Are You Future or Past-Focused?
Are you taking control of who you want to be?
Have you asked yourself recently who you want to become?
Is your vision limited by what you've achieved in the PAST?
Do you say things like:
That’s how I’ve always done it.
That doesn’t work for me. I’ve tried it.
I’ve had that issue my entire life.
That’s just the way I am.
I’ve alway been ...xyz...; it’s just who I am.
If this sounds like you, you’re most likely defining yourself by stories of your past.
You are subconsciously looking for evidence from your past to prove your current belief system and where you are headed.
But your past does not need to dictate your future. You get to decide.
Beliefs are just thoughts you’ve thought over and over until you believe they are true.
We weave whole stories around them collecting evidence along the way to prove to ourselves we are right. Sometimes this serves us, other times it doesn't.
Any of these sound familiar to you?
I’m not athletic.
I’m losing my memory.
I’m not good at math.
I can’t possibly work from home under these circumstances.
I'm not good enough.
I had a story I nurtured for decades - that I wasn't a great public speaker.
For years I crafted a narrative full of evidence to prove this going all the way back to kindergarten.
I had instances of fumbling, humiliations and debilitating fear that I repeated to anyone who would listen.
It was a disempowering story that kept me from pursuing many professional opportunities over the years. (I still catch myself falling into this familiar way of thinking.)
But through coaching I came to realize that the only way the PAST defined me was in the way I CHOSE TO THINK ABOUT IT.
Current thoughts created my feelings, not old events and feelings.
The past was over. I couldn’t change it.
But I could weave a narrative of evidence proving that I was an amazing public speaker going all the way back to kindergarten as well! 💪🏼😁
I could change the story I told.
It just depended on what thought lens I chose to put on - what meaning I decided to bring to past events in my life. My story depended on what I chose to focus on.
I went mining for all the instances I'd succeeded at public speaking over the years, the positive feedback I’d received and the lessons I learned from my failures.
I also focused on my vision for becoming an eloquent and masterful public speaker in the future. A thought leader that people seek out for advice, wisdom and inspiration.
Who I am now isn't defined just by my past but also by who I plan to become in the future.
So how you choose to tell the story of your life matters!
Do you want to be PAST-focused or FUTURE-focused? What story do you want to tell?
My simple reframing of my public speaking journey radically changed how I showed up in my work and the possibilities I could pursue in my future.
I’m no longer the victim but the hero of my own story.
Food for Thought this Week
As you make plans for 2021, what stories are you telling about your past that might be standing in the way of who you are trying to become? What old stories are you ready to release so you can regain control of your future?
And remember your identity isn't limited to what you've done in the past but can also include your vision for where you are headed as well.
~~~
P.S. If you'd like help identifying your limiting stories and rewriting them so you can move forward as your best-self in 2021 schedule a free discovery call with me. Simply reply to this email to get started or click on the blue button below.
P.P.S. Photo is from @1997-1998 in a public speaking role at the Bahrain Embassy in Washington DC as the Ambassador's Assistant 😁- an example of looking for evidence of where I was successful in public speaking roles throughout my career.
Photo credit: Canva
#changeyourmindset #letgoofpast #rewriteyourstory #changeyourthoughts #goals2021