Can we fix it?

In Pink’s chapter on Buoyancy, Pink talks about Interrogative Self-Talk. The world pushes the idea that people should be giving themselves positive self talk, building themselves up to be able to accomplish a task. The somewhat infamous Saturday Night Live character, Stuart Smalley on his segment “Daily Affirmations With Stuart Smalley” told himself that “I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and doggone it, people like me”. Even though Smalley’s segment was supposed to be a joke, the sentiment behind that phrase is often repeated throughout the sales world. Pink points out that while positive self-talk is helpful, it is only helpful if it outweighs the negative self-talk 3:1. Instead, what is more effective is Interrogative Self-Talk. Pink uses Bob the Builder as the example. The difference between interrogative and positive self-talk is a shift from making statements to asking questions. Adopting the mindset of “can we do it?” instead of “we can do it”, gives incentive to rise to the challenge. It also provides the opportunity to answer the question with all of the ways one can accomplish the goal, and the skills and experience one already has that allows him or her to accomplish the goal.