Are you the biggest problem you need to overcome?You want a better life. However, you never seem to be able to overcome the problems that hold you back.
Identifying the root cause of our internal self problems and finding ways to catapult ourselves over them is crucial to living a great life.
If you don’t, then you simply stay mired in your mess. Many of us have developed all kinds of excuses that we use to justify our poor behavior. It is as if we want to stay stuck without ever experiencing anything greater or more fulfilling in life.
Whatever it is that you need to defeat, start by looking deep within yourself to see if you are your biggest enemy. Chances are if you can overcome your internal issues, then you’ll skyrocket to new heights.
3 Self Problems that Impede Change
While I’m sure there are millions of variations, I believe these three internal issues are at the root of what usually holds us back from positive change.
1. Addicted to the Reward
Bad behavior has its rewards. There is a payoff that you enjoy and don’t want to give up. Addiction is the state of being enslaved to something that is physically or psychologically habit-forming to the extent that stopping will cause pain. The pain can be emotional which is usually the case except in very extreme cases.
In other words, you have a powerful emotional tie to the reward you receive for participating in your bad behavior. It soothes you. It gives you a sense of control. It produces feelings that you simply don’t want to give up. However, the ability to override your impulses is what separates you from being an animal.
You have the power to decide. Are you going to continue doing what is holding you back or are you going to draw a line in the sand? It is time to step over to the other side where the grass is greener and you can move on. It is time to experience an even better life and you will once you let go of your addiction to the old rewards.
2. It Isn’t Hurting Me
Denying a problem even exists certainly prevents meaningful change. We have an amazing ability to rationalize our behavior and turn a blind-eye to its effects. You might like to think what you are doing simply isn’t hurting you, but everyone around you knows better and deep down inside so do you.
The key here is to admit you need to change before your bad behavior creates a crisis in your life. The crisis could come in many different aberrations. For example, you might learn:
3. Unrealistic Expectations
We often set ourselves up to fail because we create unrealistic expectations. While this isn’t exactly refusing to change, it is an internal problem that stymies self-improvement. When we expect too much too soon, it is demotivating. This causes us to give up and return to our old ways.
Unrealistic expectations can kill positive change quickly. One area where this is common is weight loss. We start a program or diet to lose weight expecting to see big results fast. When they don’t come, we throw in the towel. Another area where this leads to failure is starting a business. People often have very unrealistic expectations about how much time and effort is involved in entrepreneurship.
If you want to create real change, then you’ve got to be committed over the long haul. You have to get a clear understanding of what it will take to create the change you desire and be willing to persevere. If unrealistic expectations have held you back in the past, then realign your goals and take another shot.
What internal self problems have you dealt with when trying to create positive change in your life?
Identifying the root cause of our internal self problems and finding ways to catapult ourselves over them is crucial to living a great life.
If you don’t, then you simply stay mired in your mess. Many of us have developed all kinds of excuses that we use to justify our poor behavior. It is as if we want to stay stuck without ever experiencing anything greater or more fulfilling in life.
Whatever it is that you need to defeat, start by looking deep within yourself to see if you are your biggest enemy. Chances are if you can overcome your internal issues, then you’ll skyrocket to new heights.
3 Self Problems that Impede Change
While I’m sure there are millions of variations, I believe these three internal issues are at the root of what usually holds us back from positive change.
1. Addicted to the Reward
Bad behavior has its rewards. There is a payoff that you enjoy and don’t want to give up. Addiction is the state of being enslaved to something that is physically or psychologically habit-forming to the extent that stopping will cause pain. The pain can be emotional which is usually the case except in very extreme cases.
In other words, you have a powerful emotional tie to the reward you receive for participating in your bad behavior. It soothes you. It gives you a sense of control. It produces feelings that you simply don’t want to give up. However, the ability to override your impulses is what separates you from being an animal.
You have the power to decide. Are you going to continue doing what is holding you back or are you going to draw a line in the sand? It is time to step over to the other side where the grass is greener and you can move on. It is time to experience an even better life and you will once you let go of your addiction to the old rewards.
2. It Isn’t Hurting Me
Denying a problem even exists certainly prevents meaningful change. We have an amazing ability to rationalize our behavior and turn a blind-eye to its effects. You might like to think what you are doing simply isn’t hurting you, but everyone around you knows better and deep down inside so do you.
The key here is to admit you need to change before your bad behavior creates a crisis in your life. The crisis could come in many different aberrations. For example, you might learn:
- Your spouse wants a divorce
- Your bank plans to foreclose on your house
- Your doctor thinks your health is seriously compromised
- Your boss is fed up and aims to fire you
- Your family and friends are keeping their distance
3. Unrealistic Expectations
We often set ourselves up to fail because we create unrealistic expectations. While this isn’t exactly refusing to change, it is an internal problem that stymies self-improvement. When we expect too much too soon, it is demotivating. This causes us to give up and return to our old ways.
Unrealistic expectations can kill positive change quickly. One area where this is common is weight loss. We start a program or diet to lose weight expecting to see big results fast. When they don’t come, we throw in the towel. Another area where this leads to failure is starting a business. People often have very unrealistic expectations about how much time and effort is involved in entrepreneurship.
If you want to create real change, then you’ve got to be committed over the long haul. You have to get a clear understanding of what it will take to create the change you desire and be willing to persevere. If unrealistic expectations have held you back in the past, then realign your goals and take another shot.
What internal self problems have you dealt with when trying to create positive change in your life?
