When you think about the people standing between you and your hopes and dreams, you probably think about your competitors.
Or criminals.
Or cheaters.
You know, the people willing to harm you for their own self-interest.
But do you recognize that the person most likely to prevent you from meeting your goals in every area of your life is you?
The simple, undeniable truth is that you are your own worst enemy.
Your life’s greatest battles will be You vs You.
You are the one who decides not to do the things you said you would do.
You are the one who doesn’t live up to your commitments.
You are the one that cuts corners.
Who sleeps in.
Who mails it in.
Who opts out.
Who half-asses it when a full ass is required.
You are the one who gets too tired.
Or thinks it’s too late.
You are the one who will want rest more than you want reward.
You are the one who gives in to short-term thinking instead of long-term benefits.
You are the only one who can violate your own code of conduct.
You are the person most likely to talk yourself out of action.
Remember, to be great, happy and fulfilled, you have to overcome yourself.
You have to defend yourself from negative self talk.
You have to deny your own excuses.
You have to constantly argue against the valid arguments you present to yourself that would make it rational to quit.
You have to build self-defense systems against yourself.
You have to prioritize your long-term vision, your mission, your purpose and your goals over every excuse you come up with not to do what you know you have to do to be successful.
You have to decide that when you don’t feel like doing the thing, you do the thing anyway.
You have to be a badass today so you are not a sadass tomorrow.
You have to continuously prove to yourself that you do hard things.
In fact, you love to do hard things.
You don’t accept excuses. Not even really good ones, with whipped cream on top.
You have to do everything you can to make future you happier, healthier, wealthier, fitter, and closer to your heavenly ideal than current you.
You have to deny that first fucking marshmallow every time.
Always hold out for the bigger prize.
For the magical power of compound interest.
Focus on the long-term benefits of exercise.
Keep your weight in your acceptable zone.
Getting to the church on time. Like David Bowie said.
Never forget that you are your greatest ally.
You are your own bodyguard. Your own Frank Farmer.
You are your dream defender.
You are the person you can rely on most.
You are the one who writes your own rule book. So you know how to respond when tempted by the fruit of another other.
You are your own best armor.
You are your own biggest cheerleader.
You are the one who says I am not giving in yet.
You are the person who decided to hold on for ten more minutes.
Or to hold out for another day.
You are the one who reminds yourself that the couch and the TV will be there when you are done.
You are the one who sets the alarm. And gets up early. Even on vacation. Even on Holidays.
You do your things, even when the rest of the world doesn’t care if you don’t.
You are the one who sets your own deadlines. And hits your own deadlines.
You are the one who tells yourself that you don’t do what everyone else does.
Your rules are tougher.
Your requirements are harder.
Your standards are higher.
Because in the greatest battles you will ever fight, you have to beat you.
And when you do, you win at life.
*If you know someone who could benefit from this message, please share it with them.
+For more of the best life lessons I have learned check out my book, What Does Your Fortune Cookie Say? from Ripples Media.
Adam Albrecht Blog 