There’s so much trash in our minds. I’m not good enough. I’m not valuable. I’m not as talented as so in so. I’m a fraud and imposter.
This trash affects our business, our marriage, our clients, and every interaction we have. Do you know the relationship it affects most? The one we have with ourselves!
For months my wife and I had a ceiling fan in our room that squeaked. It grated on my nerves and disturbed my peaceful sleep night after night. One night I couldn’t stand it any longer. I jumped up with sleep-filled eyes, stumbled to find the WD-40, and fixed the fan! Why did I wait so long? Procrastination!
We all put off what we know needs to be done. And, the squeak doesn’t go away until we address it. What squeaks do we have in our mindset that are going unaddressed because of the trash we carry with us?
Write What You Want to Be – Do – Have
Find a quiet place–without a noisy fan overhead–and think about who you want to be, what you want to do, and what you want to have. Write down the top 10 for each category. My Futuristic® strength loves this exercise to help me dream, and it shows you patterns and potential action steps for what you want your life to look like in the next 10+ years.
Another way especially if you have the Context® strength is to work backward and imagine people at my funeral as they read my eulogy. What do I want them to say about me? What impact did I make? Who did I influence and serve? Asking these questions helps you determine who you want to be and how you want to show up to the world each and every day.
What’s The Squeaky Fan In Your Life?
We all have fears and some level of fear is normal and healthy. However, there can be a debilitating amount of fear: fear of failure, success, responsibility, financial loss, physical loss, and much more. Perhaps you’ve been afraid of committing fully or not enough.
The struggle is real! I get it. Leaving these fears to go unchecked and not examining whether there is validity can mean that you live a life that’s not fulfilled.
Maya Angelou says, “ My mission in life is not merely to survive; but, to thrive and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor and some style.”
Are you living with passion or fear? Fulfilled or holding back due to unchecked fears and trash in your mind?
“My mission in life is not merely to survive; but, to thrive and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor and some style.” – Maya Angelou
Renewing Your Mindset
Renewing your mind requires intentional effort. Take some time to write your eulogy and your Be – Do – Have list. As you review it, ask:
- What mindset will it take to reach my goals?
- What trash do I have to throw out?
- What do I have to do each day to make it happen?
- Who do I need to support, coach, and encourage me?
It’s time to throw out procrastination and fear and live life with passion and purpose. You are the author of your future.
If you’re ready to remove that squeaky fan from your life, take my free Breakthrough with Strengths Course here.
