My 11-year old son loves going to the movies. To be fair, he also loves the exorbitantly priced popcorn and blue slushies (ice drink). Anytime a new movie trailer comes out at the theater or on TV, he becomes hypnotized and fixated. Adventures, animation, wizards, dragons, anything 3-D, etc. are all up his alley. He recently gave the new Karate Kid a definite “ten” and even went back to see the new Toy Story 3-D a second time today. But understand, he really isn’t that particular about the movies and simply looks for any excuse to go to the movies with his parents, grandparents, or friends … about once a month.
The other day, when I asked him why he loves going to the movies, he simply replied, “It just makes me happy Dad.” Good enough for me…even with the escalating prices for movies and popcorn nowadays. Based on watching his face during countless movies, he truly enjoys the explosion of colors and visual effects on the massive movie screen and the powerful sound system that vibrates his chest. He suspends disbelief and fully enters the world created on the screen with child-like wonder. He also relishes the comfy movie-theater chairs, the snacks, the cold drinks, and all the belly laughing he usually does. Like most kids, he enjoys funny movies, animations, and big adventures. Like his old man, he does not like scary horror movies.
As a business coach for nearly 20 years, I can tell you that business owners love going to the movies as well. In fact, they do it constantly and mostly on company time. While they are forever watching movies, it’s not at the movie theater and they’re not eating popcorn. Unfortunately, they’re watching “internal movies” all day long in their heads. And, unlike my son, they don’t seem to choose the comedies or adventures. They evidently prefer the horror movies since that seems to be the predominant type of flick playing in their heads.
As your virtual business coach, allow me to ask you some unusual but valuable business coaching questions. What types of movies are you projecting in your head most of the time? Are they inspiring adventures or scary horror movies? Positive movies with good outcomes or negative movies with bad and sad endings? Movies that are mostly empowering or truly disempowering? And finally, and most importantly, do your internal movies support your success or sabotage it? This Growth Coach cautions you to select your movies wisely!
Whether you want to admit it or not, we all are continually running movies in our heads. At a minimum, we are holding conversations with ourselves all day long … just stop and listen to the on-going chatter in your head. A constant story dialogue (mostly positive or negative) is occurring in the background of our brain throughout the day. Most times, we also display images (some positive, some negative) with the dialogue. We play out various business scenarios in our heads. Bottom line, they are emotionally charged shows with predominantly positive or negative expectations. We are constantly projecting coming attractions (good, bad or ugly) in our heads and these then serve as self-fulfilling prophecies. Therefore, choose your movies carefully!
As your Growth Coach, I encourage you to slow down and reflect on the movies that you are playing in your head. Be fully aware. Awaken to the type of internal movies you play. Question the movies and challenge the movies. You are in control of the movie projector. Stop allowing negative dialogue, images, expectations, and story lines to flash in your brain. Interrupt the horror movies and change them into grand adventures where you are the hero and things turn out great. After all, it’s your life and business, your brain, and you get to pick the movies.
Enjoy the movies and go easy on the popcorn and all that fake butter.
