Week 35 - "Combine the extremes, and you will have the true center" - Friedrich Schlegel
You would think that in a world where so much is possible, we would have disregarded binary statements a long time ago. Yet, I often come across sentiments like "you either have it or you don't" or “born-winners” which remind me how many people still have these limiting mindsets.
The problem is that Black-and-white definitions of what is and isn’t are self-fulfilling prophecies. By believing in them, you limit yourself to your preconceived notion of what you think is the ultimate truth.
No one is solely a winner or a loser. We all exist in the middle and while some will win or lose more than others, it doesn’t define their being.
However, I can see how someone might feel that way. Throughout different chapters in life, many fall victim to black-and-white absolutes. When these individuals define themselves through their failures and shortcomings, they convince themselves that they're destined to lose. In their reality, they always get the short end of the stick, and it’s only when one realizes they're not bound by limiting beliefs that they begin to see a shift.
I wish I could tell you exactly how to reach that turning point, but the truth is that it’s different for everyone. For me, it was sheer exhaustion from constantly setting the bar too low. Entering any situation expecting failure only made matters worse, and it was only when I challenged my beliefs about who everyone, including myself, was or wasn’t, that I saw the change I was looking for.
This idea extends to the other end of the spectrum too. The idea that there are “born winners” is something I’ll never agree with. Even if there are differences in the cards life deals us, deeming someone as predestined for success takes away from the value of their efforts. Also, it inadvertently disempowers your own potential by implying success is tied to fate rather than being a product of one’s work.
In a world where gray areas define most of our experiences, ask yourself why we still cling to binary beliefs.
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