Exspeaktations
With so many self-improvement and personal development books, the concept of "Exspeaktations" is the idea behind Chris' newest book. The title, which essentially means "what you say is what you get," underscores the profound influence of our words on our thoughts, emotions, actions, and ultimately, our reality. The power of our words to shape our lives has been a timeless theme, and this book shines a light on expectations and the role our language and self-talk plays in creating our destinies.
The idea that expectations play a pivotal role in shaping our lives is not new. Ancient wisdom traditions and modern self-help gurus have long emphasized the Law of Attraction, which suggests that like attracts like. In essence, if you expect positive outcomes and express these expectations through your words and thoughts, you're more likely to experience positive results.
In my new book, Exspeaktations, I dive into the science and psychology behind the Law of Attraction. It's not just a mystical concept; it's grounded in cognitive psychology and neuroscience. Our brains are wired to seek confirmation of our beliefs. When we express positive expectations, our brain actively looks for evidence to support those expectations, making it more likely that we'll notice and capitalize on opportunities that align with our positive outlook.
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One practical application of exspeaktations is through using “I AM” affirmations. Affirmations are positive statements or phrases that you repeat to yourself regularly. These statements are designed to challenge and replace negative self-talk and self-limiting beliefs. For example, if you're trying to boost your self-confidence, you might repeat, "I am confident, capable, and worthy of success."
The magic of affirmations lies in their ability to reshape your beliefs and expectations. When you repeatedly speak or think positive statements about yourself and your abilities, you begin to internalize these beliefs. Over time, your expectations align with your affirmations, and you subconsciously start making choices and taking actions that lead to the outcomes you desire.
Exspeaktations is filled with stories of people who have shaped their lives through their thoughts and words. They essentially used self-fulfilling prophecies. When you speak about your expectations, you're not just talking; you're setting intentions. You're telling the universe (and yourself) what you want and believe to be true. This has a profound impact on your actions and behaviors, which in turn shape your reality.
Consider this example: If you constantly tell yourself and others that you're terrible at public speaking, you're likely to avoid speaking opportunities, leading to missed chances for improvement. However, if you shift your exspeaktations and say, "I am working on improving my public speaking skills," you're more likely to seek out opportunities for growth, leading to improvement and eventually, confidence in public speaking.
Exspeaktations often go hand-in-hand with visualization. Visualization involves mentally picturing the outcomes you desire. By vividly imagining your goals, you reinforce your positive expectations. When you visualize success, your brain begins to treat it as a familiar scenario, reducing anxiety and increasing your chances of achieving your goals.
Exspeaktations explores various stories of individuals, historical figures, celebrities, athletes and ordinary people like you and me. Vision boards are discussed in chapter 1 and science is used in multiple chapters to educate the reader of the importance of their words and their thoughts not just to themselves, but to others as well.
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One of the most significant challenges in mastering exspeaktations is breaking the cycle of negative self-talk and self-defeating language. Many people habitually engage in self-deprecating language and pessimistic expectations. This new book provides strategies to identify and challenge these destructive thought patterns.
One technique involves journaling and using the I AM Intention Tracker to write down your thoughts by going through thought provoking questions about 21 topics. By writing down your thoughts and paying attention to recurring negative phrases or expectations, you can confront and reframe them. For instance, if you notice a pattern of thinking, "I'll never be good enough," you can challenge this belief by writing about your accomplishments and acknowledging your strengths.
Exspeaktations, is a new work about having expectations. It compares and contrasts the difference between expectations and exspeaktations — the concept that what you say is what you get. The book offers a powerful lens through which to view the relationship between language, expectations, and the creation of our own realities. It promises to provide valuable insights, practical techniques, and scientific evidence to support the idea that our words have the potential to shape our lives, and our deaths, in profound ways.
I encourage you to explore the world of exspeaktations, and remember that changing your language and expectations is a journey. It requires consistent effort and self-awareness. By becoming more mindful of your words and deliberately shaping your expectations, you can harness the transformative power of exspeaktations to create the life you desire. After all, the words you choose to speak are the seeds that have the potential to grow into the reality you want to live.
Available on Amazon for purchase. If you really want to be more intentional with yourself, your team, your study group, or a church group — get a copy of the accompanying I AM Intention Tracker as well.
Chris Coltran is the author of multiple books including Selling to your Grandmother and the Grandmother Philosophy — the philosophy of “treating people like you would treat your own grandmother.” He has conducted workshops and seminars for over 20,000 participants. Chris’ latest book, Exspeaktations – What you Say is what you Get and the accompanying 21-step I AM Intention Tracker focuses on mindset and the power that your words and thoughts have over your outcomes. Thoughts become your words, words produce your actions and actions determine your future. The I AM Intention Tracker is already being used in coaching and training sessions for professionals.
