Tell Yourself A New Story

We all have unique strengths and tendencies. But we also all have the ability to strengthen our weaknesses and operate effectively outside of our tendencies. Unfortunately, most of us also have the bad habit of ignoring this growth potential and sticking to the story we’ve always told ourselves.

When you tell yourself a story about yourself, and consistently stick to that script, you define your own beliefs about your identity. And we all do this several times each day, further ingraining beliefs about what we’re like and what we’re capable of.

For instance, when you tell your co-worker at 7 a.m. “I’m just not a morning person,” as you gingerly sip your coffee, you give them beliefs about you but you also deepen your own ideas about your inability to be productive before a certain hour.

In my case, this often comes up in situations that require socializing or building relationships. I’ll tell myself, “I’m an introvert. This is not my strength. This is not going to go well.” What I’m saying is true. I don’t have this natural talent. I’m clumsy in these situations.

But I’m trying to learn a new approach. The story I’d rather tell myself is, “I can strengthen this weakness. I can develop a new skill. I don’t have to be what I’ve always been if I’d rather be something else.”