Bringing The Monster On Screen
Recently I read about a concept known as the "Law Of Reverse Effort" in Billy Oppenheimer 's fantastic newsletter.?
The basic concept is that if there is a battle between the will and the imagination,
The imagination always wins.?
Let's take the act of reaching out to someone you admire.??
You have the will to do it and you want to do it, but often what will happen is that you will think of all the reasons they might not respond to your outreach or imagine all of the possible ways that you could be turned down and it's likely you'll decide not to do it.?
Now some folks do push through but usually, all those imaginary scenarios win out.?
Why??
Because our imagination is extremely powerful and influential.?
There are plenty of places this shows up, but where I find it most interesting is in the horror genre.?
If you've ever watched a horror movie with some kind of monster then you know that the monster isn't revealed usually until the end of the movie because it's a lot scarier to imagine what is tearing people to pieces than it is to see it.?
When the monster shows up on screen it's not as scary because now we KNOW what it looks like.?
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It sometimes even feels comical in comparison to the horror we imagine.?
So why bring this up??
Because it highlights a fact that can help you avoid being hijacked by your imagination when it comes to something you really want to do, but may be worried about possible outcomes.?
What to do??
Bring the "monster" on screen.?
Use your imagination to paint the picture in vivid detail of the thing you're worried about and it won't seem nearly as scary.?
And if you know what the worst possible outcome is and you can live with it, it's going to be a heck of a lot easier to take those risks.?
So give it a try and let me know how it goes.?
It could be that the thing in the shadows holding you back is really nothing more than...
Bad CGI.?
Excelsior!?
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6 个月This is such a powerful insight, Michael Roderick! Embracing the "Law of Reverse Effort" can transform how we approach our fears and ambitions. This is information everyone should take in.
Managing Partner and Chief Dot Connector at Domestic Growth Capital, LLC II Healthcare Evolution Group
6 个月Never use your imagination if jealousy, worry or doubt are the current fuel for it. That's some of the best advice I've ever been given. The "monster" we can subconsciously create is almost always worse than the one when we bring it all to light. Thanks Michael for another amazingly adroit and poignant post.
Driving business growth through sales coaching and virtual assistant services for entrepreneurs and small businesses.
6 个月Typically once things are brought out into the light, they are not so big Michael Roderick . Seeing " the monster" and visualizing to overcome it can be powerful.
Speaker | Family Office Advisor | Next Gen Prep | Build a Legacy | Elevate your Energy & Mental Resilience | Amplify an Authentic, Commanding Executive Presence | Georgetown Law JD | Ex-C Suite
6 个月our imagination is powerful. Hence it is useful sometimes to use visualization - exercises in this regard - to see hear and breathe on the outcome you want - involve all of the senses - lts so essential to create space, calm and an environment where your imagination is activated in a positive way : )