positive self-talk — conversations in our minds. Self-talk can shape your beliefs and influence your emotions and behavior. The key is to keep it positive. It's basically coaching yourself.

Negative thinking causes stress. If you find yourself thinking negatively, stop and think how you can tell yourself the same message in a positive way.

For example, instead of telling yourself that you are constantly late and disorganized, say, "If I start setting alarms on my phone and getting up earlier, I could really change things."

Find something positive in the difficulties of each day. Research shows that self-talk can not only help with performance and endurance, but it can have many health benefits besides reducing stress such as increased vitality, greater life satisfaction, improved immune function, reduced pain and better cardiovascular health.

Positive self-talk increases your motivation, self-confidence and resilience. It takes time, practice and patience to train yourself to think and talk to yourself positively, but it is well worth the effort.

Also, be aware of negative triggers like blaming yourself for everything or expecting the worst in all situations. Think about the times you have had successes when things looked the lowest. Find humor to ease tension.

The events of the last few years have illustrated how important it is to practice positive self-talk. Businesses that survived the pandemic had to work extremely hard to stay afloat. Believe me, if you had any intention of fighting that economy, you had to find a way to look for the silver lining.

Business leaders must find a way to motivate workers every day. Good managers encourage employees to look for solutions; self-talk is one effective way to do that.

Soccer star Sofia Huerta, who plays for the U.S. women's national team, knows just what to say to boost your confidence.

"Right after you brush your teeth, look in that mirror," she told People magazine. "And remember to remind yourself, whatever you want to say, but you're amazing, you're capable and you're beautiful."

Boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. attributes a lot of his success to self-talk. He constantly told himself there was no better fighter than himself, and said if you think about losing, you will.

Here's a final story to illustrate my point. One day, a deer was admiring his reflection in a lake and said: "Where can you see such noble antlers as these? I wish I had legs worthy of bearing such a glorious crown. It is a pity they are so slim and unsightly."

At that moment, a hunter appeared and sent an arrow flying toward the deer, but he was able to run off by means of his nimble legs. Thank goodness for those "unsightly" limbs.

Mackay's Moral: When you talk to yourself, you get the answer you want.