Resistance

My brother in law asked me to play in a 40 and over softball league. I told him I wasn’t a good enough ball player. Then I thought about why that is. I realized that when I was playing little league, after I hit the ball, I threw the bat. According to the league rules, if you throw the bat you’re out. I did this 3 or 4 times and I hurt my team. After that season, I never wanted to play baseball anymore. I haven’t played since. We all have issues like this that are related to challenges we’ve experienced early in life.

This challenge I have with my ability to play baseball is a limiting belief that ultimately stems from a fear of failure. Henry Ford once said, “If you believe you can or you believe you can’t, you’re right.” The reality of my situation is that I am not a great baseball player. If playing in a competitive softball league with people my age were a priority in my life, I could commit the time and solicit the coaching help I need to get me where I need to be. It’s a decision, which needs to be followed by a commitment, a plan, and action.

Think about challenges you have. How many of those stem from the fear of failure. If you try and fail, what is the worst thing that would happen? Could it be embarrassment? If you were thoroughly embarrassed, then what is the worst result for you? In the realm of life’s challenges, I can think of many worse things than being embarrassed.

In each moment you decide who you want to be. The first step is to stop looking in the rearview mirror and start focusing on the road ahead. Realize you don’t have to be a byproduct of your life’s story if it doesn’t serve you. Let go of that story and choose who you want to be in each moment. Don’t be afraid to reinvent yourself.

Assume you have an opportunity to make great money selling your product or service online. You have always known that you are not a computer person. At this point you have a choice, you can look in the rearview mirror and tell yourself you can never do it because you hate computers and your brain doesn’t work that way, or you can take the necessary steps to learn the skills.

The challenge is that we get caught up in our story and that becomes an excuse not to move forward. Accept what is in this moment: Begin by looking at your situation now. Are you on the path of your choice? See yourself where you want to be. Are there hurtles between where you are and where you want to go? These hurtles represent your resistance.

Examine the first hurtle. Accept that running away is not an option. Instead, decide which is the most efficient way over it.

Realize that you are a more powerful being than you can ever imagine. You only tap into a small percentage of your capabilities. Resistance is nothing more than an abstract idea created by your brain. See yourself where you want to be. Then believe you can.