Broken soundtracks are a dream killer.
Stress and uncertainty bring out the overthinker in all of us. Decisions become more complex. Bad habits rear their ugly heads. Stories we’ve told ourselves for years get louder. And the more we overthink, the more time gets taken away from family, friends, career, and personal goals.
When it comes to overthinking, perfectionism, and comparison, our thoughts often revolve around things we carry from past experiences or unknown future outcomes. These broken soundtracks, as Jon Acuff calls them, create loops of indecision and inaction.
In his new book, SOUNDTRACKS, Acuff outlines how to recognize these broken ideas and offers a user-friendly guide to overcoming them.
What Are Soundtracks?
Raise your hand if you have at least one playlist saved on your favorite music app. Or, if you’re like me and grew up in the wonderful decade that was the 1980s, you remember the glory of making the perfect mixtape. It required true skill to fit as many songs as possible on a tape without cutting off the last song or having too much dead space. And don’t even get me started on when a radio DJ talked over the introduction of a song you tried to record off the Saturday morning countdown.
But I digress.
Soundtracks are just like those playlists and mixtapes. They are the thoughts and emotions we keep on repeat in our heads, both good and bad. Positive soundtracks push us forward. They tell us things like “The sun is out, and it’s going to be a beautiful day for a family walk,” or “I studied hard for this test and know I can ace it.”
But broken soundtracks, the limiting thoughts that hold us back, include “I can’t get that promotion at work because I don’t have the right connections” or “I am no good with money and will never get out of debt.” Broken soundtracks keep us from trying new things. They steal our time and energy.
In SOUNDTRACKS, Jon Acuff blends a series of personal stories, anecdotes from others, and behavioral research to provide evidence of how these broken soundtracks influence our lives and how to flip them into positive action. And there are some literal Laugh Out Loud moments. The book provides readers with a practical and easy-to-follow guide on how to put your soundtracks to the test.
Recognizing Broken Soundtracks
In order to recognize a broken soundtrack, Acuff suggests a three-question method: Is it true? Is it helpful? Is it kind? These three questions can be applied to any thought. If a soundtrack doesn’t pass any of these questions, the soundtrack fails.
For example, one of my current soundtracks is “I can’t be a successful self-published author because I’m not good at technology.” Let’s put this through the questions.
- Is it true? – Maybe. While I’m comfortable using computers and apps for basic stuff, I am certainly no programmer or graphic designer. I don’t geek out about the latest digital system or rush to get the newest version of XYZ phone/app. So while I can use technology, I wouldn’t consider myself “good” at it.
- Is it helpful? – Not so much. Automatically assuming I can’t be successful at something because I’m not proficient at one part of the formula doesn’t help me get to where I want to go. All this soundtrack does is make me overthink my desire to share my work.
- Is it kind? – Again, not so much. Telling myself I can’t do something is bad enough. But telling myself I can’t do it because I’m not good enough is certainly not being kind to myself.
Based on the questions, I know this becomes a broken soundtrack.
Learning to Flip Broken Soundtracks
According to Acuff, broken soundtracks – the negative thoughts that invade our day and get loud in times of stress – act on a dial, not a switch. As a result, you can’t just turn off these powerful thoughts. But, you can learn to turn them down just as you would turn down the volume on a song you don’t like.
Changing a broken soundtrack requires the Three R’s: Retire old soundtracks, Replace them with new ones, and Repeat the positive soundtracks over and over until they become part of your new playlist.
In my scenario with thinking I can’t be a successful self-published author, let’s run this through the Three R’s.
- Retire the old soundtrack – I recognize telling myself I can’t be successful isn’t 100% true, helpful, or kind. I need to retire it by creating a new soundtrack around this idea.
- Replace it with a new one – The thought of “I can’t be successful because I’m not good at technology” becomes “I can learn the technology needed to be a successful self-published author.”
- Repeat the new soundtrack – I wrote this new soundtrack in my planner and on a sticky note next to my desk. By reading the new soundtrack in different places throughout the day, the dial on the new soundtrack gets turned up and the old one gets turned down.
By retiring the old soundtrack, I took action. I went through a self-publishing course that helped me learn more about the technology skills I’ll need when I eventually publish my first book.
Why Soundtracks Matter
“You don’t think your way out of overthinking. You act your way out.”
Soundtracks, Jon Acuff
Overthinking leads to perfectionism and comparison. When faced with a decision of any kind, or when you suddenly remember something a friend said to you three years ago, broken soundtracks create a cycle of negative thoughts and inaction. By learning to recognize the broken soundtracks and create new ones, you give yourself permission to move forward.
In SOUNDTRACKS, Jon Acuff helps readers break through that loop. His strategies for recognizing broken soundtracks and learning to replace them can benefit anyone who struggles with overthinking, perfectionism, and comparison. That thing you throught you knew about yourself from sixth grade probably isn’t true. And it’s definitely not helpful or kind. That thing you have wanted to do for years won’t get done if you can only do it if it will be perfect from the beginning. SOUNDTRACKS can help you turn down the dial on the broken thoughts holding you back and turn up the dial on those thoughts that can move you in a new direction.
Don’t Overthink This
If you’re not already familiar with Jon Acuff, he is an author and public speaker. He provides corporate training along with leading thousands of people through courses and goal setting challenges. You can find out more about his work and SOUNDTRACKS through his website or on his social media pages (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter). SOUNDTRACKS releases April 6.
I had the chance to read an advance copy of SOUNDTRACKS. I highly recommend the book, especially if you’re an overthinker. The book can be purchased at your favorite book retailers. Give yourself a gift this spring and take back your brain’s playlist. Create new soundtracks that move you forward.
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