Moving from Survival to Creation Language
In our last guest post (read here) we looked at the tale of two mindsets. Today, we’re going to dive a bit deeper into how you can use language and words to move from a fixed mindset and what we call ‘survival mode’ to a growth-orientated ‘creation mode’.
At Agoge Project, we’re big language geeks. And we’re not talking about French or Spanish. We believe that the words you use have the power to shape your life. This is because what we think and say in the short term, shapes our imagination and our feelings.
Try this:
Say out loud or just think: ‘I don’t want to lose my job.’
How has that made you feel? Has it affected your mood? It’s likely, that you already pictured the process of losing your job in your head. And you likely felt the effects in your body.
In the medium term and long term, our words and our language shape our personal story and our beliefs. And these stories and beliefs have the power to shape our realities.
Does this sound familiar to you?
‘I should probably sign up to a gym and I should probably start eating well.’
This is non-committal language creates ambiguity and avoids certainty and purpose.
Translate this into: ‘I will join a gym tomorrow and I will start cooking healthy meals.’
This is clear and powerful solid language that states your goal and communicates your thoughts.
Survival mode includes the use of words such as don’t, can’t, isn’t, wasn’t. This is focusing your attention on what you don’t want to happen. Operating in survival mode creates stress, anxiety and makes you feel like you’re always trying to keep up. It’s a struggle to keep your head above water and is rife with negativity.
‘I just don’t have the time.’
‘I can’t stop thinking about it.’
‘I don’t have enough money to do that.’
‘I can’t play golf.’
Creation mode on the other hand, uses more affirmative language and places the focus on what you do what to happen. You are looking to create opportunities, hence ‘creation mode’.
Words such as will, can, is are all creation mode words with the focus on what you want and how to make it happen.
‘I’m looking forward to my next promotion.’
‘I will work towards a bright future.’
‘I can find a new inspiring job’.
‘I will make time for what’s important to me.’
‘I will find a higher paying job.’
‘I can learn to play golf.’
Creation mode creates opportunity and positivity in your life and shapes the future away from survival and towards a world that you have created yourself. Rather than having life happen to you and solely being along for the ride you can move towards a growth-focused mindset and feel how your body has a positive response with less stress and more excitement about the future.
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This article was written by Stuart Munnich. If you’d like to know more or receive notifications for future articles, please head over to the Agoge Project Website or subscribe to updates right here!
