The Limits of Fixed Self-Perception
John Maynard Keynes pinpoints the inherent difficulty in personal growth: We’re prisoners to our old ways of thinking. When we lock ourselves into a static idea of who we are, we do a disservice to our potential for transformation.
You Are a Verb, Not a Noun
Often, it’s not that we can’t change, but that our perceptions of ourselves are mired in the past. Remember, you are not a fixed entity. You’re more like a verb, in a constant state of becoming.
Navigating Two Worlds: Stability and Transformation
It’s true, routine and patterns serve a purpose. They provide a comfort zone, a place of predictable outcomes. But that’s a double-edged sword. While they keep us safe, they also confine us. Balancing the need for stability with the potential for growth is crucial, and it’s a challenge I often grapple with in my approach to health and self-improvement.
Expanding Horizons Through Self-Questioning
The trick lies in constantly asking oneself questions aimed at shaking up the status quo. It’s like a mental spring-cleaning, designed to rid your thought processes of all the cobwebs accumulated over years of conditioned thinking. It can be as simple as asking, “What other paths are there?” or “What assumptions am I operating under?”
Why It Matters
Shedding old perspectives opens up the path for untapped opportunities, perhaps even a fresh approach to complex challenges like client engagement, personal growth, or community building. This resonates deeply with me as I navigate my career, constantly balancing innovation and proven strategies.
Read more at: The self-consistency fallacy - Ness Labs
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