Today my son was outside walking fast on concrete. He's 14 months old, so my first instinct was "don't trip." I was instantly reminded of a parable I'd like to share with you.

🌳 Two cousins named Ryan and Mike were playing in a tree. They were hanging from branches, having a blast. Their mothers noticed and got nervous. Mike's mom panicked and shouted, "don't fall!" and Ryan's mom said, "hold on tight!" Mike fell. Ryan climbed down safely.

Fear and anxiety can make it more difficult for the mind to process commands.

For Mike to respond to the "don't fall" command, his mind first had to imagine himself falling so that his brain could instruct his body to avoid it. When Ryan processed "hold on tight", his mind had an image of hanging on, and so he did.

The words we choose to say—internally through self-talk or externally to others—affect how our minds perceive and process information.

It's not that I "have to write this newsletter" every Monday night. It's "I get to write and share ideas with my subscribers."

When reflecting on a past decision, I make it a point to say "I could have made that investment" rather than "I should have bought more Tesla stock."

During brainstorming sessions at work, I ask my team to first think of all the ways we can achieve something and not focus on reasons it won't work (that comes later).

Thankfully, my son didn't trip on the concrete, but I will be teaching him the importance of framing things positively. Because words can alter experience, and negative beliefs can limit abilities.