Just so you know…
Your environment can be stronger than your willpower. Let that sink in for a minute.
I’ll wait…
Thought about it? Locked in? Okay, let’s get started before you go “who is this guy and WTF is he talking about.”
All of your successes and failures in life have come from who and what you surround yourself with. That sounds generic and about as helpful as a self help book from the 80s, yeah I know. But let’s cross reference.
- toxicity can be intangible. Like John Cena, sometimes you can’t see it.
- Your environment can be supportive or detrimental depending on the people in your circle.
- Success begets success (mostly). 9 times out of 10 your kids will be successful if you are. I won’t go into parenting, but if you were traumatized as a kid, it goes without saying that you brought baggage into adulthood and it’s affecting you in some form and or fashion.
- Setting a goal and executing that goal is great, but it can quickly be sabotaged by guess what? Refer back to 1, 2, and 3.
- Friends. Be careful who you invite into your house. That one is self explanatory.
- Sometimes “blood is not thicker than water”. Your family or those closest to you can unintentionally derail your hopes, dreams and goals because of their personal beliefs, experience or lack thereof. Or possibly it’s just simple ignorance or unwillingness to see you succeed.
So what’s the remedy? Do you distance yourself? Relocate? Become an antisocial hermit? How do you make the jump to stay on track?
Hell, I don’t know what may work for you. That requires introspection of yourself in regular intervals. Do you let your car run out of gas and just pull over waiting to see what happens or do you fill up before gas light comes on?
A self check is a good thing. If 3 out of 5 of your friends are negative or drama queens, guess what? You may be the 4th. That shit is highly contagious. The same thing applies to being successful. I feel like I’ve embodied this one a few times over the years. The negative part, not the drama queen. I’d rather get curb stomped by circus elephants than deal with drama.
Let me reiterate, I don’t know what might work for you. Hence the self reflection part. Check yourself before you wreck yourself (great..I just carbon dated myself with that reference). Shout out to Ice Cube.
Me? I typically run a self diagnostic every year same time, on my birthday to keep it simple. I check my navigation, make sure the tank is full and check the mileage to my destination. If that analogy hit you like a question on Jeopardy, I’m referring to the timeframe of the goals I’ve set for myself.
I’ve been using a lot of car references so I guess I’ll keep going. Why stop now?
It’s okay to go off-road or to lose the gps signal. It happens. Just make the corrections and get better tires and an antenna so that you’re able to receive the support you need. And If I have to say I’m referring to positive people and influences at this juncture, I have failed my reading audience miserably.
Just remember, while you’re on your journey that there are people in your life actively trying to run you off the road. Even the road itself has potholes big enough to ruin your day.
Navigate the negative. Keep it moving. Sideswipe the naysayers, and pit maneuver those toxic people and you’ll arrive safely at your destination.
Willpower? Mental focus? Cranial fortitude? If you haven’t come to the forgone conclusion, it’s you…driving behind the wheel.
Try not to run over innocent bystanders on your way to success. Karma bites hard.
The Economy of Words 