#230 It’s so much, until it isn’t

People can think you’re not good at writing, and you can still write – and love it.

You can think you’re not good at writing, and you can still write – and love it.

You can think you’ll never be good at writing, and you can still write – and love it.

Because whether you’re good at something or not is nowhere nearly as relevant as how fulfilled it makes you feel.

Experience can make you better at performing an activity but also blind you from what you could do differently (and better).

Sometimes, the only way to innovate, see, and be free, is to take your experience goggles off.

Wanting to improve certain areas in your life is powerful.

But that improvement gap comes with a pressure trap.

Because if you believe you’re in control of your actions, the moments you accidentally fall back into old patterns become extra frustrating.

When your self-worth becomes attached to your behavior, every action becomes a judgment of character.

And so the pressure mounts.

Missing one workout means you’re not worthy of running a marathon.

Missing one day of writing means you’ll never be a writer.

Making one communication mistake, making someone angry, means you’re a terrible person.

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To make that pressure bearable, build self-trust (for example, through Tiny Trust Builders).

Trust that you can run a marathon, even if you miss a workout.

Trust that you can be a writer, even if you miss one day of writing.

Trust that you can be a good person, even if you’ve made mistakes or upset some people.

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Notice the improvement gap between where you are and where you want to go.

Let the majority of your actions be a vote for the person you want to be.

Focus on elastic discipline, not hardliner habits.

Do all that, and you’ll feel more fulfilled and free.