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Adopting Positive and Productive Attitudes 59

tially is reactive, but if you stop at that point to think about what
you want, you can adjust the intent of your “internal dialogue”
to support and reinforce what you want or need. This censor-
ing process is very valuable in all volatile or important situations.
Consider the following examples of these elements.
Several years ago, I was teaching a graduate class called Train-
ing and Development. One of the requirements was that each
student teach the rest of the class to do something at which the
presenter was competent.
About two weeks earlier, one of my students, Marla, was due
to conduct her teaching session, and she came to me with a prob-
lem. “I get panicky whenever I have to make a presentation, either
in class or at work,” she said. “And because I get panicky, I always
fail at this task. I don’t want to fail anymore. I don’t want to fail
this class. What can I do to overcome my fear?”
I asked her what she tells herself just before making a presen-
tation. “Nothing. I’m not aware of telling myself anything,” she
said.
“But you must,” I insisted. “Think of the last time you had to
make a presentation, and tell me about how you felt just before you
had to do it.”
She replied that a month ago she was required to present the
results of a market research study she conducted to her company’s
advertising and sales departments. This report was to provide valu-
able insights for developing the company’s marketing campaign.
She said, “I was really nervous and was sure they would fi nd
fault with my conclusions. I thought they would make fun of my
presentation. I was also scared they would ask me questions I
wouldn’t be able to answer.”
After she relayed all of this negative self-talk, I asked her what
happened. She said, “Most of my fears came true. My presenta-

tion was a flop. My presentations are always a flop. That’s why I’m
afraid of putting on a training session for the class.”