176: Why You Are Not A Finished Product w/ Dr. Benjamin Hardy

At some point, we all end up in a situation that forces us to do far more than we ever thought possible. We’re changing all the time and pushed to new heights. I’m not the person I was before and you aren’t either. Today, I’m talking with someone who understands as well as anyone how none of us are ever the finished product of ourselves.

Dr. Benjamin Hardy is an organizational psychologist and best-selling author of Willpower Doesn’t Work. His blogs have been read by over 100 million people and are featured on Forbes, Fortune, CNBC, and many others. He was the number one writer in the world on Medium.com from 2015 to 2018.

Ben and I chat about human potential throughout this conversation. It is usually a lot greater than we think. It’s situations that lead to greatness. That’s why Ben suggests that we all actively create situations that force us to bring out our strengths. This involves actively cutting out elements that derail us and seeking out the right kind of challenges.

Roadblocks are a common affliction for creatives. Ben speaks to what we can do to build an environment and mindset where creative distractions and blocks are less of an issue. This may involve a physical environment solely dedicated to your work. Also, do the least pleasant part of your work first. Otherwise, it will hang over your head all day.

It’s important to keep a perspective of how we change and grow as people, business owners, and artists. Change is important. Personalities evolve over time. You’re never the finished product of yourself and that’s a good thing.

Who do you want your future self to be? How does that vision affect you today? Let’s discuss it in the comments on the episode page!

In this episode:

What you can do to keep decision fatigue from killing your productivity
The one thing you can do daily to make sure your day doesn’t suck
What happens when you prioritize completing the things you hate the most
How you are a work in progress that will never be finished
How trauma shapes people and impedes learning
Preparing for the future to keep you grounded in the present

Quotes:

“Your input shapes your outlook. The things that you let in, like newsfeeds, mess with your creative process. They mess with your mind. So you’re better off creating an environment where you’re strategically ignorant of many things.” [14:32]

“Your future-self is going to be embarrassed of who you are today because, right now, the biggest mistake that people make is thinking their current self is the finished product.” [29:47]

“Without a clear future self, without knowing who you want to be, you actually can’t make clear decisions today.” [42:03]

Links

Find Dr. Benjamin Hardy online

Follow Ben on Facebook | Instagram | Linkedin | Twitter

Willpower Doesn’t Work by Dr. Benjamin Hardy

Personality Isn’t Permanent by Dr. Benjamin Hardy

Entrepreneurial Operating System

The Paradox of Choice by Barry Schwartz

Dan Gilbert: The psychology of your future self - TED Talks

The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk

Check out my free web class on owning client meetings!

Additional Links: