Pride…

Today, over some bacon and eggs, my client and I gained some clarity around our greatest enemy; ourselves. His writing, you see, had brought some uncomfortable clarity to the thoughts behind some of his deeply engrained behaviors. His writing brought him clarity around why he delegates less than he would like. His clarity brought pain, not peace. His clarity took him down the bunny hole and, like Alice, he felt like he was tumbling head over heels and out of control. Writing does this. Writing gets us to the roots of our beliefs, our thoughts, our fears, ourselves. Some of what we find, oftentimes, is less attractive than the drivers license picture I just took. Yikes.

Writing, you see, doesn’t promise us anything but a more proper perspective. It’s much easier for us to tell others lies and, likewise, to do the same with ourselves. However, it is really hard to bullshit yourself when you journal. The more you journal, the more honest the pen becomes and the more proper the perspective.

Today, my clients perspective widened through the hard writing in his journal. My client began to see the pride within that wants the spotlight on him and puts others in the shadows. He came clean with himself and then with me. Together, we decided on a couple PA’s to beat back the beast of his pride. I know this beast very well, you see. The stronger we become the greater the beast becomes and the deeper our need for a proper, wider, perspective. Today, a more virtuous builder was built. Very cool. And, very hard, very uncomfortable, very raw, very emotional, and very sobering.

Remember, chronic pain is always replaced by more acute pain. Real growth always hurts like hell for awhile. Movement forward, into better habits always comes at a high price; Pain. Ignorance is bliss, at least for awhile.

What, my friend, are you choosing; Tumbling down the bunny hole or taking the “blue pill?”

“The first step is to realize that one is proud. And a biggish step, too. At least, nothing whatever can be done before it. If you think you are not conceited, it means you are very conceited indeed.” C.S. Lewis