In class today, Dr. Sweet discussed Pink’s three elements of buoyancy: interrogative self-talk, positivity ratios, and explanatory style. The one we focused on the most towards the end of class was the power of positive thinking and the difference between hyping yourself up with declarative statements like “I can do this!” versus asking questions to promote positivity and problem-solving. The reason Pink favors questions is that they help pursue answers and give problems to solve. I would also add that questions are more helpful for another reason: fighting unreasonable expectations.
For example, let’s say you are studying for an exam. One student says: “I’m a great student and I’ll get an A!” Another student asks: “How do I get an A?” Both students study, but because the former student has declared themselves great and in shape to get an A, they are also inadvertently setting themselves up for profound disappointment if they don’t get what they studied for. The problem with declarative statements is not that they can’t be true, but that they create another unnecessary burden of performance on the individual. The latter student, however, in asking questions, remains in a learning mindset, constantly refining their technique, and then if they don’t get the A they seek, they just revisit the drawing board and continue to ask the same question in hopes of a better result. There seems to be a happy medium between these two approaches that says: “I can be a good student if I put my mind to the task at hand – how do I best do that?” This way, failure is not an attack on the self-declaring student whose identity is bound in the A. Failure instead is a process of refinement and a learning experience that does not attack the question-asking mindset. This applies not only to school but numerous areas of life and business.
Sometimes the self-declarative statements can be a wolf in sheep’s clothing that blinds an individual to their current capabilities. Although they may provide an initial burst of positivity and motivation, if the goal is to continue learning and improving, it seems that the best idea would be to acknowledge the truth that you can improve and then ask questions that keep your brain in that problem-solving mindset without yoking yourself to any statements that would set up unnecessary burdens or self-harm.
BoweryJE22
The world of sales can be a cruel place. Full of rejection after rejection. Every turn you take seems to take you down another road that leads to failure. But eventually that win will come along and that can bolster your self confidence. To be a good salesperson you have to have a positive attitude. Just think of Coach Dido, someone who is high energy and has a positive outlook. Even after failure, he can walk out of a sales opportunity with a smile, regardless if he made the sale or not. Failure is a the best learning device there is and can help us be better for the next opportunity because there will always be another.
You provide a compelling argument for the power of asking questions over declarative statements in promoting positivity and problem-solving. Your example of students studying for an exam highlights how the former student’s declarative statement creates an unnecessary burden of performance and sets them up for profound disappointment if they don’t achieve their goal. The latter student, however, remains in a learning mindset and continues to refine their technique. I agree with your suggestion that there is a happy medium between these two approaches, acknowledging that you can improve and then asking questions that keep your brain in a problem-solving mindset. Overall, this post provides useful insights into the power of interrogative self-talk in promoting positivity and problem-solving.