Positive Affirmations

So today I want to briefly chat about the topic of Affirmations. It's a word we're all familiar with in one way or another. Whether it was the 9th grade English teacher who condescendly made you watch "The Secret," or the quirky hippies you rented a room from, or the podcast you were listening to on a long walk. At this point it's a common word.

A quick look at Google Trends confirms this.

Now what do we do with this practice? Is it worthwhile, is it a scam, does it invoke positive or negative things? I'm still trying to understand this myself.

Tony Robbins

Now this guy comes first because he has got to be the king of affirmations. And it's interesting that his preferred term is "incantation" because that's a word which conveys more of an external effect on the world around you than affirmation, which conveys a more internal meaning.

Starting when I was 17 I started doing incantations, not affirmations.
You embody what you're saying with all the intensity you can, and you do it with enough repetitions and it sticks in your head. Like it's a small world, now the conversation in your head is always the same and it gives you what you want.
I don't hope I'm gonna be in a good state, I demand it.

Now as good as Tony is at making us feel good, he has many of those traits that make him come across as a televangelist. And when we experience that combination of excessive energy and eloquent word-salad, we tend to question things.

That said, he's the best at what he does. Both in his rise to fame, and in his resurgence in the 2010's.

Scott Adams

Scott Adams has his own version of affirmations where he packages his goals as affirmations and repeats them daily. Sometimes written, sometimes spoken to him they are both equally valid.

I first heard Scott Adams explain his technique in 2016 on a walk, while listening to Tim Ferriss' podcast. Now the thing about Scott is he seems to be an example of a guy who's charm is crafted. In a similar, but more subtle way than Tony Robbins. When I heard Scott explaining how he used affirmations to reach many pivotal life goals, it absolutely resonated with me.

And the fun thing about Scott is, even if he is full of sh!t, he still offers valuable knowledge and thought-provoking ideas.

It's simply, if you can focus on this goal, with whatever technique for 15 minutes a day. That's telling you something. It's telling you something about your commitment to it, it's telling you something about how much you want it. And maybe, maybe setting filters in your mind or improving your filter on life. That's it, I'd say give it a shot and see what happens!

Biblical

Now this is a topic I haven't thought about much, but popped into my head as I was writing this. Because what is prayer, if not an affirmation of certain ideas. Especially in the more Orthodox and Catholic traditions of repeated prayers.

To me, the book of Psalms is full of affirmations. Now these are more internally focused. Which is likely a perspective which we undervalue in our modern world.

I think the value in these Psalms are enough to transcend what we label as religion. But if the idea of God doesn't resonate with you, try replacing the word with "the source of the highest virtue" or more simply, "nature."

After all, not every religious tradition has anything which resembles our word for God; yet they all have sought out that highest virtue, and the infallible truths of nature.

Since we're living in an age of fear being weaponized against the citizens of the world, this classic verse seems appropriate.

Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For you are with me;
Your rod and Your staff,
they comfort me.
Psalm 23:4

Conclusion

I am making no statements here, simply speaking what others have found useful. Personally I think there is something to it, and it's not worth it for me to dissect it.

One thing I can say for sure, is that there is a reason repetition is so useful. There's a reason that it's a part of many prayer traditions, hypnosis of various kinds, and even in government propaganda. It may take us many lifetimes to understand that reason, to even ask the right questions, but in the meantime we can certainly appreciate the tool.