Slaying the Distraction Dragon
Awareness proceeds choice and choice proceeds results.” Robin S. Sharma
When it comes to life, stagnation is a choice. We are the operant power of our existence. If what we want more than anything is the actualization of our deepest desires, what animates the refusal to heed the call? According to “War of Art” author Steven Pressfield, “Resistance” which lives in the shadows of our dreams, is what stands between the life we live and the unlived life within. Where is the Procrastination Dragon’s lair and how do we slay him once and for all?
Though it feels like the blocks come from an outside source, the dragon is inside all of us. And the closer we get to scaling the castle wall of our soul’s calling, the more fire and steam the dragon will spew to extinguish our creative spark.
Self-sabotage can be obvious, in the forms of addiction, binge tv watching, shopping and junk food. But it can also be hidden in the promise to begin when the conditions are perfect. We will open the business, complete the degree, or start the diet; but only when the kids are grown, when work slows down, or interest rates improve. The perfect substrate is a moving target, just beyond our reach. We would be wise to heed Paulo Coehlo’s advice: “Never allow waiting to become a habit. Live your dreams and take risks. Life is happening now.”
In the present moment, where are your coordinates in the dragon’s den? Begin with an audit your life of the previous year. Dust off your 2021 New Year’s resolution list from last January. Did your list of lofty ambitions come to fruition — or did they fizzle out by February? If so, replace your disappointment with resolve. As Eckart Tolle said, “Awareness is the greatest agent for change.”
The truth is that we are solely responsible for our thoughts and underlying beliefs, which provide the framework of our 3D reality. Are you curating your mindset deliberately, or by autopilot? Is your default setting steering you toward what Earl Nightingale termed “the progressive realization of a worthy goal” or a state of entropy?
If our thoughts and beliefs are the skeleton, then our self-concept is the gene expression of our manifested circumstances. According to Dr. Lucas D. Shallua, “One’s self concept determines how he or she seizes opportunities in life as they are presented to him or her.” A poor self-concept will limit your ability to accept blessings, even if they have the potential to improve your life, because deep down you feel you are unworthy of abundance.
The fact of the matter is that we are made in God’s image. Worthiness is our birthright. For those of us with a sketchy self-concept, these principles may seem like hollow platitudes. Luckily, self-concept is not set in stone and with awareness, the unpolished core can be chiseled and shaped into a diamond from which riches, good health and fulfilling relationships magnetically attract to its mirror image?
As you welcome 2022, reflect on 2021’s unconscious patterns and behaviors without judgement and blame. Be kind to yourself. With awareness, we identify the chinks in our armor. Once aware, we can assess our behaviors and create a blueprint for the present that integrates the authenticity of our inner voice with actionable steps that delivers results.
The hero’s journey doesn’t guarantee that slaying the resistance dragon would be easy. Throw down the gauntlet anyway. Armed with awareness, the perils of distraction and blame on external circumstances are navigated and transmuted. Transformation and growth are earned through this rite of passage, if we are brave enough to answer the call.
Next week we will explore the how; to act and think with intention to recalibrate our self-concept. Re-programming our construct so that the changes are automatic and integrated into the new normal.