Silencing the Enemy Within
Beating Self-Sabotage and Reaching Your Potential
Module #4:
Your Road to Your Ultimate Self
Welcome to Module 4 of the Common Thread Success Academy coaching program on “The Enemy Within.”
Of the four tactics you just discovered, the Enemy’s most powerful tactic is to tell you lies. The Enemy has the most power when it can influence how you see yourself.
If you are not aware of it, the Enemy can influence you toward critical, fearful, anxious, sabotaging thoughts and feelings about yourself. The Enemy Within will plant limiting thoughts in your mind that you subconsciously adopt as your own. For example, it says, “You can’t do it,” and you subconsciously adopt the thought “I can’t do it,” not realizing that this thought is from the Enemy.
In this section you will explore what lies the Enemy may be telling you about who you are.
Print out Worksheet #4 – Who Am I?
Scientist, teacher, and author A.L. Kitselman once said, ‘The words ‘I am’ are potent words; be careful what you hitch them to.’
Read over the instructions on the worksheet and brainstorm as many answers to the statement “I am…” that you can come up with in three minutes. You will not be asked to reveal your statements, so do not filter your statements, just write what comes to mind.
When complete, return to this module.
“I am…” statements can be empowering or very limiting. The Enemy Within loves to help you come up with a lot of debilitating statements that keep you stuck. Here are just a few examples…
- I am unattractive
- I am unloved
- I am not worthy
- I am fat
- I am kidding myself
- I am stupid
… you get the idea.
When you negatively say, “I am this…” or “I am that…” you aren’t just defining yourself, you are limiting yourself.
“I am…” can give your world needed structure, but it can also place you in a box.
Next, answer the debrief questions below. Then return to this module.
- What did you notice when brainstorming your “I am…” statements?
- What was easy in brainstorming your I am…” statements?
- What was difficult?
Look back over your list of “I am…” statements. Since you know the power of such statements, it’s important to note which statements might be limiting. Put a star next to those statements that are probably originating from your Enemy Within.
If you hold up your list of negative“I am…” statements at an arm’s distance, you’ll notice how your statements actually resemble a brick wall.
Now imagine that this brick wall surrounds you; that your “I am…” statements have created a solid boundary around you.
You can now see why “I am…” is a favorite tactic of your Enemy Within because when you begin labeling yourself as this or that, you hold yourself back from all kinds of possibilities for redefining and reinventing who you are.
This is why it’s important to be aware of this tactic that the Enemy Within uses so that you can then use the necessary weapons to combat this enemy. This is what you will discover in Module #5.”
