The Secret Hostage Takers Of Our Lives

When we let forces stop us, we’re allowing them to take control of our lives.

It’s like your being taken hostage, being forced to pick one or the other.

Where in fact, you always have a choice.  And it doesn’t have to be only one or the other.  You can choose to be creative and find a way.

What are the secret hostage takers of our lives, forcing us to give up on our dreams, love, and goals?

 

Fear

As Frank Herbert wrote – “Fear is the mind-killer.”

Fear causes us to shut down and go for fight-or-flight, which unfortunately, no longer works in the modern world.

You can no longer run away from everything, and you certainly can’t punch your way out of a lot of problems.

And yet, the fear still grips us, stopping us from taking any meaningful action, and chaining us to the status quo.

Fear hostages our future and our opportunities, in exchange for the comfort and safety that we feel now.

I still find myself afraid to jump all-in back into the world of full-time business running.  I find myself taken hostage by the fear that I might lose it all again like the last time I tried.

But if I continue along my present course, I’ll still lose it all, or not have enough for what I want in the future.

Don’t give in to fear, and keep moving forward instead.

 

Beliefs

What we believe, determines how we see things, which affect what we do, and the results that we get.

We cannot create from without, if we cannot create from within.

Only that which we believe to be possible, is what indeed we can create and make true.

But what if want we want, is something that’s not possible given what we believe?

Our beliefs hostages our possibilities and our way forward, in exchange for the feeling of being right all the time, of being safe within our comfort zone.

Would you rather be right, or be (insert splendiforously fantastic adjective here)?

Making mistakes is a part of life.  The question then becomes how do we handle our mistakes, and what beliefs do we have about them?

If our belief is that we shouldn’t make mistakes in life, and that everything should be perfect, then that wouldn’t lead for a happy life, and that belief wouldn’t get you far.

I used to believe that money was so hard to come by.  That belief stopped me from earning any sizable amount.

I used to believe that I’ll never be fit.  Big guess as to how my health was then.

Be open to changing your beliefs, to get the life that you want.

 

Lack of Health

If we don’t take care of ourselves, who will?

The saying “health is wealth” couldn’t be truer.

My back gave out, and for that time, it was so painful to stand, to walk, heck, even to move.

My greatest fear then became, would I ever walk normally again?

I recall what I realized during those times.

That I’d be willing to pay all of my wealth and possessions, just to be healthy, functional, normal, with the ability to grow stronger.

Our lack of health hostages our quality of life and energy, in exchange for the short-term comfort and gratification that compromises our long-term capacity and ability.

It can be hard to start exercising, to start eating healthy, or to hold yourself accountable to a higher level of fitness and performance.

If you’re not growing, then you’re dying.

Apart from the many benefits of being in good health, most notably the energy and capacity to do more, and enjoy a higher quality of life, we only have one body and health in our lifetime.

We either take care of it, or squander it.  Use it, or lose it.

Take steps to up your level of health, and watch it positively impact all the other areas of your life.

 

Comfort and safety

I once wrote that comfort can be a curse, lulling us into a false sense of security, and dulling our edge and want to improve ourselves.

I’m not saying that we should shun all comfort and safety.  What I’m saying is that if we always want to be comfortable and safe, especially in our decisions, actions, and how we live our life, then we’ll never get to risking, adventuring, and growing.

Real growth happens when you step outside of your comfort zone.  You expand the edges of what you thought possible, and you venture out of your current capacity.

So you either shape up, or ship out.  It comes as no surprise that if people really make a way, they’ll ship up and succeed.  That’s how powerful we are.

Comfort and safety hostages our growth, dreams, and possibilities, in exchange for the feeling that we’ll never fail, and that we’ll always be in control.

Reality check: We are never in control.  Only of ourselves.

Step out of your comfort zone, and into the courage zone.  Go for freedom, not comfort.

 

Free yourself

Break free from those that keep your dreams, love, and life hostage.

Spend less time with those that keep you chained and paralyzed, and more time with those that help you build your freedom.

Work at it.  Get better 1% everyday.

Free yourself.

There is no negotiation.

 

What has been keeping you hostage for so long?  Please share in the comments below!