Your inner voice can be your most powerful ally or your worst enemy. Harness the story in your head to become your best self today.
Have you ever sat down to work, ready to make real progress, and then found yourself thinking:
- “I don’t know how to do this…”
- “I’ll just make this one phone call first.”
- “It’s too snowy to go to the gym.”
- “This is going to be so hard.”
- “This probably won’t be good enough for my client.”
That’s the story in your head. And it’s one of the biggest obstacles to getting things done.
We like to think time is the issue — that we just need a better system, a better planner, or an extra hour in the day. But the truth? The biggest productivity killer isn’t lack of time. It’s the mental chatter that distracts, delays, and derails us before we even begin.
Your Inner Voice is Running the Show
In his book Chatter, Ethan Kross describes how our inner voice can be either our best coach or our worst enemy. When we get stuck in negative self-talk — worrying, doubting, overanalyzing — it creates a loop that keeps us paralyzed in inaction.
Instead of diving into a task, we tell ourselves:
- “I’ll just check email first.”
- “I need to explore this a little more.”
- “Maybe I should clean up my desk first.”
And suddenly, 45 minutes have disappeared.
In What to Say When You Talk to Your Self, Shad Helmstetter explains that what we repeatedly tell ourselves becomes the script we follow. If our inner dialogue is filled with avoidance and hesitation, that becomes our default.
And in Think Like a Monk, Jay Shetty talks about the “monkey mind” — the part of our brain that jumps from thought to thought, looking for distraction and escape. The monkey mind thrives on procrastination and excuses.
This story in your head isn’t just random noise — it shapes what you do (or don’t do) every day.
Excuses Disguised as Logic
Here’s the tricky part: These stories don’t sound like excuses when we tell them to ourselves. They sound reasonable.
- “I don’t know how to do this.” (Reality: You can figure it out as you go.)
- “I should check my email first.” (Reality: Email is always there, but deep work requires focus.)
- “I’ll get started after lunch.” (Reality: More often than we admit, later turns into never.)
These thoughts feel true in the moment, but they aren’t facts — they’re just comfortable escape routes.
Jim Rohn said it best:
“If you really want to do something, you’ll find a way. If you don’t, you’ll find an excuse.”
How to Stop Letting the Story in Your Head Win
Catch the story
The first step is awareness. When you catch yourself thinking, “I should probably wait until…” or “I don’t know how to…”, recognize that this is just mental chatter, not reality.
Try naming it: “Oh, that’s just my ‘I don’t know how’ excuse again.”
Challenge the story
Once you recognize the story in your head, flip the script.
- Instead of “I don’t know how to do this,” say “I’ll figure it out step by step.”
- Instead of “This is going to be hard,” try “It’s only hard until I start.”
- Instead of “I’ll do it later,” say “I’ll give this 10 minutes right now.”
Take the tiniest possible action
Overthinking creates inertia — it makes tasks feel heavier than they are. The best way to break the cycle? Tiny action.
- Instead of “work on the presentation,” just open the slides.
- Instead of “write the report,” just type one sentence.
- Instead of “go to the gym,” just put on your sneakers.
Tiny actions reduce resistance. And once you start, the story in your head loses its power.
Get external accountability
The fastest way to escape the trap of mental chatter? Hang around people who won’t let you stay stuck.
I’m the quintessential introvert, so I understand wanting to work alone. But continually working in isolation makes it all too easy for the story in your head to win. By contrast, when you’re in a group of smart, action-taking people, something shifts:
- You see others moving forward.
- You recognize when you’re making excuses.
- You get the push you need to stop overthinking and start executing.
The Bottom Line
You don’t need more time or more productivity gadgets. You need to stop believing the story in your head.
The biggest reason we struggle with productivity isn’t lack of skill, time, or ability. It’s the mental noise that stops us before we start.
And the best way to do that? Surround yourself with people who won’t let you stay stuck.
If you’re ready to get out of your own way, join my Friday accountability group. Every week, you’ll be surrounded by smart, action-oriented people who know how to push past the mental chatter — and we’ll help you do the same.
Let’s get to work. Join here.