You know the stories. The one about how you can’t do this or that, and that you are crazy, even irresponsible to dream so big. The one about how you are not enough, and someone better qualified with more experience and resources should do it. That story that provides compelling evidence that the world doesn’t need what you want to provide.
The one that reminds you about what happened when you tried and failed, and how painful and embarrassing it was. The one that convinces you that the world might find out you have no idea what you are doing. Because these stories come from us, it can be very convincing that we are cursed forever to be limited by their bounds. But that is their intent, to bind us to some state of existence that favors them, and the closer we get to breaking free from that state, the louder they become as they fight for their existence.
They only exist if we allow it.
Imagine that each of those toxic little stories are life forms. They come into existence as a consequence of your existence, and they stay in existence as long as you keep them alive. And when they creep up and haunt you, it’s because an opportunity to step past them has occurred, and it is a threat to their existence. Any life form that is facing an unwilling death, will fight to the finish. These stories are no different, and they will be cunning and clever, and come at you when you are most vulnerable, usually right before an opportunity to step forward presents itself. These stories know you, because you wrote them, and they will use everything they know about you to their advantage.
It’s always darkest before the dawn
These stories will bring us into the darkest of caves, hoping that there is no chance of the light getting in. When you are feeling their power over you grow, take heart, the light is coming soon so keep going! The best way to kill off these stories is to give them nowhere to go, and nothing to feed on. Cloud them and confuse them with your actions toward what you want. Eliminate room for them by filling up your mind and life with the stories that are calling you forward, calling you higher. And when the toxic stories are at their worst, call for the help of your community, your loved ones, the people in your life that can help you discern what is only a story and who you really are, are becoming, and why it matters.
This thought leadership article was featured on Thrive Global, who is on a mission to unlock human potential. Find out more about our very own Brent Robertson by reading his interview with Thrive Global by Fotis Georgiadis.
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