We’ve all heard the phrase “I’m just staying true to myself”. Am I right?
Is it just me, or have you ever wanted to counter this possible excuse with, so are you really staying true to yourself? Let me explain. While staying true to oneself is honorable, there are times we can cleverly cloak a cop out by using the ‘ol “I’ll stay true to myself” phrase.
How to Recognize a Clever Excuse
It’s classic and easy to identify.
You, or someone you know walked away from a goal or dream without a fight. I’m not talking about a short sabbatical to refuel and go at it again. I’m talking about completely quitting the race.
Imagine if you will, hearing about someone’s goals, dreams or visions with excitement. Imagine watching them make baby steps toward the fulfillment of those goals. Imagine getting behind this individual and cheering and encouraging them on only to have them share something like the following: “I’ve decided to take another route. I’m simply wanting to stay true to who I am.” HOGWASH! You’ve got to be kidding? We’re invested in the fulfillment of this goal/dream. For crying out loud, don’t go down without a fight!
Why it Happens
Excuses happen. However, this need not be you. We need to be on the look out for WHY it happens.
The pursuit of happiness can:
- be challenging and difficult for a season.
- require something (grit, skill) that has not been previously accomplished.
- imply the need to humble oneself and become re-educated to obtain the vision.
- reveal that failure/rejection play a part in the learning process.
- lead us to dump poor habits and embrace good habits.
- become more disciplined and consistent.
Beware of the Banana Peels
We all have situations and circumstances that challenge our tenacity to stay true to who we are. Banana peels are the situations and circumstances that may cause us to slip and take us away from our once clear path.
There are ways to shut down excuses. There are also ways to stay true to our self without forfeiting dreams be it health or entrepreneurial in nature.
The following are tips to remain true blue to good ‘ol you.
- Assess the situation- Have you thrown in the towel? Are you pursuing your dreams with consistent dedication? Do you feel excited about the steps you are taking?
- Determine what actions to take- If you hit a bump in the road, it’s easy to say just keep trucking. But what if a tire flew off? This requires a new plan of action to take to get back on the road. Sometimes this requires a different perspective.
- Ask for help- Any great achiever will tell you they had help along the way. It’s not a weakness. In fact, it can become like a secret weapon for overcoming. A derailment from a dream can be humbling, but what’s devastating is the fact that it can be done but life happened and nothing really changed when all along help was available.
- Accountability- The concept of accountability isn’t always the most popular. When it’s taken seriously, accountability reminds us of exactly who we are and what it is we desire to achieve in this lifetime. Accountability helps us walk the path to fulfillment so once we reach the top, we’re not alone. In fact, there’s a community with whom to celebrate.
Chime In!
Have you come across other clever excuses that sound legit yet don’t best serve someone staying true to him or herself? What is it?
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