Tuning Out Your Inner Doofus

I just got back from New Orleans, where I got to speak to the Society of Government Meeting Professionals. They put on such an amazing conference!  Unfortunately, travel tends to bring out my inner doofus.

Whether you call them your little angel and devil, good guy and bad guy, or dynamo and doofus, as I lovingly refer to them, we all have two little voices in our head.  One is supportive, empathetic, intelligent, and logical, while the other is naughty, emotional, rude, and downright unstable!

If your dynamo tells you to choose a salad from the menu, your doofus tries to convince you that the cheeseburger and fries aren’t that bad, after all, it’s protein and you’ve had a really bad day.  If your dynamo says you are totally capable and should jump at the exciting new opportunity at work, your doofus tells says it’s too overwhelming, and you already have enough on your plate.  If your dynamo says it’s midnight and you have to get up in six hours for work, your doofus orders another round. You get the picture.

So if our dynamo is so supportive, and our doofus is so incredibly clueless,  why do we spend SO much time listening to doofus, and how do we tune it out?

We often let our inner doofus rule our behavior because it’s easier, it’s familiar, and it lets us relinquish control.

Whether it’s the internal debate to bite your tongue when you want to make an unproductive comment, or that nagging voice that tells you you’re not smart enough, our doofus has got to go, or at least have a lot less power over us.

Create a visual reminder to tune out your doofus.  When you notice him (or her) rambling on, acknowledge it and choose to let it go.  When you start taking control back, your dynamo takes over, you’re more productive, and you’re just plain happier.

What visual can you create to tune out the doofus in your head?

For some additional suggestions, check out my previous post, “No Dumping”.

Like us on Facebook to chat about your inner doofus, or leave a comment here!  I’d love to hear from you.