Why self-talk is a business risk (Are you ready to fix it?)
By Mark Jones
Is working life and self-care incompatible? Ever since Covid shook the foundations of working life we’ve been obsessed with wellbeing and different forms of self-care.
I was inspired by the Word Health Organization’s reminder during self-care month that we should practice self-care 24/7, seven days a week. It’s kinda obvious - so why do we need a whole month to make the point?
It’s not like we’re ignoring the issue. Business investment in wellbeing across the Asia-Pacific has risen 27 percent since 2020, and Google data reveals global interest in ‘wellbeing’ has doubled in the past decade.
Well, it turns out we like the idea but we’re still not fixing the problem in the workplace.
Millions of people still feel burnt out at work and struggle with mental health issues.
My reflections first posted to LinkedIn on Self-care Day 2025. Self-care Day should be every day!
The stats
A recent survey commissioned by the Australian Council of Trade Unions found 39 percent of Australian workers, some 5.7 million people, reported they feel burnt out.
It follows Gallup’s latest State of the Global Workforce report which found 65 percent of Australian workers are not engaged at work.
Then when we look across the world, an IPSOS study found 45 percent of people across 31 countries cite mental health as their top concern in 2024 - greater than cancer, stress, obesity, drug abuse and Coronavirus.
Image: World Economic Forum/WorkWell Leaders using Ipsos data
So, what’s the solution? It’s a global problem that literally begins at home and how you think about your approach to self-care and managing wellbeing.
Three pillars of self-care
Healthcare professionals tell us to begin by looking at what’s in your control every day - leave the big picture stuff because that will take time to sort out.
Direct action, however small, matters on a daily basis because the issues you face at work are with you when you go to sleep and there again when you wake up. And sometimes, nightmarishly, with you during the night! Been there, had the nightmare!
So let’s start with the basics.
Exercise every day.
Eat healthy foods.
Get 8+ hours of sleep.
Easy to say, hard to do. But regardless, each one is more critical than you realise during seasons of peak stress.
Get started on sorting them out if they’re not already positive habits.
Up next, I want you to start thinking about the fourth pillar of wellbeing and self-care - one that’s frequently overlooked:
Why self-talk helps self-care
That is, the stories we tell ourselves. Your inner critic that attacks your self-esteem in your worst moments.
I can’t do this! I’m no good at my job!
These narratives run around in our heads 24/7 and can feel particularly overwhelming when you’re experiencing burnout.
If the story you tell yourself is full of fear, doubt or relentless pressure to prove yourself, no amount of green juice will make you feel okay.
You can be doing everything right. Going to gym before work, drinking kale smoothies at lunch, and meditating on the train. A perfect eight hours sleep. And yet that inner voice keeps says:
“I’m not good enough.”
“I should be further ahead in my career by now.”
“Someone’s going to find out I can’t handle the pressure. I’m a failure.”
Sound familiar? I’ve been there more than once, and I can tell you from my experience coaching senior executives that words like these are more common than you’d imagine.
Negative narratives like these impact our personal performance and limits our effectiveness at work.
From a performance lens:
Self-talk influences decision-making, risk tolerance and leadership presence.
Your inner narrative impacts stress response, creativity and resilience under pressure.
Left unchecked, it drives perfectionism, procrastination, imposter syndrome and burnout.
From a business lens:
Leaders with low self-awareness create high-friction teams.
Poor internal narratives trickle down to poor external outcomes - client interactions, investor or customer confidence and brand reputation.
The real kicker
But the real trouble - particularly if you are an employer - is that your inner critic isn’t just annoying. It’s expensive. Really expensive.
One study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found burnout costs between US$4,000 to US$21,000 per employee. That means a company with 1,000 employees could lose US$5 million each year.
It’s at this moment c-suite leaders should pay (even more) attention. Wellbeing, self-care is not only a fundamental issue that deserves attention because we’re all human - it’s a material business risk.
Taking action: Working on the fourth pillar
The good news is there’s a way forward that’s also within our control, a four pillar in our self-care and wellbeing journey.
It’s not another health app or fitness program. All you need is a pen or a keyboard and a willingness to rewrite your story.
Here’s a simple approach I teach in my coaching program, Rewrite Your Story, with executive leaders. I also explore it in my forthcoming book, Flip the Script.
Mark Jones: Self-care is the fourth pillar of self-care.
Step 1. Spot the script
Pay attention to your most frequent self-talk patterns. What stories do you tell yourself under stress or when you fail? And what about when you succeed - do you give yourself a quiet pat on the back, or write it off as a fluke?
Step 2. Interrogate your stories
Ask: Is the voice of my inner critic serving me? Are my limiting beliefs helping my business, my health, my team, my goals?
Spoiler: if the answer is ‘no’ - it’s time for a new narrative.
Step 3. Flip the script on your old stories
Ask yourself: What’s the most empowering, positive version of my negative stories?
Quite often it's the exact opposite. ‘I’m not good enough,’ becomes, ‘I’ve got this. I’ve done work like this before.’
This isn’t just positive thinking and wishful thinking. It’s neural rewiring backed by cognitive psychology and behavioural science.
As we begin to actively flip the script and rewrite the stories we tell ourselves some remarkable things begin to happen. Our daily choices and behaviour begin to reflect these new, positive stories.
That’s because what we believe about ourselves drives our behaviour. Our self-talk becomes this missing fourth pillar that strengthens our self-care and wellbeing journey.
High-performance leadership starts with our hearts and minds
My vision for self-care and wellbeing in the workplace is a time when executive leaders move beyond thinking this is just a nice-to-have, an optional DE&I initiative. Or at worst, an easy fix by giving people an extra day off or two.
Self-care is the cornerstone of leadership. Like we’re told on airplanes during the safety briefing: always put on your seatbelt before helping someone else.
Great leaders are more effective at caring for others and promoting organisational performance when they’ve looked after themselves first - all four pillars.
They’re composed, clear and courageous - not because they’ve got perfect diets or sleep routines, but because they’ve mastered their inner narrative and are writing a new energising story.
Here’s the challenge - Rewrite your story
If you’re still treating your mindset like an afterthought in your performance strategy this is your invitation to level up.
The Fourth Pillar isn’t some soft, optional exercise to keep employees happy. It’s a strategic tool that drives competitive advantage and fosters thriving teams.
Here’s how to take action:
Join the waitlist for my next Rewrite Your Story coaching cohort.
Ask me how I can help your team understand the stories that are holding them back.
Check out my keynotes and workshops: Let’s chat about how we can bring this message to your leadership team or next offsite.
High-performance and success is more than the traditional three pillars. It’s about rewriting your self-talk and daring to believe change is possible.
Onwards!
Mark
Hey, you got to the end! Nice work.
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