“Our brains are these incredible supercomputers, and our self-talk is the program that will run,” says Kwik. Meaning, positive thoughts can totally influence your brainpower. “If you tell yourself, I’m not good at remembering names, you won’t remember the name of the next person you meet because you program your supercomputer not to,” Kwik adds.
Research backs him up, finding that self-talk can totally alter cognitive performance1. It’s similar logic to manifesting; our minds are powerful, and you do have the ability to attract what you want. “If people truly understood how powerful their minds are, they wouldn’t say or think something they didn’t want to be true,” Kwik adds.
Now, that doesn’t mean you can’t ever have one negative thought—just like indulging in sweets every now and then won’t throw off your balanced eating plan. “But if you did consistently, a little becomes a lot, right?” Kwik adds. “Same with our thoughts.”
The bottom line: If you want to have a better memory, start with a positive mindset. Don’t sell yourself short by saying you have a short attention span or have the inability to recall certain details. Believe in yourself, says Kwik, and the behaviors will follow.
