Off Track: The Hardest Negotiation You’ll Ever Have Is With Yourself

Welcome back to Off Track, the space where I speak unscripted, unfiltered and straight from the heart. No guests, no notes, just honest reflections shaped by real conversations and real life. This week, I’m reflecting on my conversation with professional negotiator Lousin Mehrabi. What started as a discussion about negotiation tactics quickly turned into something far deeper, about emotions, ego and the battles we fight within ourselves. Here are the three insights behind this episode. 1️⃣ The Hardest Negotiations Aren’t Logical, They’re Emotional I used to think winning an argument was about being the smartest person in the room. Lousin completely challenged that. It’s not intelligence that wins. It’s self-control. The person who regulates their nervous system, who stays calm, who doesn’t react to cheap shots, usually walks away with more power. Logic matters. But emotional regulation decides the outcome. 2️⃣ You Don’t Win With Narcissists. You Walk Away. Narcissists can play the victim, the hero and the abuser in the same breath. And the more you try to convince them, the more you lose yourself. The biggest shift for me was this: we are addicted to being understood. But sometimes strength isn’t proving your point. It’s releasing the need to be understood at all. Not every battle deserves your energy. 3️⃣ The Toughest Negotiation Is the One You Have With Yourself We avoid. We procrastinate. We choose safety over growth. That’s the real internal negotiation happening every day. Lousin spoke about revisiting younger versions of ourselves, the child who needed validation, the teenager who needed approval, the adult chasing status, and recognising that those needs don’t define who we are today. Real power comes from inner peace. From giving yourself what you once looked for in others. Honest, reflective and straight from the heart.This is me, off my chest and off the cuff. Welcome to Off Track. 🎙️✨