15 Lies You Keep Telling Yourself
This is your Moment of Truth, where you stop fooling yourself and start forging a path to real success. These are 15 lies you keep telling yourself. Welcome to Alux.
First up, a true classic: I'll start tomorrow. Tomorrow is the favorite word of the procrastinator and the enemy of progress. Every time you say this, you're not delaying a task; you're delaying your life. Dreams and success don't wait for those who delay. It's a train that only stops for those ready to board today, not tomorrow. The truth is there's never a perfect time to start, but the best time is always now.
Embrace the discomfort of starting, because this is how you get from one day to day one. Take the thing you keep saying you'll do tomorrow and do the smallest version possible today. For example, if you say you'll start eating healthy from tomorrow, go buy the ingredients to cook healthy meals today. If you say you'll hit the gym tomorrow, well, go get the subscription today. You don't have to stay at the gym; just go and sign up, and then you can leave. There's always a small step you can take at any given point, but the fact it's so small is what makes it elusive.
"I don't have enough time or energy." That's a lie. That's pretty easy to believe, right? You think you don't have the time, but the reality is you're not making time. Twenty-four hours—billionaires, athletes, and geniuses all have the same amount as you do. The difference lies in prioritization and efficiency. And look, okay, we get it; you came home late. Maybe you've got chores that need to be done. You've got other responsibilities, and when you're done with the day, you just want to lay down. But here's the brutal reality: if you're serious about change and success, you'll make time—not excuses.
What you're really saying to yourself isn't that you don't have the time; what you're saying is, "It's not a priority to me right now." If you're honest with yourself, you'll realize you do actually have plenty of time.
"It's too late to change." This is your fear talking, okay? It's not fact. It is never too late to change. The only expiry date on change is the one that you set for yourself. Think of all the successful people who started late and still left an indelible mark on this world. Age is just a number, okay? And change is always possible. What matters most is the determination to pursue change regardless of the stage of life you're in. Don't let the fear of being too late rob you of the opportunity to evolve, grow, and reach your potential. Start now, and a year from now, you'll be grateful you did.
"I'm not good enough." Not good enough compared to whom? You're measuring yourself with someone else's ruler. The only comparison you need is with who you were yesterday. Every individual's journey is unique. Your only competition should be your past self. But you know this; you've heard this explanation time and time again. So here's something more interesting to think about: very few people in this world are actually extremely good at what they're doing. Very few are pioneers or industry leaders pushing that needle forward. Most people are just okay, and they're doing just fine.
So when you think about it like this, the bar you need to hit is not that high at all, especially when you're actually putting in a bit of effort. Everyone can be good enough at anything. Don't fool yourself.
"I can't make a difference." This is a defeatist attitude, okay, and it is beneath you. Every big change starts with one person deciding to make a difference. You don't need to change the world overnight; start small. Impact one life, one community, and watch the ripple effect. Your actions, no matter how small, can have a significant impact. Don't underestimate the power of a single step, a single action. Be the change you wish to see, and slowly but surely, you'll start making a difference—one that's much bigger than you initially thought possible. The question you need to be asking yourself is not, "Can I start an avalanche?" but first, "How do I make a snowball?"
"I need to be perfect." Perfection is an illusion, and chasing it is a fast track to nowhere. It's a trap, a clever guise for fear—fear of criticism and fear of failure. But here's the truth: imperfection is totally human, and it's where the growth happens. Your quirks, your missteps—they make you who you are. Striving for excellence is commendable, but when it morphs into perfectionism, it becomes crippling. Embrace the good enough and keep improving. Remember, done is better than perfect. It's the work you complete and the efforts you make that build your path to success, not the unattainable standards of perfection. For as long as you strive for perfection, trust us, you're not going to get anything done, because nothing will feel like it's done and ready to release into the world. So you just won't.
"I'll be happy when I'm rich." Look, happiness isn't waiting for you at the end of the wealth rainbow. If you can't find happiness in your journey, riches are not going to deliver it on your doorstep. Wealth amplifies your current state. If you're unhappy now, more money is only going to magnify that unhappiness. Find joy in the little things, the process, the small victories. Happiness is a state of being, not a possession; it’s cultivated daily in moments, not in milestones. As we talked about before, we believe that money 100% solves most of everyone's problems, and problems can definitely make you unhappy. But a lack of problems isn't going to magically make you inherently happy. No, we hope this makes sense to you because it's really important.
"If it's too hard to achieve my dreams." Hard? Yes. Impossible? No. This lie is a comfort zone, a buffer against your fear of failure. But ask yourself, truly, what's harder: the pain of regret or the pain of hard work? Dreams demand sacrifice, risk, and grit. They require you to push beyond the limits that you've set for yourself. Embrace the challenge. Savor the struggle; it's the essence of a fulfilling journey. Every great achievement in history was once deemed impossible. Break your dream down into actionable steps and start climbing—one hard-fought step at a time.
"I don't need help." Pride may fall. This lie is an ego trap. No one ever achieved greatness all by themselves. Even the mightiest have mentors, supporters, and teams. Admitting you need help is not a weakness; it is a strength, my friend. It's acknowledging that you value progress over pride. Collaboration, advice, and support can propel you forward, providing insights and perspectives you might miss on your own. Be open to assistance; welcome guidance and embrace the collective wisdom of those around you. Remember, the lone wolf might walk fast, but the pack walks far.
"I must always, always be strong." It's not resilience; this is a recipe for burnout. Constant strength is unsustainable and unrealistic. It's okay to have moments of weakness, to feel vulnerable or unsure. These moments don't diminish your strength; they humanize you. It's in acknowledging and working through these vulnerabilities that true resilience is built. Allow yourself the grace to be human, to rest, to recharge. It's in these pauses that you gather the strength to forge ahead with more vigor and determination. Strength isn't about being unbreakable; it's about knowing that even when you break, you can still pick yourself back up again and keep on going.
"Failure is not an option." Look, okay, this mindset will paralyze you. Failure isn't just an option; look, it is an inevitable part of the journey to success. The fear of failure is far more damaging than the failure itself. You need to be okay with the idea of failure and comfortable with yourself if you do indeed fail—which you probably will at some point. This will liberate you from the pressure of failure instilled within you.
"I can't be successful and have a balanced life." Why not? Who wrote that rule? This is an unnecessary choice imposed by a misguided belief system. You know we've fallen victim to this ourselves in the past, truth be told. But you see, balance doesn't mean compromising success; it means integrating all aspects of your life. It's about finding harmony between work, passion, relaxation, and relationships. A balanced life fuels your energy and creativity, enhancing your capacity for success. It's not about choosing one over the other; it's about making space for both. Yes, if you take the growth path, there will 100% be moments where that balance will be difficult to find. But those are just small periods in the grand scheme of things. Balance should be your default state, and that will give you enough energy to go full throttle when the situation requires it.
"Money won't solve all my problems." This is something we heard from Casey Neistat a couple of years ago. Now you see, there are two kinds of problems: life problems and money problems. Money problems mean not having the means to sustain a normal life. When you can't afford a decent place to live, healthy food, clothing, education, and other basic life necessities, then you have money problems. Life problems, on the other hand, mean not finding your passion, your purpose in life, what makes you feel accomplished, and other things of that nature. It's really hard to tackle life problems when money problems keep you busy all the time. And just on that note, wanting a bigger house, a faster car, or a better vacation—those are not money problems, okay? Those are success problems. They're just money inconveniences.
"People like me don't become successful." This is a lie of self-sabotage masquerading as humility. It's a deep-seated belief, often rooted in fear and insecurity. But here's the truth: you deserve success just as much as anyone else. Success isn't a reserved privilege; it's the result of effort, resilience, and the courage to pursue your goals. Challenge this lie by recognizing your worth and the value you bring. Your potential for success is not a matter of worthiness; it's a matter of will, action, and perseverance.
"Someday my life will get better on its own." Hope is not a strategy, okay? Waiting for your life to improve without taking any action is like waiting for a ship at the airport. Change requires effort; it demands you to step up, take control, and do the work. And you might say that sometimes things sort of work out in the end. Sure, but what you're experiencing is life without your input. You don't know what the alternative could have been. It could have been better than this.
And of course, we're ending this with a bonus today, and that is: It's not too late. Look, okay, we know that we said it's never too late to change, but this idea does need to be treated carefully. As long as you're willing to change, it's not too late. But if your only relief is saying to yourself, "Hey, it's not too late," and that there's still time, it not only opens the door but you invite in politely, "I'll do it tomorrow" and repeat. So instead, think about it like this: If I start right now, I still have enough time to make it meaningful. We'll see you back here next time. Alux, take care.