I want to take this time and speak of a barrier that we all, as members of the human race share that hinders our forward movement toward becoming the next best version of who we are. This simple yet monstrous edifice is called “I already know that”. Some of it’s cousins? Oh, yeah, I already do that, used to know but had forgotten, OR even I WOULD do that but can’t because (fill in the blank).
The source of this reaction, context or “reflex” if you will is the need to be right, and it’s first cousin “the fear of looking bad or fear of rejection”. Every word that comes out in a social setting is one more opportunity for our percieved identity to be ripped down, piece by piece, until finally the “real us” stands there naked, scared and cold to be rejected by the masses as “ordinary” and “unloveable”.
Sound melodramatic? Maybe, but it’s pretty close to how we operate in our lives. Reflect on how you speak of others, especially after a social gathering like an office party, dinner out with your favorite couple, etc.
What we develop as a defense mechanism are tools such as “I already know that”. Meaning, I am as good as you, you cannot teach me anything, because if you did, that would mean I am “less” than you in some way. Ah, the ego’s glorious game! So the effect is that our mind becomes “closed”. We act like we listen, might even remember the “content” of the conversation for a few hours, but eventually our ego sweeps away the remains of the lesson like so much debris and the lesson is lost.
So I encourage you to spend 7 days being aware of, and gently refraining from, letting people know that you ALREADY KNOW THAT. It will be like writing with your left hand at first, I promise you. I already do the excercise on and off throughout the month and it’s a collosal effort. ESPECIALLY when I arleady DO KNOW that, and some pompous ass is lecturing me like a child!! Great excercise though and this is one of those “personal development” excercises that WILL YIELD results. Period, end of discussion. Please let me know how it goes!