Real Talk with Judge Dawson
Cycle Breaker Leadership Principle number five is “Control Your Self Talk.” We have all heard it before, words have power. Words have the power to create and enrich our lives as well as destroy our lives. What we say to ourselves is often more important than what others say to or about us because, like a computer, our mind is set up to produce what we feed it. In addition to being a criminal defense attorney before elected as judge, I spent several years studying the human brain. There has been a scientifically confirmed connection between criminal behavior, leadership and brain development. The brain is a multifaceted and complex organ. Without going into all the details, its sufficient to say that the things we experience physically and mentally affect our brain, behavior and then our lives.
Recently there was a man in court who spoke about his challenges getting on the right track. After his case was over, I spoke to him, man to man, about the challenges he described, I didn’t want him to leave my courtroom without hearing empowering words. He told me that he was 24 years old and just came home from serving 5 years in prison. He said that he can not get a job because everyone looks at the mistakes from his past and his tattoos to make a negative judgements about him. As I listened to him it became very clear that two obstacles to getting on the right track will be his self perception and self talk.
When you are ready to tap into your leadership ability and live life as a cycle breaker you must develop positive self talk and control your the negative self talk. Controlling your negative self talk is important for a two reasons 1.Your voice is your internal guide. 2.Your self talk will set the tone for your actions that either lead to success or derailment.
As your internal guide, the things you say to your self stay with you all the time. They are repeated over and over again in that familiar voice. It’s your own voice that will stick with you longer than others. Though I know that the words other people speak to us have the power to affect our lives, constantly replaying your own negative words will destroy your motivation the fastest.
Your self talk will set the tone for your actions. When you tell yourself you aren’t good enough, you will never expect good things from yourself. When you tell yourself no one will love you but the person who beats you, you will never think you deserve better. When you tell yourself you are from the hood and committing crimes is what you do, you will always commit crimes and derail your future.
By thinking/speaking negativity to yourself, you are putting negative action into motion. Your brain will produce what it is told. Accordingly, your brain will start you on a course leading to destruction. However, when you start telling yourself that you have greatness in you, that you were born to be great, that you are a leader, not only will you become a leader, you will become a Cycle Breaker.
Cycle breaker Leadership Principle number five is “Control Your Self Talk!"
For more discussion on this subject or others, join Judge Dawson’s Cycle Breaker/Finish First program on Monday nights at 5:30pm at the East Cleveland Municipal Court. East Cleveland Municipal Court’s Judge William L. Dawson is on a mission to help people to Finish First, live their best lives and be Cycle Breakers!
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