Studies done in recent years have backed up what many of us have known all along…. that music is a powerful force for lifting your mood. Music often has a profound connection with our memories, hearing a song can transport us immediately back to a particular time in our life, acting as an audible time machine.
I’m a big fan of building rituals into our lives as a short cut to different kinds of head space. When I need to relax I might play a little Kruder & Dorfmeister or when I need to perk up I blast Rihanna and Shakira. So when I need to feel powerful, I make sure to have a playlist to help me get there.
Like almost all confidence-inducing triggers, there’s no right or wrong way to do it.
Every person is going to get inspired by the style of music they feel most connected to. Country, Classical, Hip-Hop, Pop or Rock (just to name a few) are all legitimate choices, what matters most is how the songs make you feel.
A Power Song is a song that tends to have a fast or uplifting beat that triggers a powerful, confident mindset in you every time you listen to it.
As soon as you started reading this article, at least one or two songs probably came to mind. These are the songs that you can’t help but crank up the volume when they come on… that you’ll listen to a half a dozen times in a row… that make you feel inspired to get up and move your body and sing along at the top of your lungs. These are the songs that make you feel like a rock star and make you dance like everyone is watching!
I like to have one or two top Power Songs at any given time, because sometimes my tastes change or the song becomes overly familiar and so doesn’t have quite the same pep as it used to. That’s when it gets added to the Power Playlist for when I have time for more than one song.
Incorporating your Power Song into your life is one of those small, easy changes that can make a big difference. You know how much I love simple, actionable steps and this one definitely fits the bill.
Like all trigger development the key is to both listen to the song when you need a pickup as well as when you’re already feeling big and powerful. By listening to your Power Song when you’re already feeling powerful, you’ll learn to associate that song with that state of mind (I call it Pavlov Yourself and a longer blog post about the topic is coming up soon.) Then, when you’re needing to trigger that head space, you can play the Power Song (or Power Playlist) and it will help you return to that state of mind.
Examples
- Eye of the Tiger – Survivor
- Titanium & Unstoppable by Sia
- Miss You by The Rolling Stones (the Austin Powers edition)
What’s your #powersong? Add it in the comments below and then Tweet me and share!