One of the greatest challenges for many of us is to silence the inner voice that inhibits our self-expression. The voice is subtle, but has the power to cause a serious decline in performance, or even stop us from doing anything at all. This is the same voice that might whisper “you’re not good enough” when things are going well; or it will say things like “that other person is better”, or even “don’t bother, it’s too late.”
Silencing this inner voice can be extremely difficult, and, even if you do manage it, you are never totally free of them. This issue is something we all have in common, from the executive who has trouble speaking in front of an audience or in a group meeting, to the athlete who struggles to win a race.
The voice can have many different origins, such as childhood trauma, family tradition or the well-known impostor syndrome. It is a hidden force, deep rooted in the human psyche that can spark an ongoing chain of negativity.
We might see it in a famous tennis player, who has played a great match but falls to pieces when they are about to serve to win. Or the female manager, who seems to be full of confidence among her male colleagues at the office, but cracks under the pressure of her own inferiority complex when she has to give a talk in a meeting. She stutters, her cheeks turn bright right, and she feels completely embarrassed because she is unable to handle being overwhelmed by negative emotions.
All is not lost; when it comes to the inner voice, it’s not all doom and gloom. Remember that everyone battles with their own inner voices, and that there is a solution to help deal with it. Actually, there are lots of ways to deal with it. There is mindfulness, meditation, breathing, and visualisation, to name just a few.
The method suggested by the author of the book is unique. He coaches people to create their own alter ego that helps them achieve whatever goal they are working towards.
