Whenever we undertake a new change in our lives we tell ourselves a story about it.
We’re the hero of our story. Unfortunately, it sometimes involves the hero not believing he or she can do it, wanting to give up, or give in to the easy route.
Imagine if these classics followed different story lines:
• Harry Potter doesn’t fight Voldemort because it’s too hard & he just wants to play xbox & post selfies on snapchat.
• Odysseus decides not to make the journey home because he knows he’s just going to give up, & anyway, isn’t the siren’s call of Facebook and Instagram too strong?
• Batman gives up on the city of Gotham & never takes on The Joker because he doesn’t think he can do it, & instead stays home to watch Netflix.
These would be horrible stories, right?
The stories are different for each of us but if we’re not succeeding at something, it’s probably because we’re telling ourselves the wrong story.
Try it now: think of a habit change you’d like to make or one you gave up on. Now think about what story you told yourself about yourself. Was it a brave hero triumphing over all odds? Or was it an ordinary character who’d probably give in to Easy Mac & Family Guy when things got hard?
Our stories stand in the way more than the actual thing we’re facing. When things get tough or uncomfortable, we tell ourselves: it’s OK to quit, its too hard, let’s not think about it, look-SQUIRREL!! So what can we do if our story is working against us?
Change the damn story!
While waiting at the doctors, I wrote a line from William Henley’s poem, ‘Invictus’ over & over until I had it memorized, “I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.” It’s why I LOVE writing and music – you can write a NEW story & you can sing a NEW song at any moment!
I dare you to write or sing a song where you’re the epic hero. Sing it daily & be proud of it. Go after the dream, fight the forces of distraction & self-doubt, rise up to be your best self. You’re the writer of your story, the composer of your song, the captain of your soul & every moment is a chance to rewrite a new draft ready to be crafted into something better.
