If you haven’t realized it yet, you are your own worst enemy. The world is not out to get you, and no one is trying to stop you. Even though this information is obvious to us, we continue to do things that do not benefit us. We constantly put off till a later date, make excuses, and put our happiness in someone else’s hands. I have news for you. No one on this earth can make you happier than yourself. In this week’s blog, I will help you to overcome your old self into the self you want to be and achieve new heights.

The purpose of overcoming yourself is to take away the “problems” in your life. Many people settle for less and take something that is comfortable and ride with it as long as they can. If they get a job that pays the bills, then that’s where they will stay. The job doesn’t have to fulfill them, but it scratches one of the biggest fears we have. That fear is to be relevant and have a modest life. The majority of people want a roof over their heads and food in their bellies. Hell, let’s even toss in a few material items to make life even sweeter. These bare-bone needs make us think that we must settle for just enough because we are “alright,” but you have the ability to reach your fullest potential and break through the barriers that keep you stuck.

The definition of settle has many meanings, but the one I will be addressing is to have a steady and secure life – feeling comfortable in your established situation. This is the same as taking less than what is owed or remaining complacent when you do not have to. I was working with a client the other day, and we were talking about how people find a spot that is not rock bottom. They find the step right next to it and wonder why, when life goes the wrong way, they are at rock bottom. The truth is that many people make rock bottom their neighbor, and they do not want to do what it takes to move away and reach new heights.

The struggle is the part that people try to avoid. In order to overcome yourself, you need to understand where you are. I have four levels I tell people they can be on. The first level is rock bottom. I hope you don’t live here, but if you do, then it is a great place to start building your empire and believing in yourself. The second level is a comfortable spot. This is the spot many people stay in their whole lives. They see the potential they have but do not want to head up to the third level. The third level is being uncomfortable. This is the floor where people decide that it is too much work, and they don’t want to deal with the pain or hardships involved. The third level is where you will grow the most (out of your comfort zone). The fourth (last) level is your fullest potential, your true life.

Understanding the four levels (rock bottom, comfort, discomfort, and fullest potential) can help you to overcome yourself. If you know that the first two levels are not where you want to be, then that is the first step to reaching the top. The standard 9 am-5 pm type of job and steady paycheck will no longer satiate your appetite as the quota for success. That means you just have to struggle (level three) until you can find your way up to your most desired life (level four). There is no shortcut to longevity and greatness, you must earn it. If you get to level four before going on to level three, then you will fall back down. The struggle is the cement that will solidify your empire so that no matter what happens in your life, it cannot be torn down.

Looking at a better life is the easy part, but getting there involves hard work and consistent effort. It seems counter-intuitive to want to be uncomfortable when you feel fine, but this blog is not for the people who are content where they are. Your story could be one that is passed down for generations or be just a passing blip on the screen of life. I see the people who chose to be uncomfortable for a short while in order to reach new heights do not look at that time as a regret. I think if they didn’t go through the struggle, they would regret not having it in their life. These people have turned hardships and failures into lessons that helped them to grow and achieve their fullest potential.

Knowing all of this, how can we overcome who we were to who we want to be? The first step is to commit to massive change. You have to want to get to the fourth level, no matter the struggle and hardships you might endure. It will be easy to want to turn back to your old self, but when you start this journey to the top, you must abandon who you were and focus only on who you are able to become. There will be many hardships, obstacles, and self-doubt ringing in your head, but you have to make sure that your belief in yourself is bigger than the negativity of the naysayers.

The naysayers will be the second most challenging thing when learning how to overcome yourself. You are your own worst enemy! You have to battle your brain each day to stay focused, and the last thing you need is some outside person coming into your mind with their dirty feet and words. They might say things that hurt your feelings because you have a soft spot. You might have made mistakes in the past and others relish watching you writhe in pain from remembering the times when you were down and out. That down and out was your struggle, but it is no longer who you are.

When you are in the heap of the restructuring of your life, you might have to tear your whole world down. Everything you believed, any future plans, and let go of the fear of who you identified as your whole life. That shadow of yourself can be the number one reason why you choose to overcome your mind and jump over any of life’s hurdles. The purpose of life is to grow through the struggle and relish in victory. Do not let victory sit waiting for you. You have to go out and put in the hard work to get to where you want to be.

In closing, the way to overcome yourself begins with you. You have to learn to love yourself more than anyone in the world could. You have to believe that what you do matters today and that you have the ability to make a difference in the world. The world wants your name to be a loud roar and no longer an inaudible whisper. Overcome that voice or belief inside you that says you cannot and transition it to CAN. You do matter! You have so much more potential to give to the world, so overcome your old self and let your new, stronger self take over. Begin overcoming the odds today so that your tomorrows are always in the step of the direction you want to be. Reach your fullest potential by believing in yourself and embracing new heights.

Until then,

Michael Rearden

Founder of Reven Concepts