Which of these lies are you telling yourself?

I am sure most of us consider ourselves to be honest people. Outside of the odd white lie, we find it difficult to lie to our friends and loved ones. This makes it all the more confusing then that we find it so easy to lie to ourselves. You might have bristled at this thought, huffed, and thought, "I do no such thing!"??The nine lies below are common lies we tell ourselves. Sometimes they are harmless, but often they hold us back from reaching our goals.

1.???I'll Get to It Eventually?

How many times have you told yourself this, then failed to "get to it"? If you are like most of us - plenty of times! Setting a specific deadline for all your tasks is much better. Alternatively, you could just do it now as well.?

2.???I Can't Escape my Past?

Many of us have skeletons in our closets, or if not, a trauma that we never properly dealt with. The reality is that you can get over your past. Your past doesn't define you. You might have to work a little harder or work on yourself, but you can get past your past.?

3.???There is Something Wrong With Me

Have you ever felt like such a failure that you assume there must be something wrong with you? This is a powerful lie that can hold you back from trying to accomplish your goals. Whether you are different, struggling, or even failing, that is circumstance. That isn't who you inherently are as a person.? Even the greatest leaders fail from time to time, it's how we respond that counts.

4.???I Know Exactly What I am Doing

Self-confidence is a powerful tool in your arsenal. Sometimes it even helps to fake confidence! That said, we need to be careful not to go overboard. There is nothing wrong with being honest that you need some help because you don't know what you are doing.?

5.???I Would be Happy If Only...?

I know it's easy to focus on what you want or think you need for happiness, but it rarely works out that way. Even if you acquire what you need to be happy, you will move the goalposts further and think about something else. Fulfilment is a choice that only you can make and it's a way of being 'now' rather than a destination to get to on the 12th of never!

6.???I am Too Busy to...

While this is true sometimes, and especially true for people who are working and raising a family, a lot of the time, it isn't. Downtime is important, but almost all of us waste time in some fashion. Take an honest appraisal of your day; you will likely find some extra time to spare.?

7.???I Can Change Him/Her

I bet a couple of you are nodding in agreement about this one! Many of us have this moment where we meet someone we like, but they are toxic to be around. You think you can change this person with enough love and caring. We usually always find out that we can't. It isn't even our job to try and change someone else. That's on them.

8.???I'm Too Old To...

I heard a 25-year-old the other day say they were too old to do something. I had never felt older. The reality is that we can still do almost anything we want as we age. It's never too late to go back to school or change career. It's not too late to take chances. It's never too late for you to try and live the life you dream about.?

9.???I'm a Failure

While all of us will fail from time to time, that does not make us failures. Failure is something we deal with; it isn't something we are. If you feel like a born loser who always fails, focus on your wins. We all have some wins in our lives, no matter how small they may seem. Also, failing is often when we have our greatest learning; embrace it! ?

Here are 3 quick action steps you can take right now to help you have more success and achieve your goals.

1. Read over the list of lies we tell ourselves and figure out if you use any of them. Pay special attention to any lies you might use regularly.
2. Take a sheet of paper, and mark a line down the centre from top to bottom. On the left-hand side, write down the lies you tell yourself. Feel free to add any other lies I may have missed as well.
3. On the right-hand side of the paper, counter each of those lies. Either write down reasons they aren't true or the steps you can take to ensure they aren't true.

Let me know how you get on and if you want some help.

And I'd love you to come and join me on Thursday, 30th March, at 1pm UK when I'll be live on Zoom talking about how you can lead with more confidence and start believing in yourself as a leader.

Here's the link to reserve your free spot:

https://lead-with-confidence.scoreapp.com/