Affirmations work well when they are aligned with a strategy. For example, if you are heading into an important interview, you might be willing to say positive things to yourself to improve your performance. You are not lying to yourself; rather, you are leveraging your intelligence to elevate your self-esteem.

The science behind affirmations is compelling. Here are a few reasons why they work:

• Your self-concept shapes your perceptions and behavior: Your brain is constantly filtering reality. What gets through that filter depends on your self-concept (your internal story about who you are). Affirmations can reinforce positive identity beliefs, such as “I am capable” or “I belong here.”

• Thoughts are not just abstractions—they’re neural activity: Repeated thoughts strengthen specific neural pathways. Thus, certain interpretations and emotional responses become more automatic over time. Affirmations are repetitive mental exercises. Eventually, they rewire your brain.

You create the expectancy effect: Beliefs change physiology and behavior. If you genuinely expect to handle challenges well or believe you can learn new things, you will persist towards your goal for longer periods of time and interpret setbacks as temporary.

In the midst of a career transition or a job search, many factors are out of your control. However, you can choose to manage your thoughts and incorporate self-statements into your daily routine to increase your confidence and creativity. I think that’s worth doing.