What’s a Great Escape Artist Supposed To Do?
The Benefits of Avoidance
The Great Escape Artist
This week I once again faced a persistent idiosyncrasy of mine that I can’t seem to get rid of no matter how hard I try. Namely, my escapism. For whenever I’m faced with something unpleasant or difficult, I go to unbelievable lengths to avoid it.
Especially housework.
For we just had inspection in our independent living facility. And I could no longer put off cleaning up.
So, I hired a maid to help me.
Of course, I could only afford her for one day’s work. So that left me with a lot of stuff to do myself. Like my laundry. And picking up after myself. Especially my books.
I have four big bookshelves packed with books. Plus two smaller ones. And when I go on research binges, I drag out some books — and don’t put them back.
So, I had piles of books to put away, plus a pile of notebooks and a binder. Which were all piled up beside my recliner where I do my reading and writing.
Talk about avoidance! I still put it all off until the last minute.
After all, what’s a book good for it it’s not right beside you, just waiting to be opened?
And I wished inspection was over, so I could get back to normalcy.
What, you say?
Haven’t I learned anything from all the studying I’ve been doing about success habits and attitudes?
One thing that has become clear to me is that, even though I thought I was cured, I’m still an escapist …
And maybe always will be.
Lesson Learned from Taking the Hit
For it’s a habit of mine to let things slide. Even if it’s a slippery and dangerous slope.
It’s like when you’re a kid and you’re on the bottom of a snowy slope … and another kid is coming straight at you on his sled. Do you run out of the way to save yourself?
Or do you stand there like an idiot … and take the hit?
When I was younger, I took the hit … and learned from experience that you better move out of the way before you get hit again.
That lesson seems to be a lesson many people can’t forget. For, as Dan Kennedy says in The Ultimate Success, “It is as plain as can be that people are controlled — yes, controlled — throughout their adult lives by … a subconsciously held, very detailed ‘self-image’ largely constructed out of childhood programming and experiences, then reinforce[d] through self-talk.”
And according to Dan. “If you are not achieving the results you tell yourself you want out of life, it may very well be that these set-in-the-past restrictions are getting in your way.”
Simply because you’re afraid of getting hit again. So. you run away. You move in the opposite direction, even if it’s the wrong direction.
For you figure it’s better to be safe than hit again. So, you move out of the way of anything that appears dangerous. Even if it really isn’t that dangerous.
Ignoring vs Acting on Anger
For maybe it’s just a problem with a friend who does something you don’t like. You can either get mad and rail at him. Or you can avoid saying anything, and completely ignore it.
Most people will tell you not to ignore it for it festers inside of you. But the truth is, anger is more dangerous. For it agitates your entire body, and can lead to physical illness a lot sooner than ignoring it will. Unless …
you decide to be at peace.
So, you make an intentional decision that the best thing to do is to love the person unconditionally. And try to understand him.
And then go about your business as usual. Live your own life. Pick your challenges. Work on yourself and your dreams.
There are so many problems in the world today that if you let every one of them bother you, you’ll never find success. For you’re too busy fighting with what’s really unimportant.
Instead, fight for your dreams.
Instead of running amok, decide to intentionally put all your attention on getting what you want in life. And, Dan says, “you can benefit enormously by testing your limits.”
Work on checking out those ideas that you have in your head about learning something you’ve always wondered about. Or starting a business doing what you love to do. Or even asking a person you admire how they became a success.
And then take action on those ideas. Move in that direction. Follow that advice.
Dan adds that the more you test yourself and your limits, the better chance you have of discovering your natural talents and abilities that were just waiting inside of you to be recognized.
And the clearer and more creative your mind will become. You’ll begin having thoughts and ideas you never thought about before. Or even discovering a new way of seeing a problem.
Like my seeing my escapism as a good thing. For ignoring a problem often helps you keep friends and improve your relationships instead of wrecking them.
Avoiding things can work like a charm … sometimes.
But yesterday, I barely got my apartment cleaned up by inspection time.
Whew!
But now that’s over, I wonder …
If only I could find a better way to solve my avoidance of housework. Anybody know of an inexpensive full-time maid service?