We Are What We Pretend to Be

"We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be." ~Kurt Vonnegut (author)

Can you believe that we've almost reached the end of 2018? Yowza. Things move fast, and that's not going to change.

In fact, life only speeds up. I used to lament this fact, but now I'm ok with it. It simply pressures me to try my best to be the person I most want to be today. Right now. Not tomorrow, not next week...right this moment. There's no time to waste!

Speaking of who we are... Did you know that we all pretend to be someone we're not? Yes, it's a fact. We tell ourselves stories, and very rarely are those stories 100% true or accurate. Because perfect self awareness and reflection is an impossible thing. We all have mental biases and blind spots that none of us can ever truly overcome.

But guess what? That's ok. In fact, it's downright inspiring to me.

Why? Because the stories we tell ourselves (and the stories we tell about ourselves), and the stories we believe, are what determine our success and the outcome of our lives. It doesn't matter if the story is true or not - you simply have to believe it. And many times it's actually beneficial to tell yourself a story that's not true - one that's purely fiction - as long as that story enables you to overcome the obstacle between where you are and where you want to be.

I remember when I was studying biomedical engineering at Columbia University. Coursework was hard. I disliked a lot of the material I had to learn (and eventually become proficient in). Fluid biomechanics. Quantitative physiology. It was painful. So what did I do? How did I get through it? I'd go to the Art History/Fine Arts library, which very few undergraduates did (most didn't even know it existed), because it felt like a library out of the 1700s. Dim lights, old books, rows of mahogany desks, hallowed halls and immensely tall ceilings.

And there I would pretend that I was some scientist responsible for coming up with the next big health discovery. I'd act as if I was one of the researchers I'd read about in history books. I thought of myself next to Einstein, Newton and others sacrificing for the pursuit of knowledge. And guess what? It worked. It allowed me to crank through and study for 12 hours straight. It allowed me to actually get good grades and help others do the same. And I actually came to enjoy it.

How does this manifest today? In its simplest form, when I'm confronted with massive obstacles, I tell myself that this obstacle was specifically designed for me. I was destined for it. And I'm capable of crushing it. In fact, I was born to crush it.

In my head, I speak about the leader I'm expected to become and what I'm supposed to achieve in this world for the benefit of mankind and those around me. I believe I have a specific destiny.

Is this true? Am I actually special? Or am I just a normal guy weaving in and out of life with no specific purpose? I have no clue. The likely answer is that I'm just a normal guy, but I'm certainly not going to tell myself that. Because it doesn't inspire me, and for me, the stories I tell myself are all about what inspires me to be better.

My question to you is: right now, what story are you telling yourself? Is that story optimistic? Does it say that you're exactly where you need to be and all of the challenges you face are simply trials for you, and that once you overcome them, you'll be ready for bigger and better things? Or is it pessimistic and complaining, telling yourself you're not good enough and that life is unfair and that you're destined for mediocrity?

Be very very careful with the story you tell yourself, because it very likely will become true. I'm not saying be delusional. Remember, you have to believe the story. But stop worrying so much about truth and accuracy here! This is simply the story you tell yourself. Let the story be optimistic. And when considering the accuracy of it, remember, because of your imperfect brain and mental biases, you won't ever really know the true story about yourself. So you might as well have fun with it and tell yourself a story that will benefit your life, not take away from it.

Like Einstein said:

"Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one."

Tell yourself a wonderful story about you today and go and conquer all that is front of you. That's my wish for you the rest of this year. Let's go!