Conquering Kryptonite: How to Beat Fear, Leverage Change & Achieve Your Best Results
Do you remember Superman and the superhuman acts he performed for the good of mankind? Of course you do, but do you remember what robbed Superman of all his power?
It was kryptonite...the one thing that took away his greatness. It left him powerless and weak, helpless and unable to make any significant contribution to the world. It made him vulnerable, and he became an easy target. Kryptonite was imposed on Superman by external forces intent on destroying him and keeping him from fulfilling his destiny.
For you to be a hero, you have to face and conquer your own kryptonite.
What is robbing you of your power? What is stealing your greatness and leaving you helpless, hopeless, or weak? What external force is keeping you from your best life?
If you are like most, the number one source of kryptonite in your life is other people. It may sound harsh, but many people are held back by critics who enjoy tearing you down and telling you everything you are doing wrong. They ride in on their white horses and pretend to be the smartest people in the room. They tell you you’re not good enough and that you don’t have what it takes.
For some people, their kryptonite is voices from the past reminding them of failures and mistakes. They drag around the worst of yesterday to keep them from moving boldly and powerfully into their future. They paint a vision for tomorrow that looks terrifyingly like their past. They want to hold you back and keep you down in the muck and mire of negative thinking and self-criticism.
What can you do? Do what Superman would do. He would muster every ounce of strength he had to get away from the kryptonite. He would crawl, scratch, and claw his way to safety.
You may be thinking, “Superman is a fictional character. He isn’t real, and you are telling me to do what he would do?”
You are right. He isn’t real. But then again, most of the things that hold people back aren’t real, either. What holds most people back is made up... pure fiction. The reality is that unless you listen to them, other people’s opinions have no bearing on what is in you and what you are capable of.
Whatever the kryptonite is in your life, you must do everything within your power to rise up and move in the other direction.
Dig deep. Find the courage and strength to claw, scratch, and crawl away from whatever is holding you back.
The only way things will be different in your life is for you to do things differently. Whatever got you to your current place is not enough to get you to the next level. Regardless of how much success or failure you’ve experienced thus far, to get to a better place, you must change your thinking, learn new skills, and develop new habits.
It is impossible to just stay the same. You are either moving forward or sliding backward.
Worse than Kryptonite
While kryptonite robbed Superman of his power, made him weak, and took away his gifts, there was something else that did the same thing, something more powerful than kryptonite. It was more dangerous, more insidious, and more destructive, because it wasn’t inflicted upon him by an outside force. It came from within...it was his choice.
Superman chose to be Clark Kent more often than Superman. He made a decision to be ordinary most of the time. To fit in. To be average. To hide his gifts and abilities. To keep his “super-ness” from a world that so desperately needed it.
What choices are you making that are keeping your superhuman gifts from your world? What decisions are keeping you stuck as an ordinary person? What can you do right now to bring forth your extraordinary self and begin to show up to deliver your best to the people around you? What decisions do you need to make that will begin to move you closer to the life you want?
Pick one action and do something about it right now. Maybe it’s a phone call you need to make, a class you need to take, or a mentor you need to reach out to. Maybe you need to tell someone you are sorry and ask for forgiveness. Maybe it’s time to let go of the baggage you’ve been dragging around from your past. It’s time to let go of the conversations and voices in your head that say you aren’t good enough and that you can’t win.
Maybe you need to take inventory of your talents, gifts, and abilities and begin to see yourself as the extraordinary person you are. Perhaps you should start selling yourself on you instead of listening to the voices of your critics.
It is time to stop being ordinary and become everything you were born to be.
To embrace the superhuman-being within you and give the world your best self each and every day.
You need to be a hero. Your world needs you to become a hero. It could begin right now, right where you are.
This post includes excerpts from Kevin’s newest book The Hero Effect®: Being Your Best When it Matters the Most!
The Hero Effect® is a personal revelation that also holds profound implications for business. It’s an insightful narrative that challenges conventional thinking and reveals a brand-new paradigm in the world of everyday heroes. After reading, your team will be motivated to reach beyond what is required and do something remarkable! This book is designed to help individuals and organizations achieve greater results by eliminating “ordinary" thinking and mastering the habit of excellence.
Purchase Your Copy Here.
Photo credits (in order of appearance): Pixabay, Craig Adderley from Pexels, Jaco Pretorius from Unsplash, Pixabay, Joshua Earle from Unsplash
Copyright © 2019 Kevin Brown. All rights reserved.
Motivational Speaker & Author Kevin Brown
Kevin Brown is on a mission to help people and organizations embrace a simple philosophy that separates world class organizations and high performance people from everybody else. He is passionate about helping people expand their vision, develop their potential and grow their results. Kevin challenges people to show up every day and make a positive difference at work and in life!