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I am not someone who is good at taking action on ideas

Futurizing

All Tools
FUTURIZING@2x

The Context

Maher once delivered a controversial rant on the problem with our culture’s obsession with comic books. He explained that superhero movies imprint this mindset that we are not masters of our own destiny, and the best we can do is sit back and wait for someone to sweep in and save our sorry asses. Forget hard work, government institutions, diplomacy, investment. We just need a hero to rise, and so we put out the signal for one man who could step in and solve all our problems very quickly. Clearly, too many of us hold beliefs that are keeping us from thriving. We need to become more future directed in your thinking.

The Tool

two color

Futurizing

FUTURIZING — Debating negative thinking by attaching the desired creative outcome to your identity

Every superhero story has another key message, which is, you are who you choose to be. And if you want to become the kind of person who lives the kind of life doing the kind of work that you're here to do, then you have to train yourself to orient your thinking in the future. Next time your negatively entrenched habits try to keep their grip on you, try debating them for a change. Attach your desired outcome to your identity by announcing to yourself, sorry, but people like me do things like this. And then, the moment after you execute anything, close the loop. Feel proud of that step you took by marking it down on your victory log. This process will demonstrate to yourself that you are determined to move forward. And the momentum and hope you feel will become the fabric that knits together your cape.

Scott's Take

Scott's Take

I have a consultant friend who is a master of the interpersonal component of his business. Put him in a room with company executives and their teams, and you can literally feel people's leadership potential developing in real time. But when it comes to the intellectual property side of his business, my friend is not a master of his own destiny. Bringing ideas to form is overwhelmingly difficult for him. It's just the way he thinks about the creative process. He has long since created this negative expectation about his ability to take action on his ideas. And he now carries around this story that he's someone who doesn't execute well. And now his ego is working overtime to keep him entrenched a victim oriented narrative.

The Rest

We need more affirmation, not information. Establish yourself as a finisher of things. Create confirmation that you a person of action. Define yourself as a member of the group of people who bring their ideas to form quickly and effectively. And who knows what buildings you might be able to scale. What belief do you hold that keeps you from thriving?

The Benefits

Take control over your creative destiny
Bring your ideas to form quickly and effectively
Create a positive expectation about your ability to take action on ideas
Loosen the grip of entrenched mental habits that have held you back

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