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REASONS TO THINK IN 3RD PERSON

1. Gain more perspective
2. Decrease anxiety and depression
3. Stop recycling negative thoughts  

DEFINITION

Thinking in the 3rd person is a self-coaching technique. You use your name (ex. "Ann") or think of yourself as "he" or "she". 

EXPLANATION 

Your inner-voice produces thousands of thoughts each day, and many are inaccurate.

Most of your thoughts are subconscious. Current research suggests as much as 95% of brain activity is unconscious. 

Your thoughts (both conscious and subconscious) trigger your emotions. Thoughts are supposed to produce feelings, but sometimes the process gets reversed. 

Because most thoughts are subconscious, feelings often precede conscious, rational thought. 

Many of your thoughts are emotional. People often think emotionally. This happens when you conclude that your emotional reaction proves that something is true. 

You experience this each day. You feel afraid, so you think you must be in danger. You feel guilty, so you think you must have done something bad. 

You basically adjust your thoughts to fit the emotion. Psychologists refer to this as "emotional reasoning". 

Your inner-voice personalizes every thought. "I've screwed up!" Your inner-voice prefers the subjective mode over the objective, even when objective thought is more accurate. 

By thinking of yourself in the 3rd person, you'll evaluate your thoughts in a less emotional, more objective fashion. It's human nature to be more objective with others than we are about ourselves. 

COACHING POINT 

Your "inner-voice" speaks in the 1st person. Your "inner-coach" needs to recognize that fact and deal with your inner-voice in the 3rd person. 

A "thinking break" is a chance to stop and think about what your thinking. When you do this, you have to think of yourself in the 3rd person.