I’m tired of being what you want me to be
Feeling so faithless, lost under the surface
Don’t know what you’re expecting of me
Put under the pressure of walking in your shoes
Every step that I take is another mistake to you
(Caught in the undertow, just caught in the undertow)
I’ve become so numb
I can’t feel you there
Become so tired
So much more aware
I’m becoming this
All I want to do
Is be more like me
And be less like you
Can’t you see that you’re smothering me
Holding too tightly, afraid to lose control?
‘Cause everything that you thought I would be
Has fallen apart right in front of you
Numb – Linkin Park
Since it’s Summer and most of my favorite TV shows are in reruns, I’ve started watching a few programs on The History Channel. The two I enjoy most are The Foods That Built America and The Booze, Bets, and Sex That Built America. The stories behind some of todays biggest companies begin with founders that took risks:
- Glen Bell introduces Mexican food with his own clever spins to American consumers, resulting in the restaurant we know today as Taco Bell.
- Orville Redenbacher’s obsession with producing the perfect popcorn kernel results in his own brand of instant pop popcorn that successfully competes with much larger and well-known brands.
- Tom Carvel discovers by accident (his ice cream truck broke down) that Americans love soft ice cream, leading to his developing it as a signature product.
In all these and many more cases, entrepreneurs achieved success by taking massive risks. If you watch these shows, there’s probably a voice inside of you that says, “I’d NEVER try anything like that!”
That voice is known as your JUDGE. Currently, I’m enrolled in a program where I’m learning about Positive Intelligence, or PQ. Inside of all of us is an inner voice that is designed to protect us and keep us safe from embarrassment or harm. While it serves an important purpose early in life, some of us allow the JUDGE to continue to navigate life for us. When that happens, we are often afraid or discouraged when an opportunity for growth presents itself. And then the negative self-talk begins:
- Who do you think you are trying to do this?
- Why would you think anyone would want to buy this product?
- You don’t belong in this room. What are you going to do when someone finds out you don’t know what you’re doing?
I think Glen Bell, Orville Redenbacher, and Tom Carvel heard the JUDGE too. They just chose to ignore him. The lyrics to Numb show the singer choosing to drown out the voice of his JUDGE too.
But what about you? What gives your inner JUDGE the right to hold you back? I’m working really hard in this program to learn to keep mine quiet. Why not put your JUDGE in his proper place this week too?