If a snake doesn’t shed it’s skin, it dies..
The snake’s top layer of skin doesn’t grow with the rest of it’s body. So eventually a snake must find a way to shed that top layer completely.
There are a number of issues a snake can run into when it comes time to shedding its skin. First, the snake needs to fully develop its new layer of skin underneath before it can begin shedding. Then the snake has to find a way to create a break through its top layer so it can start escaping through that opening. If the snake doesn’t create an opening, or doesn’t fully shed its old top layer of skin there is a great chance that snake will die.
It might gross you out to think about or talk about snakes and I don’t blame you.
But what a snake goes through is almost identical to what we need to go through in order to live a fulfilling life.
We need to grow. It’s the reason I feel so strongly about the title of this blog, and why every subscriber is welcomed with a very strong message and video about choosing growth over death.
You are going to experience numerous times in your life where you will need to shed something you have outgrown. A habit, a mindset/ belief, a relationship, a career, whatever..
But you can’t expect to change or grow simply by shedding your top layer. You have to first work at developing new habits, your new skin, within before you can make a change. Changing external circumstances is of no use if you are still the same person internally. Lasting change comes when you identify the emotion that is driving that habit, and you change your story, and change your emotion in order to create a new habit.
Like snakes, identifying what you need to do is insufficient. A snake understands it needs to shed its old skin, but that doesn't mean anything. It’s about being able to take action to force change when it’s needed. The reality that you need to change can be as obvious as your skin literally squeezing you to death, but until you experience or create a break-through you won’t be able to shed what you need, in order to grow.
Last, take your growth seriously. Unlike a snake you might have the luxury to be able to survive physically without shedding old habits, thoughts etc.. but that doesn’t mean you’re living.
I am far from trying to prevent death. And I wouldn’t pretend that anyone should expect to live a perfect life, there’s no such thing.
But I am all for working daily to experience your best quality of life.
And I have already explained how to get started doing that.
Learn more on this:
Video: Change Your Mind
Ted Talk: Growth Mindset
Article: James Clear - How to Break Bad Habits