“There are always two options in life: you can say there’s no hope for the world and do nothing, or you can fight to improve it,” the actress Hilary Swank declared.
The first option ushers us into a calm and comfortable world of inertia, where we can pursue our day-to-day lives without asking ourselves any big questions or worrying too much about individual or collective progress.
I prefer the second option, a life choice which is probably more difficult, thankless, and one that carries no guarantee of success. A way of living with more questions than answers, where we confront the excuses that rob us of our personal power and limit our essential greatness.
There are plenty of excuses and, in most cases, they have their basis in reality: I don’t have time, I haven’t got any money, that’s no longer possible at my age, I haven’t got the right training, that’s very risky… All very human and understandable ways in which we can avoid looking at our lives full in the face and engaging with our dreams and decisions.
As the great Tony Robbins wisely says in his lectures: “Your life changes the moment you make a new, congruent, and committed decision.”
Personal maturity, generosity, commitment and altruism are the flip side of laziness and excuses, as well as being key elements of our personality we should develop. There is light and shade in all of us. The challenge lies in activating the part of us that shines and humbly asking others for support on our bad days.
Excuses drag us down, whereas dreams and our resilience lift us up towards the best version of ourselves. They have a positive knock-on effect and inspire others by example. How we move forward depends on us, since personal transformation is a door that opens within us.
Positive discipline
In education and personal development today, there is much discussion about “positive discipline”, an educational philosophy that advocates personal growth. This is an approach in which rights and obligations reach an equilibrium, and limits are put in place for a healthy development.
Discipline is key for reflecting and living in accordance with the legacy we wish to leave. It is a driving force that helps us move forward in difficult times, grow in discomfort, and engage with our decisions, while remaining flexible in our approach, so that we may adapt to frequent changes.
Excuses depersonalize and diminish us. Self-responsibility and passion energize us, increase our personal strength, and ‘big us up’.
Let us look for inspiration and reasons to boost our self-confidence and motivation for pursuing our life projects. Let us play to win in the game of our life.
This article has also been published in Do Better by ESADE, October 4, 2023
David Reyero Trapiello – Senior HR Business Partner – Sanofi Iberia
e-mail: David.reyero@sanofi.com / Twitter: @davidreyero73 / Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/davidreyerotrapiello/
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