Victor’s Life List

Have you ever faced a situation where you knew you had to do something, but you do not follow through ?

You might be facing a situation where you want to change something, lose some weight, study for an exam or call someone. We plan everything but we later give ourselves many stories when it’s time to take action. You failed to follow through, although you know that by doing so it will help improve a situation or your life. You failed because you tell yourself many stories on why we need not do the task.

These stories are called justifications. We tell ourselves that is all right to not study at the moment. We tell ourselves that is ok to not exercise. We tell ourselves different stories so as to allow ourselves to not feel bad for not taking that action. Deep down, we know that we must do them because it do us good. But we end up justifying.
We are all amazing storytellers.

How it happens

I am guilty of this as well, especially withmy running. I used to have a habit of waking up in the monrning to run. I would even sleep early so I could wake up at 5am to run. But once I’m up, I would struggle to run. I tell myself many stories why I need not run. These stories might include:

• You are fit enough
• You need to have more sleep
• Run later in the evening
• It’s too dangerous to run in the mornings. ( I got chased by dogs before. )
• It’s about to rain
• You need the rest for your classes later
• You will not enjoy the run

Meanwhile, a person in the midst of studying might tell themselves such stories:

• I need the rest
• Can’t stress myself too much
• I have studied enough
• I’m still young
• I should really enjoy life
• This area of the syllabus might not come out. Skip it.
• I need a nap
• Is my emo day
• I’ve been through a lot the past few days, I need a time out from studies
• I’m more prepared than most people

Notice that these stories we tell ourselves aren’t really reasons. Reasons are real stories that help to explain a situation. What actually creates that justification is because of our fear and negativity. It is a mere illusion of situations. Many times, it is just the way our mind gives reason to be lazy. It gives in to our fears.

Behind these justifications are just mere anticipation of a negative future. A feeling of fear, of inadequate, of lack.

How it harms us

Many people even avoid trying out new things for this reason. The justify with themselves why they won’t succeed. Before they even start, they could give themselves a million ways in which they will fail.
In fact I feel that this is the major reason why many people feel that success is eluding them. The major blockage : THEMSELVES.

The main reason we do not have success in life is because we tell ourselves why we do not need or deserve them.
It may harm us in many other ways like:

• Lower our self esteem in the long run.
• It gives rise to other bad habits like prosractination. Prosractination is like a good friend of justification. Justification tells us why we need not do things, prosractination tells us why we need not do it now.
• Decrease our productivity. The time spend justifying are rarely productive.  It mainly are just time wasting.

Overcoming Justification

Having identify this problem with justification, I have came out with some of my ways which I have used to help me deal with this.

• Be aware that you are justifying. This is the first step to cure any bad habits. Awareness precedes choices, which precedes action.
• Be honest with yourself, although it might hurt at times. Most of the time we realize we are just not telling the truth to ourselves. We tell such amazing stories to ourselves that we think that it is actually true. We are not lying to ourselves, just not telling the truth. Be completely honest.
• Write out those justifications. This helps you to be be better aware of those “stories” which you are constantly telling yourself.
• Gain momentum. Instead of giving in to your justification, do it straight away. Do not allow your mind to tell stories. For example with my running, I make it a habit to run straight away once I’m awake.  I make sure I give myself no time whatsoever to justify. It’s amazing how many more kilometers I clock in per week just through this habit.
• Do not accept medicrocity. Push through your comfort zone. Even if you don’t feel like doing it, push through. It helps gain momentum.

Last Notes

We are all meant for so much more in life. Go for better things. Those justifications are what is holding us back from better things in life.

I wish you luck in overcoming this habit.