⏱️ Do you need an updated view of yourself?

I. We’ve all experienced what it’s like to visit a grandparent or relative and become frustrated that they at times talk to or treat you as if you were still 10 years old, even if you haven’t been 10 years old in decades.

In these moments, these relatives are stuck with a long outdated view of you that they still hold in their minds.

And as frustrating as that is, we can do the exact same thing to ourselves.

Just because you didn’t have the skills, wisdom, or abilities five years ago (or longer) to pursue that thing, it doesn’t mean you don’t have them today.

What self-limiting beliefs do you still hold about yourself that are no longer true? What if you stopped viewing yourself as if you haven’t changed in 10 years?

———————-

II. If you’re stuck, trying harder won’t be nearly as effective as trying something different.

If you’re already giving great effort, then you can’t try any harder.

If you’re not giving enough effort, it might be time to change strategies. For any number of reasons, your current strategy isn’t inspiring you to the proper action.

And if you are simply avoiding giving the focus and energy required to make a dent in the problem, it’s better to be honest that you don’t want to do it right now and set it aside than to continue to sit in frustration about it.

Author Julia Cameron on how to find time to write (or do anything, really):

“The ‘if I had time’ lie is a convenient way to ignore the fact that novels require being written and that writing happens a sentence at a time. Sentences can happen in a moment. Enough stolen moments, enough stolen sentences, and a novel is born — without the luxury of time.”

Supercommunicators by Charles Duhigg

This was a great book, not about public speaking, but about how to have better and more effective conversations.

What I particularly enjoyed about this book was not just the data and insights that show how we can better connect with one another, but that it was practically helpful. There wasn't so much information and things to think through that it became too hard to remember what to do with what you were learning.

As someone who meets and talks with a lot of people, I found it practically helpful and interesting at the same time. I would definitely recommend it.

9/10

P.S. A 20 year old moves out.