The Effective Annoyance of Affirmations: Do They Really Work or Is It All Just Tony Robbins New-Age Hype?

I always wondered if affirmations really worked. I mean, after going to see Tony Robbins several times and working with life coaches and performance coaches, my mind had been trained to believe that yes, they did. But was my mind conditioned to believe it? Or had I simply been brainwashed into believing it and spending even more money on coaches, courses, and seminars?

It's kind of like the chicken and the egg thing, but for personal development.

What I can say is that I have been successful. 

What I can't know is precisely when that success started. 

Meaning, did I become successful before or after my dive into the world of affirmations and positive self-talk. I realize I can probably put this to a timeline. Still, the thing is, I think I was already dabbling into the personal development world before I made it more official with seminars, coaches, and of course, writing out my own affirmations.

Feel me?

So the burning question remains.

Do affirmations really work?

But first, what is an affirmation?

An affirmation is a carefully formatted statement that should be repeated to oneself and written down frequently. For affirmations to be effective, it is said that they need to be present tense, positive, personal, and specific.

It's also said that body language should accompany an affirmation.

Like a fist pump as you tell yourself how awesome you are, for example.

A common misconception about affirmations is that they have to affirm positive things about themselves. In reality, declarations can affirm anything - life, love, wealth, the future, abundance, health, etc. An affirmation can announce an intention you have for yourself and your life or affirm something specific about yourself like "I am beautiful." 

Affirmative statements are meant to provide new perspectives on our lives when we feel stuck in old, broken, or non-existent patterns of thinking and living.

Let's explore the effectiveness of affirmations

Here's an example of an affirmation: "I am a magnet for money. Prosperity is drawn to me."

Sounds a little woo-woo, right?

Like seriously? 

You expect to get rich by saying that over and over again?

Yes. And no.

This sort of statement is considered by many to be a good affirmation, in part because it is positive and there is present tense. "I am" indicates that the person who is affirming already has wealth. However, the affirmations may not actually work if the person saying them doesn't believe that they are true or do not act as though they were true. In other words, the affirmatives have to be believable for them to work. If someone believes them but then acts in ways contrary to what would seem logical, like frivolity or non-sensical financial decisions, it might be more difficult for affirmations to manifest.

So then, what creates the success? Is it the affirmation itself? Or is it the conscious decisions surrounding it? And if it's the surrounding conscious decisions, then why do we need an affirmation?

Chicken and egg.

"You can't do the visualization and then go eat a sandwich. You have to do the work." ~Jim Carrey

So let's talk chickens and eggs

I was aware enough to know I needed a little help during a tough time. Also, I was driven enough to then seek some sort of guidance. That's what led me to the world of personal development and hence, affirmations.

But reflecting back and knowing that I had awareness and drive innately, wouldn't that usually be enough for the average person to tap into and push through tough or unique times? Isn't it already within us?

Make sense?

So is the affirmation really the secret code that unleashes folks to the next level of greatness? Or is it simply a hocus-pocus, woo-woo undertaking that slows folks down who were ALREADY on that path to greatness?

Or put another way…

Would you still have achieved the things you have achieved without any kind of affirmation but instead tapping solely into your own internal drive and smarts?

I think that's really the rub for me.

So if one is already destined for greatness, then does the whole exercise of developing affirmations really just slow us down?

And therein is the other rub.

You see, I honestly believe we are all destined for some sort of greatness, but some people just don't have enough self-belief to know it. So they seek out affirmations. And maybe later in their lives, after success is earned, they ask the same questions I'm pondering.

Chicken and egg.

"I will always find a way, and a way will always find me." ― Charles F. Glassman

The good and the bad about affirmations

If affirmations were totally logical, they would likely be part of some standardized curriculum. Like math, science, or English and then be taught in school. But alas, they're not, and that has to make one wonder.

However, affirmations still can be effective and may work in two main ways.

1. Affirmations can help create a new belief within oneself

I believe this to be true. Sometimes this can be as simple as self-talk. The things we say to ourselves, in our heads when the going gets rough.

"You got this, Rick"…or… "Ain't nothing but a thing Rick." In the moment, these are the words and affirmations that push and pull us through difficult situations.

But it won't matter how many affirmations you say if you don't really believe and embody what you are saying.

2. Affirmations can help release doubt and resistance that is already present

Affirmations can also help release doubts or resistance in one's self when they're already present. For example, affirmatives like "My family loves me" can help you release any doubts or resistance that your family doesn't love you (whether it's true or not).

And as before, affirmations will only have an effect if the person using them believes they are genuine and acts as though they are true.

But affirmations should be used with safeguards.

1. Affirmations work best when a commitment is made

If the words are empty, then so will be what you seek. You have to not only affirm but then do the work. You can't "will" the pump to bring water. You have to actually turn the crank.

2. Affirmations should become a daily habit

These aren't quicker-picker-uppers. These are beliefs that should become engrained into the fiber of your being. Affirmations need to be repeated with intent and focus for them to work.

Live them, eat them, breathe them and see what miracles come to life.

"We have always held to the hope, the belief, the conviction that there is a better life, a better world, beyond the horizon." - Franklin D. Roosevelt

My two cents

I use them. I do indeed believe in the power of affirmations and positive self-talk. They've been a part of my life in good times and in bad.

And overall, I would consider my life a success in multiple areas like love, abundance, happiness, wealth, and everything in between.

Do I owe it all to a bunch of words taped to my bathroom mirror?

Of course not. I'm also sensible and pragmatic, but I do know that just as prayer keeps me in my faith, affirmations keep me in my groove.

"Grit, determination, the right amount of crazy, self belief - everything it takes to be a champion. I have that." - Dustin Poirier

The final word

In affirmations, the idea is that if you affirm something enough and believe it to be true, then it will happen.

And affirmations can work because, as humans, we have a tendency to want to deny negative things about ourselves or our lives and reach for the positive. So when we affirm a positive statement about ourselves like "I am intelligent" or "I am loved," for example, it can help us feel better and even release any doubts in those areas.

But affirmations should be used with caution and not taken lightly. They are meant to create new beliefs inside of oneself that become engrained into your being over time through repetition - not just something you say when the chips are down.

And in the end, all that really matters is your very own "two cents" around this.