“Life is not about finding yourself, it is about creating yourself” – George Bernard Shaw
Four months ago, I participated in an Easter drama at my church where I played a role as Matthew the disciple. Although I didn’t have a speaking part, I did have to learn certain cues such as where I needed to be positioned on stage. For several weeks leading up to our presentation, we would meet at the church to rehearse our roles and practice our lines, you know, the usual for anything that requires cooperation. After two or three weeks of preparation and repetition under our belt, all of our performers felt confident and ready for action.
The drama was held on a Friday and Saturday night, drawing crowds that were so large some people had to stand, it was quite flattering. That being said, I was nervous, but we were on point and the play moved along very smoothly. We received a standing ovation at the conclusion of the drama on both nights and received strong reviews from our guests. Everyone followed the script perfectly, remembering their lines and positioning themselves correctly on stage. With only three weeks of preparation, our muscle and mental memory was strong enough for us to execute what he had practiced. Operating within the confines of the script provided a sense of comfort and ease for us, after three short weeks, our parts had become second nature.
The idea of a script, though it may provide comfort, can be binding. My role as Matthew did not allow for any speech and I was only in select scenes. I took the exact same steps on Friday night as I did on Saturday night. When I think about this concept I wonder, how many people unknowingly live their lives according to a script? Think about all the lifestyles that have been practiced for far longer than three weeks. How many people are running on the hamster wheel of life repeating the same things today as they did yesterday? It’s really a sad thought when you think about it. If you were to ask someone what their day was like today you would probably get the response, “Same thing, different day.” For many people, the same old same is relaxing and can become so easy, but as business women Ginni Rometty says, “comfort and growth cannot co-exist.” The truth is, who we are today determines what we will be tomorrow, life is to short for complacency. If I am the same person today as I was yesterday, yesterday was a failure. We can’t become what we need to be, by remaining what we are.
Becoming a better you requires courageous action. It is a known fact that the fear of loss is always greater than the desire for gain. Overcome this fear by simply realizing that failure is not the opposite of success, it is part of it. Failure builds character, creates energy, and establishes all the other traits required to be a successful person. Reading books, listening to podcasts, and speaking to mentors are a few of the best ways to develop yourself and get off of the hamster wheel of life. When I made the commitment to self-development, I experienced tremendous growth in my personal and professional life. My wife and many other important people in my life have told me that they have noticed a difference in me as a person since I have started working on bettering myself. Make the choice to invest in yourself, if you don’t, no one else will. Remember, success is not to be pursued, it is to be attracted by the person you become. If you aren’t developing yourself already, I urge you to start today. I challenge you to pick up a book and start reading, plug in your headphones and start listening, or find a mentor and start talking. Give up who you’ve been for who you want to be and let your light shine.
“You are only confined by the walls you build yourself” – Andrew Murphy
Stephen Johnson
Positive Imbalance 