There’s this trip I take from time to time. It’s not a work trip. It’s not some luxury getaway. It’s more…obligatory. And every time I go, I brace myself. The food’s not what I love. The days feel long. The conversations fly around me in a language I don’t understand. I start the countdown to leaving before I even arrive.
And you know what? I always end up having a rough time.
But here’s the thing—maybe it’s not the trip. Maybe it’s me.
This past time, something shifted. A week before I left, I caught myself starting the usual mental loop: “It’s going to be uncomfortable…it’s going to drag…” But instead of letting the script run, I stopped it. And rewrote it.
“This time, I’m going to have a great experience.”
Not because anything was guaranteed to be different. But because I decided to be different.
I went in with that mindset. I looked for the good. I stayed open. I embraced the discomfort. I found humor in the awkward moments. And you know what? I had an incredible time.
Not because the trip changed. But because I did.
We talk a lot about pushing through without inspiration—but sometimes what we really need to push through is the mental stories we’ve been carrying for years. The ones that decide outcomes before the first step is taken.
The Takeaway
Your mindset is the lens that colors your life. Change the lens, and the whole picture changes. You don’t need the world to change—you just need to stop dragging your past assumptions into your present moment. Choose better thoughts. Expect better outcomes. And you’ll start to see them.
Keep Moving Forward!
The Not-So-Guru