I saw an Instagram video recently that’s got me thinking.
It was a guy with a brand new IG account. He was sitting in his front yard in a camp chair, talking to his phone camera propped up in another camp chair.
Which, when you think about it, is pretty awkward.
Your neighbors can see you, no one is actually there, and you’re talking to a phone like it’s a person.
The video was uncut, not super clean, but he finished with this interesting observation:
The hardest part isn’t the filming, but getting over the self-consciousness.
⚡️ F5 Fast Files - Short Summary
New things are naturally awkward- no growth in your comfort zone!
Don’t let self-consciousness derail the correct decision/action
Your goals don’t require other people’s approval
Focus on your most meaningful activities (10X)
😃 Do you feel self-conscious?
You might not be starting a new account online, but I’m sure you’ve felt self-conscious, right?
Like, “What is this guy doing?”
First of all, your goals aren’t about them.
Of course you will seek guidance and advice from trusted sources, and ultimately, the Lord’s approval DOES matter. But don’t let passive onlookers make you anxious as you imagine the cruel thoughts they must be having or the gossip they must be spreading to put you down.
“At age 20, we worry about what others think of us. At age 40, we don't care what they think of us. At age 60, we discover they haven't been thinking of us at all.”
Some people may spend their youth worrying about judgment, only to realize later in life that everyone else was too preoccupied with their own lives to care.
What other people think of you is none of your business!
Your imagination is probably more cruel than what they’re actually saying. And even if they are saying it, SO WHAT?! Their opinions don’t matter.
It’s okay if it’s awkward at the start, that’s expected as you learn something new. Push past the haters, break past the pointing fingers you’ve imagined. Forge ahead into discomfort!
🎉 Going, Going… Undersold!
Last week I told you about asking for help on my cinderblock fence, ultimately I hired a guy to do that work with me.
For 2 days we slogged along, making consistent progress, then on Saturday my new friend brought 2 other Guatemalans to work with us…
They were so fast!
I quickly realized that the work would get done fastest if I didn’t join them. They had a system and it was working! So I found something else to do, still meaningful, but work only I could do.
That’s when I felt it again, that self-consciousness creep in.
Over what?! The fact that they were better at the job than me after 10 years of doing it? The thought that they might see me as lazy since my new choice of activities weren’t as tiring? Imagining them thinking that I was just another rich snob who thinks hard labor is beneath him?
Yes!
I shook myself out of it and was able to stick to the activities that only I could do, kind of like a project manager who prepares the road ahead - Taking measurements, discussing design, and making decisions so the team will be effective when they get there.
Don’t undersell your most impactful activity out of sympathy for another’s work load.
❤️ Pupusas? Yes please!
We paused work on the fence around noon for a break and one of the guys asked if I’d join them for lunch. “We’ve got extra pupusas, do you like those?”
Very yes.
As we sat at lunch we chatted about the house and all the plans and dreams for it.
Realizing I’m in a different life circumstance than my lunch mates, I started to feel that pesky self-consciousness again. In an effort to not make them uncomfortable I gave them a watered down version of my goals for this house.
We do this all the time, don’t we?!
Stop watering down your dreams to make others feel comfortable! Quit hiding your true intentions for fear of what they might think! Don’t sell yourself short just for the people around you to be more accepting!
First of all, your dreams don’t require their approval.
Second of all, giving people the watered down version is DISHONEST.
That’s right, it is a LIE to hold back your true intentions. If you’re going to talk about it, stop telling the fake version.
“Nah, it’s ok if this new business just makes me a little money, it doesn’t need to replace my income or anything.”
“Yeah, I’m just exploring with this new account, it’s ok if it doesn’t go viral.”
“I’m just trying something a little different in the gym, it’s ok if I don’t get fit.”
That’s bogus!
If that’s the way we talk about our goals, why are we surprised when all we achieve is some faded version of what we actually want?
🔥 The Real Deal
We all feel it, the self-consciousness of all the people watching us try, win or lose. It’s time to break out and stop being held captive by the perception of others.
I genuinely hope this brotherhood is a place where we are real about our shortcomings AND real about our goals, dreams, and ambitions.
Don’t give in. We believe in you.
Justin & Jared
F5 Brotherhood
P.S - The LinkTree is still your hub for everything F5 Brotherhood