So you talk to yourself, which creates some internal uncertainty. You may wonder, “Does that make me weird?” “Am I not normal?” If Google search results provide any indication, talking to yourself carries a negative cogitation. The first results for “I talk to myself” read “Talking to Myself- Is That Normal? Quick and Dirty Tips,” “Talking to Myself Outloud, Normal or Not?” and “Talking to Myself—Is That Normal? Scientific American.”

First let me say, I try to keep my blog “normal” free. As I mention in my Think Inclusive piece “A Proposal to Revolutionize Inclusion” I consider “normal” a myth. We all possess differences which we should celebrate, rather than try to hide. Therefore I will not gage you on such a scale.

Anyways I confess I talk to myself. Heck I conduct business meetings with myself, seriously. Earlier in the month I told a friend about these meetings. How “Positive Zach,” “Critical Zach,” and “Mediator Zach” will meet to discuss my entrepreneurial pursuits. As I continued on his facial expression spoke for him. “You’re s***ing me, right?”

Not at all! I am really taking talking to yourself to another level. Mediator Zach conducts the meeting, keeping me centered. Critical Zach raises concerns while Positive Zach keeps spirits up highlighting and celebrating positives. This eventually leads to back and forth between Critical Zach and Positive Zach, hence the need for Mediator Zach.

Allow me to demonstrate. Critical Zach expressed concern over our in-progress second book. “Will the book sell enough to make the time investment worthwhile? After all look how the first book sold.”

Mediator Zach deemed the point reasonable and passed the floor to Positive Zach. “First let us appreciate the feedback Off Balanced garnered and keeps garnering. While sale numbers may leave something to be desired, the book made a real impact on readers’ lives. Now to Critical Zach’s point, this second book is in a different niche, a larger one too so I’d say yes. The opportunities…”

Example feedback demonstrating Positive Zach’s point about Off Balanced.

That should give you an understanding how my internal business meetings go. On a quick aside, anyone interested in my second book’s details, make sure to subscribe to my blog here (look to the right under “Be the First to Know:). I will make the announcement revealing details within the next month.

Back to the topic though, I chose to post about talking to myself to encourage you to cast away any shame you might feel. Talking to yourself can serve as a tool for self-improvement. Admittedly you want to emphasis the “a.” The more tools you utilize, the better equipped for success you become.

Beyond talking to yourself, I highly recommend implementing a concept my college friend and fellow blogger James Schleicher recently blogged about, “your personal board of directors.” Create an inner circle composing close confidants who you can check in with regularly. They will identify issues or supply helpful advice you could not come up with on your own, even when talking to yourself.