DO YOU THINK YOU’RE: A VICTIM A LEADER A LOSER DO YOU THINK YOU’RE: BEAUTIFUL INTELLIGENT KIND DO YOU THINK YOU’RE: OVERWEIGHT UNLOVABLE A MESS DO YOU DEFINE YOURSELF BY: YOUR PAST YOUR FUTURE YOUR FEELINGS YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS You should stop here. Take five minutes and jot down what you believe to be true about yourself. WHO ARE YOU? This is important because.... Your life is defined by who you think you are and you will behave in ways that are consistent with your identity. If you believe you’re stupid, you will underachieve. If you believe you’re fat, you will overeat. Our underlying beliefs can be limiting, and sometimes wrong, so it is essential that we become aware of what we think about ourselves. One of my favorite moments on a Tony Robbins' podcast was when Tony got a mom/housewife to see herself in a new way. She went from feeling like a chauffer, maid and short order cook to QUEEN OF HER KINGDOM. The meaning she applied to her life changed everything. She went from feeling down, or less than, to empowered. Through her new lens, she saw her role as wife and mother as having a higher purpose. In the New York Times article, Overcoming Freshman Fear, the author describes an experiment done by psychologist Carol Dweck. Students who doubted that they had the necessary smarts and social skills to succeed in college were taught new narratives. The students' adopted view of intelligence actually shaped their educational experience, and they learned ways of thinking that helped them thrive. The script can be rewritten. It’s all in the story we tell ourselves.