The Worst Lie of All

A fifty year old Black Belt named Bill came in to train one evening and before we began, I noticed something was wrong.

He wasn't his normal, outgoing, loud funny self; he looked almost sad – like someone had kicked his dog or something.

When I asked how he was feeling, he looked at me and said, "Sensei – I want to be a good Black Belt."

I asked him why he felt he wasn't one already.

He shared with me that he had recently been training at his local gym, running through his martial arts material when someone had approached him.

The man who approached him said he was an 8th degree Black Belt in some martial arts style…and then proceeded to tell Bill that he was lazy.

He told Bill he wasn't moving properly, was lazy in his motions, his back was bent forward too much and list of other "problems."

Bill had been stewing over it ever since and now was coming to me to be "fixed".

Bill was doubting himself – he had taken in everything this stranger said and made it true in his mind – and now his confidence was shot.

I explained to Bill that the worst lies we ever tell – or believe – are the ones we tell ourselves.

I asked Bill if he was going to let a total stranger – who broke a MAJOR rule of etiquette when it comes to the martial arts and who we had NO IDEA if he was really an 8th degree Black Belt or not – destroy all the hard work and belief he had spent the last six years building.

When I put it to him that way, he thought about it for a split-second, smiled and said, "No.  I won't allow that."

Bill had taken something said by a complete stranger – who he didn't know one iota – and taken it as fact.

You know the old saying, "Opinions are like a-holes – everybody has one – and they all stink."

Taking someone's opinion on something – especially when it is directed at you personally – and making it "true" in our minds – is another example of giving your power away.

You control what is true and not true about you.  You create your life and self-image based on what you believe to be true about you.

If you think you are bad at math – you are.  If you think you drink too much – you do.  If you tell yourself it is "everyone else's fault" that they can't get along with you, you'll always be arguing with everyone.

The great news is – if you decide to be awesome at math, you will  be.  If you decide to be fitter and healthier, you will be.  If you decide and tell yourself that you never weigh more than five pounds over your ideal weight, you will lose weight and get to the right number.

Whatever YOU say is true – comes true.  Both good AND bad.  I know for a fact because it happens every day in my life and I can share with you example after example in the lives of many people that I coach. 

Whatever other people say about you is an opinion – and you already know what that means.

To Your Best, 

Sensei Harrison Huff

P.S. – There is another lie that gets told that is even WORSE than the one we talked about today – I'll cover that in future posts.