Who is it really? Is it truly an outside person that is stopping you from achieving your ideal life? Or does that make it easier to live with as an answer? You’ll usually find, if you’re being brutally honest with yourself, that you are the only one stopping you. This mindset may be due to your self-identity, path uncertainty, or desire to avoid the tough decisions and hard work you’ll need to endure. So decide, make a plan, see yourself as that successful person and get to work!
Reading A Brief History Of Time and listening to Sapiens on Audible these days. Lots of thoughts percolate up with these types of books. While everything matters in the moment, your actions today are unlikely to be remembered or really matter 500 years from now. So what’s it all for? Perhaps any reason is a good one.
When considering a decision, let your conscience be your guide. How does it make you feel? How would you feel on the receiving end? Would you be delighted to proudly tell your grandmother of the decision made? What would the worst tabloid headline be? Would you be happy with it now and in 10 years?
Somedays this is all you feel you can do. Keep pushing through though. You’ll get more done than you thought you would.
I happened upon a video today that reminded me of this point made by Thomas Sowell, and possibly others too. Everything in life seems to be about tradeoffs. Certainly everything to do with money. We like to think there are absolute solutions but really they are just more, or less, palatable tradeoffs.
What would you need to be true, to be happier? Have you considered this? Do you have control over any of these items? Why not start doing the things now to make yourself happier?
We don’t stray too far from our comfortable identity. Often people don’t improve their identity either. While being the same as you were 20 years is nice, weren’t there any areas in your life that could have been stretched and improved? What is the identity you’d like to grow into in the next 2 years?
Do you really know? Have you ever really given 100%? If you have, could you have gone 40% more? Did you try? We are far more capable than we believe. Try pushing one of your limits today.
It’s often easier to know what we don’t want. So take some time and really consider what you do want. Then simply ask for it. You may actually get it.
Approach challenging topics head on. Avoiding them doesn’t make them any better.
