This weekend I ran a 5k race in my hometown, a fundraiser for cancer. I am not a fast runner, I enjoy the energy of the races and happy to help raise money for a good cause.
I listen to music while I run. It is usually quite meditative and I don’t even really hear the words, it is more the rhythm that matters and keeps me moving. I have a Spotify running collection that Spotify built for my running pace. I play it to shuffle randomly.
The second to last song on my run happened to be:
Working in the Coal Mine, with the chorus: “I’m so tired how long can this go on.”
I heard the words for the first time. My first reaction was: Yes I am tired, how much longer? As someone who only started running in the last few years, this would usually be true. But then I paused for a second and checked in with myself. I am actually OK. I can push myself a little harder.
Then in the last push to the end, this last song came up:
Harder to Breathe, with the chorus: ”Is there anyone out there cause it’s getting harder and harder to breathe.”
Again, I first sympathized with the words, then checked in and thought I am OK.
I then had a good laugh at the coincidence of those 2 songs playing at the end of the race.
The words did impact me though. My immediate reaction was I am tiered, it’s hard to breathe. Not quite words of encouragement.
What if I had listened to “I am so excited” or “I am on fire”?
Words matter, the words we tell ourselves, our self-talk, the words that others say to us, how we perceive ourselves and how we believe others perceive us.
When I started running I told myself I am not a runner, because I was not like my husband and his friends, the serious runners. But if I was not a runner why would I want to go running? When I told myself that I am a runner, I did get out to run more often.
This little coincidence of background music also reminded me of some examples that James Clear provides and research that Carol Dweck mentions.
James Clear in the book Atomic Habits, to emphasize the importance of language, gives this example: 2 people who have quit smoking are offered a cigarette. One responds: “I don’t smoke” the other: “I am trying to quit”. They have both quit smoking but it is very clear who is more likely to stick with it.
Carol Dweck shares research that demonstrates that white men perform worse than black men on athletic tasks when they are told that performance is based on natural ability. Asian women perform better on math tests when they are reminded of their Asian identity rather than of their female identity. Just a few words mentioned to the people before completing a task impacted their performance.
There is so much that we can do to positively and negatively influence our mindset, our actions, our performance.
Are you paying attention to:
What you are telling yourself?
What and who you are listening to?
What you are telling others?