We lie to ourselves every day.

We tell ourselves that we’re going to start eating perfectly on Monday. What about that New Year's Resolution to start a blog on January 1st?

We may blame our parents for our current financial mess even though we haven’t lived with them for the last 20 years.

Ever hear this? "If we only had a swimming pool, we’d finally be happy, and that happiness will last forever."

All lies. We tell ourselves these things regardless.

Lies you tell yourself can be the most damaging lies of all:

1. I’ll be able to pay it off next month, so it’s okay if I buy it now. Using debt to purchase anything is a serious matter. It’s easy to convince yourself that you’ll brown-bag your lunch for the next month, or that you won’t go out for 30 days. However, we rarely seem to stick to these promises.

   • Debt has a tremendous potential to snowball. Avoid using debt as much as possible.

2. I’ll start on Monday. Whether it’s a diet, a budget, an exercise plan, or any other undertaking, it’s a lie to tell yourself that you’ll start on Monday. Of course, Monday might not be your day of choice. Some people really prefer the first of the month or the first of the year.

   • If it’s worth doing at all, it’s worth starting right now.

3. It’s all my parents’ fault. There’s no doubt that some parents are lousy at the job of parenting. But you’ve had plenty of opportunities to put your life back on track. Putting the blame for your present on the past limits your future. There is plenty you can do today to make your life better.

4. If I just had _____, everything would be perfect. Once you have the money, body, job, or whatever else it is you think you need to have a “perfect” life, you’ll likely find something else that you just have to have. There’s always another thing waiting behind the thing you currently want.

5. I’m different from everyone else. A lot of people believe there’s something wrong with them. And it’s not just something wrong with them, it’s something uniquely wrong with them.

   • Everyone is unique, but similarities between people are far greater than differences. You’re not that different, and it’s unlikely there’s anything wrong with you that can’t be managed.

6. It’s too late for me. For some things, it might be too late. But it’s not too late for most things that matter. Waiting longer than you possibly should have can make a lot of things less convenient, but that’s not the same as being too late. It just means you’re going to have to work harder or endure more inconvenience.

   • There’s a penalty for waiting, but it’s rarely insurmountable.

7. The timing isn’t right. The timing is never right, and it’s never going to be right. Do it now while you can. Each day that you wait is another day of delay. You’re not going to live forever, and life never follows your plans anyway. Just do it.

We lie to ourselves to make us feel better. Telling ourselves that we’ll start losing weight on the 1st of the month puts our minds at ease and allows us to eat poorly until that start date.

We blame others for our challenges, so we can convince ourselves that it isn’t our fault.

The lies you tell yourself make you your own worst enemy and stop you from making progress in your life. Be honest with yourself and give yourself a chance.

As always,

Brian

P.S. – You might be thinking, "Oh, rich … this guy thinks he's got it all figured out." Reasonable response because …

The thing is, I now tend to catch myself when my subconscious tries spinning the web of lies.

Being aware of your own cognitive dissonance is a great starting point to recognize these things.

Cognitive dissonance is a self-protection mechanism used to justify our actions. When there is s a disconnect, we become uncomfortable enough to change what we think to align with what we feel.

Don't do that. Get comfortable being uncomfortable.

We teach this.