Lies You Tell Yourself Every Day
Lying to yourself can become a part of your routine, and if you believe lying to others is a bad thing, imagine the price you'll pay for lying to yourself. So why not prevent that by watching this video? Here are 10 lies people tell themselves daily.
Number one: Today is the last day I relax. Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, once famously said, "Leave nothing for tomorrow which can be done today." Lying to yourself that you're going to start tomorrow is like showing a middle finger to your higher self and your aspirations. We're all guilty of this, okay? But rest assured there is a fix, so pay attention.
We're about to get a little philosophical here. Stephen Pressfield, the best-selling author of the book "The War of Art," believes that this tendency exists because of an unconscious force called resistance. Now, resistance refers to the inner force that prevents us from pursuing our creative goals and dreams. It's the voice inside our head that tells us to procrastinate, to give up, or to not even start.
Saying, "I'll start tomorrow; I can relax today" is a form of procrastination which is a manifestation of resistance. This type of thinking traps us into delaying taking action and reinforces the idea that we're not ready or capable of achieving our goals. Resistance wants us to stay in our comfort zone, and putting things off to tomorrow is an easy way to avoid facing the fear and discomfort of starting something new.
It's okay to take time and unwind, but there is a time and place for everything. If your inner voice is telling you it's time to put in the work, you'd better get onto the grind. Don’t disappoint yourself; your future self is watching.
Number two: I will be happy when X happens. Actually, Alexa, this is something that we've talked about in plenty of our daily sessions on the app—finding happiness, creating happiness. It's a complicated thing, and a lot of us fall into the trap of thinking that when we accomplish a certain task or obtain a certain object, that we will be happy. And that's just not how it works.
If you haven't already, go to alux.com/app and get yourself started with these daily sessions; we drop a lot of knowledge every single day. Now back to the video. Happiness is an extremely loaded term. According to Naval Ravikant, it means completely different things to different people, but we're going to do our best to explain it.
Everybody has strong preconceived notions of what happiness is and how they can attain it. The first step to increasing your level of happiness is simply realizing that you can. This is where a lot of people get tripped up because they're kind of delusional and fail to understand its source.
So let's imagine that your requirement for happiness is achieving a certain desire. Desire is a contract you make to be unhappy until you get what you want. Then you work really hard to get it, but hey, in the meantime, there's a high chance you're going to feel miserable. Finally, when you do get it, you revert to the state you were before you had it.
It's not like you achieve some peak level of bliss that you can stay on forever; it's all temporary because of dopamine, serotonin, and so on. People hold on to a delusion that there's something out there that will make them happy and fulfilled forever. But no one single thing can do that.
Rather, achieving happiness requires a constant understanding and self-discovery. It's a process of training yourself to see certain truths, and that is training that again you will absolutely find on the Alux app. In a sense, this is a skill you can teach yourself over the course of your life. Happiness is returning to a state where nothing is missing at this moment. For the vast majority of people, about 40 percent of their happiness is within their control, and that's a lot more than people might think.
Number three: This is the last time I'm doing X. Okay, stop lying to yourself. If you hear someone saying this, you know they're trying to deny their own behavior patterns and habits. They might need someone to bring them back to reality. From a psychological perspective, people often make these types of statements as a way of justifying their actions or avoiding the reality of their addictive or negative behavior.
People say this in an attempt to convince themselves that they have control over their behavior when in reality they often repeat the same mistakes again and again. This type of lying to oneself can create a cycle of self-deception, where the individual actually believes their own lies and becomes unable to change their behavior. Meditate on this one for a while; actions speak louder than words. So don't spend any more time arguing about what a good person should be and just simply be one.
Number four: I am too old or too young to do this. Let's put on our philosophical glasses again, shall we? According to existential philosophers like Jean-Paul Sartre, life has no inherent meaning, and individuals must create their own purpose through their actions and experiences. So in this view, age is just a biological factor and has no bearing on an individual's ability to pursue their dreams and find fulfillment.
Similarly, utilitarian philosophers like John Stuart Mill argued that the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people is achieved through the pursuit of one's passions and the realization of one's potential. So in this view, age should not limit a person's ability to chase their dreams as long as it doesn't cause harm to others or yourself.
The pursuit of one's dreams, regardless of age, is a way of embracing the limitless potential of the human spirit and making sure that your life is lived to the fullest. So let's be inspired to chase our dreams and make the most of the time we have on this Earth. If you're waiting for a sign, hey, this is it.
Number five: Next year is gonna be my year. How about taking action now? Everybody loves to talk about New Year's resolutions, but how many of us actually finish the race? Success is about taking action and showing up every single day. It's a product of discipline, mindset, and determination.
New Year's resolutions are often made without proper self-reflection and understanding of one's true motivations and desires. Philosophers like Epicurus and Aristotle emphasize that lasting change and personal growth require constant effort and practice over time, not just a one-time resolution. Relying on New Year's resolutions creates the illusion of a quick and easy fix, ignoring the hard work and persistence necessary for genuine change. That's a quick and easy path toward disappointment. So if you're one of those people, consider shifting your mindset if you plan to achieve something great.
Number six: I am special; nothing bad can happen to me. Hope for the best, but always expect the worst. We are not as special as we like to think. For most of us, preparation and thinking ahead are crucial in order to live well. The Stoics, for example, made this a thing of utmost importance and practiced a form of mental training called "premeditatio malorum" or negative visualization.
Negative visualization refers to the practice of anticipating and preparing for potential negative events or circumstances in one's life. The goal of this practice is to increase one's resilience and emotional stability in the face of adversity by reducing the emotional impact of negative events and allowing a person to respond more calmly and effectively. So the Stoic philosopher Epictetus famously advised his students to consider the worst thing that can happen in order to be prepared for any eventuality and to avoid excessive anxiety and fear.
As you can see, this is a total opposition to thinking you're special and that nothing bad could ever happen. While it's true you are the main character of your own life, don't forget that the world has its own crazy storyline of its own, and you're just a tiny fragment of that.
Number seven: I am not smart enough. Now, if you're thinking like this, you might have what psychologists call a fixed mindset. This type of thinking is limiting and can prevent a person from pursuing their interests and goals. Intelligence is not the only factor that determines success or the ability to learn new things. Other qualities, such as determination, persistence, creativity, and the ability to learn from failure, also play a significant role in personal growth and achievement.
And by the way, intelligence is something that can be developed over time. While there may be some innate differences in cognitive abilities, research has shown that intelligence is not fixed, and it can be improved through effort and experience. So yeah, telling yourself "I'm not smart enough" is not a valid reason to avoid trying new things. It's just a lie you prefer to tell yourself when resistance comes knocking at the door.
Number eight: I don't know where to start. If you don't know where to start, know this: The obstacle is the way. The obstacle is a way is a philosophy that originated from ancient stoicism, and it emphasizes the idea that difficulties and obstacles in life can be turned into opportunities for personal growth and development.
The idea behind this philosophy is that obstacles are not merely roadblocks to our progress, but rather are the path to achieving our goals. Naturally, not knowing where to start is the most important obstacle you need to overcome; otherwise, you're just going to end up in a loop of non-action and fall prey to a phenomenon called analysis paralysis.
The best way to cure this dilemma is to pursue your innate passions and just try things without the fear of failure. Focus on what you can control; pick something that sparks your interest, and given enough time, you will find success.
Number nine: The present is more important than the future. The present and the future are both important, but the weight given to each will depend on your values, goals, and priorities. The key here is understanding how cheap dopamine works and choosing long-term and hard-earned satisfaction over instant gratification.
Instant gratification is the pursuit of immediate pleasure or satisfaction, and it often prioritizes the present moment over the future. But on the other hand, a long-term perspective considers the future implications of present actions and decision-making. This type of thinking prioritizes future outcomes and well-being over immediate pleasure and satisfaction.
So while staying anchored in the present moment matters, it’s important to have a laid-out plan for the long term and focus on doing the small tasks every single day. Over time, they will compound, and you will 10x your levels of satisfaction.
Number ten: I will be happy when I have X amount of money. The belief that having a certain amount of money will lead to happiness is a common misconception, especially among younger people. Wealth means a lot to an end, but it is not the end itself. Meditate on this for a while.
As mentioned earlier, happiness is a complex and multi-faceted emotion, and money is only one of many factors that can contribute to it. Eternal and true happiness comes from within, and it cannot be obtained through external means such as wealth or material possessions. Why? Because the wealth and material possessions can be taken away from you at any time, while your perspective on things is totally up to you.
Remember, it's okay to have money and pursue a good life. The important part of this journey is knowing when to stop and enjoy the view around you.
And that's the wrap for today, Aluxers! What is, in your opinion, the most common lie that people tell themselves daily? Drop your answer in the comments below; we're always curious to hear what you guys would add to the list. If you found this video valuable, make sure to tip us with a like to return the favor. As always, thanks for watching, and if you're hungry for more knowledge, check this video out next!