Personal Myth to Debunk: “I’m not cut out for this!” (Part 2 of 5)
Yesterday, we started talking about personal myths to debunk for a peaceful and powerful life.
Let’s dive right into myth #1, and see how it can be replaced with an empowering story.
Myth #1. “I am not cut out for this!”
You can fill in the blank:
I am not cut out …
… for a long-term relationship!
… to be a stay-at-home mom!
… to work on Wall Street!
… to run my own business!
Now, if you truly DON’T WANT to do what you say you are not cut out to do, it’s more empowering to say that you truly don’t want to do it. However, if what you mean is “I would LOVE to do this, but I am simply not cut out for it”, it’s time to re-shape this personal myth.
What is it about doing [fill in the blank] that makes you think that you are not cut out for it?
Examples:
“I am not cut out to be a stay-at-home mom, because I don’t see myself spending 100% of my time with the kids”.
Or,
“I am not cut out for a long-term relationship because I value my freedom too much”.
Or,
“I’m not cut out to work on Wall Street because I dread 14-hour days full of number-crunching.”
Or,
“I’m not cut out to run my own business because I hate selling.”
The thing is … it doesn’t have to be like That! Re-define the characteristics of the project that you think you are not cut out to do, and notice what happens.
Think of a long-term relationship that will let you have freedom. Maybe it could it be with a partner who loves his/her freedom as much as you love yours, And loves You nevertheless. Perhaps, you are cut out for a long-term relationship on These terms.
Think of a way to be a stay-at-home mom where part of your time is not spent with the kids. For instance, establish a 45-minute silent reading time for all of you if your kids are old enough, or bring your children to daycare for a few hours a day rather than have them with you all the time. Maybe you are cut out to be a stay-at-home mom on different terms than other stay-at-home moms whom you know.
Find a Wall Street professional who does not work 14-hour days, or whose 14-hour days are not filled with number-crunching.
Re-frame selling as a way to help your clients find the exact product or service that they need.
All of a sudden, you may find that you Are cut out for these activities after all.
Bottom line:
Define your own terms for the project that you think you are not cut out to do, and consider how it would feel to do this project on your own terms. An empowering replacement for “I am not cut out for this!” is “I Can do this if I set it up as follows: …”
Stay tuned for debunking more unhelpful personal myths: “People won’t approve”, “Things should be different”, and “I don’t know”.