Most People Are Trapped By How They Think
I recently got a dog.
Funny enough, for most of my life I said I never would. Life changes, I changed, and here we are.
I got mixed reactions by close friends and family when I told them.
Not surprisingly, the dominant theme was negative.
- How expensive it is to own a pet.
- How much harder it’s going to be to travel.
- How it would add stress, responsibility, hassle, etc.
Almost nobody said, “Amazing! You’re going to learn a lot from owning a pet.”
Or, “You’ll enjoy having him around.”
Or, “Now you get to make more money to take care of him!”
Most people defaulted to problems. They focused on one dimension only.
What’s interesting is this isn’t really about dogs. It’s about how people think.
Most People Are Programmed To Spot Problems, Not Possibilities
Once you notice this pattern, you see it everywhere.
- Parents saying kids will “kill your freedom.”
- Someone gets an opportunity and immediately lists all the downsides.
- Someone considers a goal and instantly names all the reasons why they won’t achieve it.
It’s not logic. It’s their identity.
People speak from the limits they’ve accepted for themselves.
I believe you can get an accurate view of someone’s mindset by how they talk.
Here’s the truth:
Your results are a reflection of your thoughts. Thoughts drive action and action drives results.
Two people can face the same situation.
One asks: “What will this cost me?”
The other asks: “What could this create for me?”
One looks for excuses.
One looks for opportunities.
One convinces themselves it’s too hard.
One convinces themselves they’ll figure it out.
You can usually predict someone’s future by listening to them for five minutes.