14 Comments
User's avatar
Jess's avatar

Once you see it you can’t unsee it and nothing can distract you from it.

JP Bristol's avatar

So true, Jess.

Aaqiel Pillay's avatar

This destroys the entire personal development space most people come to know.

"I see it now."

"I know what I need to do."

"I'm getting clearer."

All true statements.

All stopping one step before change actually happens.

And that awareness feels like movement.

It feels productive.

But nothing changes.

The job still has no end date.

The conversation still doesn't happen.

And the life you keep describing still lives in the future.

Thanks for the read JP!

JP Bristol's avatar

"Awareness feels like movement" That's the whole problem in four words. It feels like doing something. It isn't. Appreciate you reading and commenting Aaqiel.

Andrew Calvert's avatar

I started to write down these sorts of terms as consequential acts:

"If I don't do X by Y timeframe, these Z consequences are likely to come true."

Even if the commitment itself is vague, the downside of not keeping it gets clarified. Takes the promise made to the self and spins some healthy, motivating negativity.

JP Bristol's avatar

I like the math on that, Andrew. It forces you to look at the default future you are buying if you change nothing.

Jess, The Creator's avatar

I like writing things down and documenting everything. I have 3 notebooks at a time going to track stuff and keep myself committed.

Patrick LaRose's avatar

Nicely written here, JP. What speaks to me the most in your statement on vague commitment. I have lived this over the last 4 weeks of starting my practice. With structured clarity, it confirmed my commitment, was uncomfortable at times, but moved me forward.

JP Bristol's avatar

Patrick, that part about vague commitment is where most of us hide. I’m still learning this in real time. Structure makes it concrete, and yeah, it can feel uncomfortable. Sounds like you stepped into it.

Patrick LaRose's avatar

Most definitely have.

This is why your message spoke so deeply to me.

Carl Schell's avatar

You’ve articulated something that’s growing in me. We have an unspoken social contract either people at work, but we also have it with ourselves. You start tracking what is true. This is me exactly, and your words are going to help drive me to greater…clarity.

JP Bristol's avatar

Carl, that quiet contract is real. I kept telling myself I was thinking it through when I was just stalling. Writing the terms down made it harder to hide from myself. I’m glad this helped put some weight behind what you’re already working through.

Carl Schell's avatar

Your words have been hitting me right a lot recently. Plenty to respond to. And yes, I’m tracking the truth more and more. Happy weekend.

Melody | Powered by PURPOSE's avatar

Spot on! Clarity and insights need to be woven into the architecture of everything we’re doing, otherwise it’s just temporary inspiration, not meaningful insight.