Week 2 done. Kill The Lie.
This week I showed you the five lies keeping you in the prison:
"I'm not ready yet" — The preparation lie. Hiding behind endless learning.
"The timing isn't right" — The circumstances lie. Waiting for a moment that doesn't exist.
"I have responsibilities" — The noble excuse. Using the people you love as a shield.
"I need to be strategic" — The overthinking lie. Using intelligence as a hiding place.
"It's not that simple" — The complexity lie. Making yourself special to avoid commitment.
The question now: What are you going to do about it?
Are you going to nod along, say "good content, interesting ideas," and keep making the same excuses tomorrow?
Or are you going to actually kill them?
Here's the process:
Step 1: Write down every excuse you tell yourself.
Step 2: For each one, ask: Is this a reason or an excuse? (A reason leads to a different solution. An excuse leads to no solution.)
Step 3: Find someone who succeeded despite having that same excuse.
Step 4: Decide it doesn't get a vote. The obstacles are real. Your response is a choice.
Step 5: Remove escape routes. Make quitting harder than continuing.
The prison doesn't have a lock on the door. You can walk out whenever you want.
But first, you have to stop believing the lies that tell you why you can't.
Next week: Kill The Drag. Your environment is either pulling you forward or dragging you back. We're cutting the dead weight.
Done negotiating.
-Joel