I like to read a lot of books on cognition and one thing that is repeated often is this: What you tell yourself is what you become.
It doesn’t happen overnight. It’s gradual. It takes constant repetition, but over time it takes root.
Soon, whatever you tell yourself becomes true.
A simple “I’m not talented enough to write anything” here. Or an “I’m too dumb to learn anything” becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy.
Before you know it, you haven’t written anything in years or you’re ignorant about something because you didn’t think you could learn anything.
But (and you know there was going to be a ‘but’) it doesn’t have to stay this way. Until you die you have a chance to become someone else.
Someone better.
A better you.
You can talk yourself out of your rut.
You can talk yourself out of a life you find boring or miserable.
Better yet, you don’t have to say a word.
Act as if you’re already there.
In small doses. I’m not talking about quitting your job and pretending you’re a millionaire. But I am talking about a little make-believe.
Just pretend, even if it’s for ten minutes, that you’ve got what it takes to write, to learn, to create, to do.
Act as if you’re a master storyteller, a master at learning, a master at whatever you set your mind to.
Choose whatever/whomever you want to be, whatever trait you wished you had, and try it for a couple minutes a day.
Soon your actions will become a habit.
Before you know it words won’t even be necessary.
Your actions will be loud enough.
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