Are You Creating the Self You Want?

ByMatthew

“We are all self-made, but only the successful will admit it.” – Earl Nightingale

The concept of the Self and who we are is endlessly fascinating to me.

I think about my life and what I have created, and failed* to create, over the years.

These ponderings are part of how my Self develops.

If I look at my successes with humility and my “failures” with curiosity I will develop confidence and wisdom.

If I look back with blame, and give credence to the expectations of others, I will develop some form of shame and weakness.

I suggest you choose the former approach.

You’re creating your Self all the time, and your approach matters.

***

* Again, as long-time readers will know, I use this word intentionally to get your attention, so I can make the point – yet again – that we never fail, we only produce results that we didn’t foresee and/or don’t desire. For the love of Pete, stop thinking you failed in the sense that nothing happened as a result of your efforts. Everything produces something, making that “something” what you want is only a question of intelligently adjusting your approach (and working your ass off).

Similar Posts

  • Do You Score?

    ByMatthew

    The trouble with not having a goal is that you can spend your life running up and down the field and never score. – Bill Copeland No, not that sort of “scoring!” I mean do you know when you’ve accomplished something important? Something of value, to you? Without goals, you won’t know.

  • An Alternative to Ruination

    ByMatthew

    I received a message (included in its entirety below) from a mentor of mine that I wanted to share. The idea that we’d rather be ruined than change is real for so many people (they just don’t know it, consciously). What’s happening with so many people is that, by playing it safe, they are quietly…

  • The Certainty of Nothing

    ByMatthew

    “What I’ve experienced is that I can’t know the future. I can’t know if anything that I do will change what happens tomorrow. I can’t know with certainty, but what I do know is if I do nothing, nothing will change.” – James Orbinski This is true, rather bleak and incredibly inspiring. I know what…

  • The Three Things

    ByMatthew

    In terms of dreams/goals/desires there are only three variations: 1) Things You Want 2) Things You Don’t (Really) Want 3) Things You Think You Can’t Have *  *  * Just stating that’s there’s a mere trinity of “things-we-want” is likely to rub some the wrong way. But it’s true. Let’s take #1: Things You Want….