YOU HEAR IT. No one else does. Yet it’s there and plays a significant role in how we succeed.

It’s self-talk, and it’s a critical component of being an effective leader.

When we talk about leadership qualities, most of the conversation tends to be about what an effective leader does. Leadership is certainly about doing good stuff, important stuff and difficult stuff, but at the heart of every decision and action is having the right inner voice. Leaders who have it propel themselves through a solution-seeking lens of optimism and hope, leading us through the difficult times.

There’s a June 2021 article on self-talk by Shonna Waters, “The Power of Positive Self Talk (and How You Can Use It)” on the BetterUp website where she discusses this particular strength. I’ve borrowed and adapted some of her ideas.

Defining the Practice

Self-talk is the stream of consciousness in our head every day. It can be positive or negative — and typically falls in line with whether you are generally a positive or negative person. Successful people use positive self-talk to overcome any stray negativities that enter their mind from time to time.

Besides the obvious benefit of using positive self-talk as a springboard to create solutions, there is research that points to some interesting physical and psychological benefits. These include a healthier immune system, reduced pain, better cardiovascular health, improved mental health, improved self-esteem, increased vitality, greater life satisfaction, reduced stress, better physical well-being and increased lifespan.

These are big benefits, but what happens when we don’t have positive self-talk — when we’re in a negative mindset?

Repeating Negatives

Rumination happens when you find yourself repeating the negative. People slip into this state and become unable to move toward a solution.

Certainly, working through problems is productive, but the goal is to get to a solution. Perseverating on the negative without a solution in sight can negatively affect your well-being, leading to things like anxiety or depression.

Here are some common examples of what rumination can feel like:

“I’m always in my head.”

“I’m constantly dwelling on things.”

“I tend to overthink everything.”

Seeking Solutions

Focusing on a problem with the goal of finding a solution is the key to personal success. It doesn’t mean there won’t be slips or falls along the way, but having the correct self-talk is the critical tool in your tool chest for success.

“I messed up at work today, but I learned something and understand where I went wrong. Tomorrow is another day. I’ve got this.”

Successful leaders have many things in common. At the heart of them is a can-do approach, a mindset that looks for solutions even within the most daunting of problems.

When I think of all of the amazing accomplishments around the world, none of them happened because the solution finder focused on the negative. Solutions are found when we seek a way to climb the proverbial mountain in front of us. As former grand chief of the James Bay Cree, Billy Diamond, puts it: “Great obstacles make great leaders.”

We’ve all been through an incredibly difficult time with the COVID-19 pandemic. As leaders in education, we didn’t throw up our hands and give up because of the enormous educational challenges. We forged a path forward because our students needed us. We were solution-focused.

Successful leaders are abundantly optimistic. People look to their leaders for inspiration, hope and options. So pay attention to that voice inside your head. Is it helping you find a path forward or is it putting up a wall? It’s yours to choose.

DAVE EBERWEIN is superintendent and CEO of Saanich School District in Saanichton, British Columbia. Twitter: @DaveWEberwein. The column was adapted from the author’s blog The Power of Why.