Working Conversations Episode 84:

Why Talking to Yourself Makes You Smarter

Ever talk to yourself?  Perhaps quietly reminding yourself of something out loud, or maybe even arguing with yourself when there are two important sides to an issue, and you see them both.

If you’ve ever been embarrassed about talking to yourself or thought of it as an odd and quirky habit, I’m going to give you a new way to think about it. It’s an important habit that significantly increases the quality of your ideas and tempers your impulsiveness.

So think again if you think talking to yourself is a shortcoming.

I’m living proof that it works. If you were to see me out walking in my neighborhood, you would see me talking to myself while I walk my dog, Bailey.

Sometimes when I’m talking to myself, I’m rehearsing part of a new keynote. But just as often, I’m talking aloud to hear myself think.

So yes, I talk to myself to find out what I think about something.  I talk to myself to declare something into being.  I talk to myself to keep my impulses in check . . .  and so should you. It will make you smarter.

In fact, research and studies show that there is a significant value in talking to yourself – from vetting ideas before sharing them with a colleague, to managing your frustration, to finding your keys.

It can also motivate you to move forward with your goals, help you focus on the task at hand, and combat self-criticism.

In this episode, I explore the value of talking to yourself and offer a step-by-step process to begin talking – and listening – to yourself to get the most value from your conversations.

Listen and catch the full episode here or wherever you listen to podcasts. Start talking and listening to yourself right now, and see what value it can add to your life.

If you’ve found this episode helpful, spread the word! Share this podcast episode with a friend whom you might think needs to hear this. Don’t forget to leave a review and 5-star rating, it would mean the world to me.

HERE’S WHAT WE’RE GOING TO DIG INTO IN THIS EPISODE:

How to talk to yourself:
1. Find a place where you won’t be self-conscious.
2. Start talking.
3. Listen to yourself.
4. Take action based on what you heard.