What if someone handed you a card saying, “You are an ugly fat idiot who will fail at everything.” You would most likely flip him off and keep going. So why don’t you?
Let’s say that instead of a card were talking about your self-image. And this “card” is a lifeware hack that takes control of your emotions and actions so that you become a slave to it. I am going to call the hack your Matrix-Self because it is programmed into you. What you want to be, your Ronin-self, because the ronin is master less. His motto is, “No lines, no signs.”
To what extent did you create you self-image, your gyroscope, your controlling master program? Not much. Your school and school mates reinforce what your parents have said since day one. You are given a card that tells you what you are, and what you should expect, and then your life is little more than fulfilling that bullshit program.
Listen to others say the same thing better:
“The ‘self-image’ is the key to human personality and human behavior. Change the self image and you change the personality and the behavior.” Maxwell Maltz
“It’s like everyone tells a story about themselves inside their own head. Always. All the time. That story makes you what you are. We build ourselves out of that story.” – Patrick Rathfuss
“Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one’s definition of your life, but define yourself.”― Harvey Fierstein
Suppose a complete loser is given a card saying that: “You are an incredible human being, there is none like yourself. As long as you keep this card, you will succeed at any quest.” I think you would be astounded at what such a person might achieve.
Everything on the card is true, all it takes is will. We will speak much about establishing that belief, and getting that card. But the Habit we are discussing this month is a beginning.
On your spreadsheet, or in your journal, mark off the beginning of a new habit for this month. Then:
- Take a picture and realize that, “this is me now.”
- Talk to your selfie saying, “Hello friend, I really like you.”
- If you don’t like what you see, at least that is here and now, and you can change that. So imagine what you want that selfie to look like.
- Look at your photo before you go to sleep. You want to dream of yourself as you are, or want to be.
- If you wake up, and recall having dreamed of yourself with the child image, replay the dream with your present self. Even better with what you want to be.
- When you doubt your ability to do a task, realize that is the Matrix self. Instead realize your true self and don’t doubt.
- Your self image and where you belong in the Matrix are what you learned before the 8th grade. Imagine your present self going back and reliving those moments and winning. Rather than replaying the failure again and again.
- If you engage in any kind of activity or sport, have someone take a video with your iphone. This will be a very humbling experience. But then again say, “Not so bad, so what? This is me now, and I am getting better.” Look at the video and pick out a single item for training.
