How the best entrepreneurs REDEFINE reality..
Summary
- I believe that labeling is one of the most powerful cognitive tools we possess.
- Our brains create meaning and ascribe labels as a survival mechanism, but it's important to recognize our brains keep us alive, not necessarily thriving.
- Labels can have a persuasive power; positive labels can induce actions aligned with them due to cognitive dissonance.
- However, negative labels can hurt people, especially when they pathologize normal human experiences.
- I am concerned about how the mental health industry sometimes portrays normal emotional variations as disorders.
- It is crucial to understand that human emotions exist on a continuum with opposites like happy/sad and energized/tired.
- Labeling an emotion or state as "bad" can escalate a transient feeling into a perceived persistent issue.
- Phrases like "should," "have to," and "need to" can create unnecessary pressure and imply threats against ourselves.
- I advocate for listening to language patterns which often reflect our thought processes and possibly distort our reality.
- Accepting that human experience includes both highs and lows lessens unnecessary suffering.
- A mental refrain of "and that's okay" helps in accepting and not judging what we feel at the moment.
- The space between circumstance and response is where we exercise choice, as Viktor Frankl suggests in "Man's Search for Meaning."
- Misery or suffering often stems from the labels we assign to our experiences rather than the experiences themselves.
- Wisdom begins with defining terms—as Socrates said—and understanding the terms can help clarify communication and resolve conflicts.
- Legal contracts often spend much time defining terms, which illustrates the importance of clear definitions in mutual understanding.
- Embracing both ends of the human emotional spectrum without judgement allows us to live fully and reduces suffering.
- We need to redefine the human experience to not include suffering as a default condition, instead embracing the full range life offers.
Video
How To Take Action
A good way of doing better in business and personal growth is to change how we think about our labels and judgments. Here's how to use this to thrive:
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Understand Labeling: Recognize that our brains label things to keep us safe, not happy. But, we can choose labels that encourage growth.
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Positive Labels: Use positive labels to motivate actions. If you think of yourself as a hard worker, you'll act like one.
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Avoid Negative Labels: Don't let normal life ups and downs become "bad" labels. If you're tired or sad, don't see it as a problem, but a natural human feeling.
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Change Your Words: Cut out phrases like "should" and "have to." They add pressure. Instead, say "I choose to" or "I prefer."
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Listen to Your Language: What you say reflects what you think. Watch out for words that make things seem worse than they are.
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Embrace the Spectrum: Understand life has highs and lows. Accept them. When you're annoyed, tell yourself "and that's okay."
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Define Your Terms: Clearly define what success and happiness mean to you. This helps you understand your goals better.
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Learn from Legal Contracts: Just as contracts define every term to avoid confusion, do the same for your life terms.
Remember, you always have a choice in how you respond to situations. By reframing your thoughts and language, you can turn problems into normal, manageable parts of life. Take these small, thoughtful steps to redefine your experience and enjoy the full range of what life offers.
Quotes
"Our brains Are Meant To Keep Us Alive not meant to help us Thrive"
– Alex Hormozi
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"Suffering is optional"
– Alex Hormozi
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"In order for there to be light there must be Darkness"
– Alex Hormozi
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"Wisdom begins with a definition of terms"
– Alex Hormozi
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"The strongest mental health thing I did for myself is that I created a mental refrain… and that's okay"
– Alex Hormozi
