DNF is NOT an Option

Although the race was one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life, I was determined that I was going to finish. I had trained, I was ready … or so I thought. At about the 3.5 mile point I started having doubts about whether I was going to be able to make it or not. In running when you drop out of a race it is called a DNF or “did not finish.”

I started talking to myself pretty sharply at this point. Asking myself, “Do you really want a DNF? What does that say about you?” I then had to remind myself that quitting was not an option either in this race or in life. You have to finish and finish strong!

Reframing our language allows us to fill our heads with the positive rather than the negative. Research suggests that 83% of the conversations we have with ourselves are negative. And these negative conversations play over and over.
The benefits are enormous when we stop replaying, and instead we reframe our inner-communication to capture the positive perspective.

Poet John Milton wrote,

"The mind is its own place and in itself, can make a Heaven of Hell, or a Hell of Heaven."

Is your mind making a heaven or a hell, for you?

Here are a couple of examples of how you can turn your negative words (and the accompanying self-defeating thoughts) into positive communication (and self-empowering actions):

• Instead of saying, "That's just the way I am," say, "I have decided to try a different approach." This keeps you in control of your future.
• Instead of saying you have a "problem," call it an "opportunity." This allows for a self-empowering improvement of the situation.
• Instead of saying you “have” to do something, say I “choose” to do this. This puts you in control – of your choices. No one is forcing you to do it.

Always reframe your language so that you have control over what you do and who you are.

How does this action-step impact you? Make the decision now to design and live the life you dream of. Do this for thirty days. Every time a negative thought tries to enter your head, banish it. Reframe it and replace it with a positive thought. After thirty days, reframing will become your new habit. Let me know how this goes for you. I am sure it will go well and that this new habit will change your life for the better.

And remember… DNF is not an option!

More articles on thinking differently to achieve uncommon results:

• The Five Most Common Self-Limiting Beliefs
• Perception of Reality is Everything
• Ask the Wrong Question... Get the Wrong Answer

About the Author: Monica Cornetti
Founder and CEO, Sententia www.SententiaGames.com www.monicacornetti.com

A professional speaker and gamification designer, Monica Cornetti is rated as the #1 Gamification Guru in the World by UK-Based Leaderboarded. She is the author of the book Totally Awesome Training Activity Guide: Put Gamification to Work for You, writes The Gamification Report blog, and hosts the weekly Gamification Talk Radio program.