Be your best self to the limit!
...most people are very hard on themselves. If you ask a random person, chances are they will tell you they are not happy where they are or feel they should be further. One might give a slightly more more optimistic response in saying that they are not where they want to be - as yet....
We’re still at the beginning of 2022, which also means we're still in the ‘New Year, New Me' (rolls eyes) part of the year. This also means the prevalence of resolutions which get a bad rap largely because we’re generally quite horrible at actually keeping them....
It’s the first month of 2022, and many persons, including myself, have made plans and goals for the new year. Persons will want to see numbers decrease on the scale and increase on the bank statement. Persons will want to find love again or for the first time. Persons will aim to cut ties with toxic people and/or stop their own destructive behavior. Whatever change one chooses to attempt, success will be hard to attain if one pursues the new goals while holding on to old habits.
Many persons I know, myself included, have, at some point, had goals and aspirations, but were shy to go after them - and afraid to be seen going after them. The ‘why’ is obvious. Failure when it’s happening doesn’t feel good and people generally aren’t kind in those situations. Even in succeeding, people can still be unkind. But in focusing on these people, you run the risk of not getting what you truly want.
The show, ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’, has always been a favourite of mine. There have been many debates on which episode is the best, if asked, my pick is the episode named ‘Tapestry’ (episode 15 of Season 6). While this series was always engaging, this particular episode offered several lessons about how we are to get the most out of life and how we are to boldly...be bold!
...the bigger lesson is one of ‘Lo barato sale caro’ - A Spanish phrase which means things that come too cheaply or easily will eventually become expensive. A corresponding phrase in English would be ‘if something is too good to be true, it probably is.’...
We hear a lot of about inflation and how it gradually lowers the purchasing power of our present-day dollars. There was an occurrence a few weeks ago that illustrated this principle to me quite clearly.
I worked with a gentleman many years ago (Let's call him John). Every time I think of him, I am reminded of the lesson that I learned from him - that no matter how bad things may be, I must always be my best self, no matter what. In what become a highly teachable moment, he became the man that lost two jobs.
...while my broken earphones may have been a relatively small loss, they presented me with a great life lesson and a powerful teachable moment...
As it turns out, many successful people, regardless of their evidential giftedness and hard work, felt that they were largely lucky and undeserving of their achievements. As many of them stated, they were waiting to be exposed by the world as frauds who were just lucky. What these persons were suffering from was the Imposter Syndrome. Just like them, you’ve likely felt like an imposter at some point.
WILFRED BAIN 