“That’s just the way I am! There’s nothing I can do about it.”
This statement drives me nuts. If this is your excuse for not making a change, it’s time to take a step back and retrain your mindset.
If you’re self aware enough to notice your “flaws” – bad habits, lack of motivation, problems with patience, and whatever else – you’re capable of making a change. If you’re accepting your flaws and saying “That’s just who I am.”, you’re being lazy.
Oh my gosh, Bryce! That’s a little harsh, don’t you think? My caffeine fueled brain told me to write it, so we’re going with it.
Stop accepting your poor listening skills as fact. When someone is talking to you, remind yourself to listen. Figure out what that requires for you – look at their mouth, repeat their words in your head, stop what you’re doing to focus, etc.
Stop telling yourself it’s ok to lie around instead of working out. “I had a long day, so I can take a break.” cannot become a mantra. You have enough energy and time to do some form of exercise. It doesn’t matter if you walk, run, do a few pushups, or go to the gym, you gotta do something.
“I’m just bad at learning.” So you’re going to be content with the knowledge you have now and never invest your time in a new skill? I guarantee there’s a method of learning that’ll stick with you – reading, watching, listening, or doing. Something will work, but you have to make it happen.
It’s great to be happy with who you are and what you have. Gratitude is a magical feeling. It’s also great to be able to notice what you can work on and desire a change. You always have an opportunity to grow, but you need to be willing to try.
Becoming the best version of yourself requires identifying a change you want to make, developing ideas on how you can do so, testing, reviewing results, retesting, and tweaking. It’s a never ending process that leads to nothing but positive results.
Be grateful for the person you’ve become, but never accept the things you know you can work on. Make a choice to be better. Make a choice to become the best version of yourself.
June 1, 2022
