My son just turned 14, which means he’s getting close to drivers’ ed. Yikes!
It doesn’t seem that long ago that I sat on the floor with him and played with his road set. We put houses around the wooden road, drove the cars on their commute from home to work, and stopped diligently at the traffic lights.
Kids aren’t born knowing that a red light means “stop” — they have to be taught. That is one of the joys of having a young child — getting to teach them how life works.
Stop for a minute to consider the impact of that.
👉 You were taught rules for how the world works.
Do those rules empower you or hinder you?
When I speak about Inner Technology (#InnerTech), I’m speaking about those invisible rules that govern our view on the world. What if you could upgrade them so they work more in your favor?
One of the rules we’ve all learned is to stop whenever something feels uncomfortable. It’s actually biological — we naturally avoid things that are painful or difficult.
But you have to ask if that rule actually helps you or slows you down.
Earlier this month I committed to three new writing projects: a book, a weekly email update, and a monthly blog. I went from 0 to 100, all in one decision.
Part of me is excited, but part of me is panicked about this. Will I have enough to say? Will I be able to follow through? What if I fail?
Have you ever had similar thoughts when you start something new?
For most people, if it feels hard, nerve-wracking, or intimidating, they think it’s not the right time or the right project.
I disagree. If you are nervous or intimidated — if you are afraid you might fail — it’s exactly what you should do.
🔴 The red light means GO! 🔴
Why? Because:
> happiness and fulfillment comes from progress
> progress comes from pursuit of a meaningful goal
> a meaningful goal is always new to you (i.e. it’s not part of your life today)
> anything new is outside of your daily patterns
> anything outside your daily patterns will feel new & intimidating
👉 So if you want to feel happy & fulfilled in life, you have to go forward when you feel nervous.
Is that something you were taught when you were young? To move towards discomfort instead of away from it?
I know I wasn’t.
Of course I’m not referring to activities that put you in serious jeopardy– those things are rare. I’m referring to a meaningful goal that you would like to have in your life.
💪 The best goals stretch you to do something new.
Stretching can feel uncomfortable, but the result is always positive.
So next time you see a red light, step on the gas!
