The Stories We Tell Ourselves
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We all have a story we tell ourselves about where we’re at in life and how we ended up there. Often, we use these stories as justification for the state of our relationships, health, finances and work. We make excuses to ourselves and to others so often that we come to believe that what we’re saying is really true when it’s not. Happily, it is possible to change the narrative of our story, adjust the trajectory of our journey and achieve real success. The first step is identifying personal blind spots. Here’s how:
We Make Excuses
Jim Rohn used to say, “If you really want to do something, you’ll find a way. If you don’t, you’ll find an excuse.” When it comes to doing what’s needed, everyone has good intentions. Our heart is in the right place and we genuinely intend to do the right thing. The problem is, we fall short. We judge ourselves by our intent; others judge us by our actions – and the difference between the two can be radical! When we consistently make excuses for our lack of action, we give ourselves too much empathy and the stories we tell become so ingrained that we never move forward.
We Convince Ourselves
Often when we’re struggling with something in life, we work overtime to convince ourselves that everything is fine. Just like a barbecue, we rotisserie our excuses over and over again until the stories we tell become fact. Then we double down on our excuses, find others in the same boat and, like birds of a feather, flock together in a downward spiral. As the old saying goes, if you want to soar with the eagles, don’t hang with the chickens! If you associate with action-oriented people, you’ll be more inspired and motivated to make positive changes in your own life.
We Live in Our Own Story
When you make excuses and you live in that story, it affects what you believe and you can become convinced that it’s your truth. In reality, our truth is often not truthful at all. When we behave as victims or we’re influenced by others’ negativity, our excuses become more and more entrenched. Remember, your story is not over, it’s just getting started, so stop making excuses and start taking action instead!
It takes courage to change, but the good life that awaits you is always better than any story you tell yourself. To learn more about how to write your own happy ending, listen to the latest episode of “It’s a Good Life.”
