On a daily basis, most of us act according to a series of made-up stories we tell ourselves about who we are and what we want...I can't...I shouldn't...I'd never...The stories are individual to each person, but all essentially boil down to ‘I’m not good enough.’
These stories come from a place of fear, originating in our ancient, lizard brain. Developed in childhood, they seek to protect us – from external forces and from ourselves. In adulthood, they no longer serve us and often hold us back.
The thing about these stories is that they are part of what makes us human. We can never get rid of them entirely, but there is a lot we can do to interrupt their play-loop. This starts by calling them out for what they are and asking ourselves, ‘What is really true?’
The secret is to accept the nugget of truth in the story and leave the noise behind. So, avoiding the drama of ‘I failed, my team hates me and I’ll probably get fired’ and accepting the truth of, ‘I need to learn from this challenge and keep moving forward.’
By getting more in touch with our true self, we can break these cycles. Being and acting from a place of authenticity – consistently exercising that muscle – helps.
This work is a life-long journey. The stories will always be there, but we can shine the light on them and see them for what they are. By noticing them and decreasing their power, we start to outgrow our stories, creating a new, exciting narrative for our life and work.