Here is some practical advice that will help you overcome what is blocking you from greatness. Many times we blame our external environment but when we look at the people that became something out of extreme hardship, we see that exterior conditions do not actually limit our ability to be great. It all comes down to our perspective, our ego and our ability to recognize the tricks of the negative ego. Are you ready? Let’s do this!

Distractions Created by The Ego

The negative ego is something that keeps your mind distracted so you cannot focus on the skills you need to learn to catapult you to greatness. The negative ego will trick you into thinking, “I’m so busy.” It will also make you feel obligated to do things with your family and friends that are just distractions that keep you from really breaking through to greatness. These external excuses satisfy the negative ego so we can stay safe in our illusion of smallness. The truth is that we are co-creating our reality and if we surround ourselves with people who live in mediocre mindsets, pre-determined by the powers that be, we will never see beyond those patterns of behavior and see how we must really focus how we use our time. Video games, movies, television, birthday parties, happy hour, holidays and spectator sports will all just keep us in the illusion that we cannot possibly have enough time to be great.

Become single pointed with your focus. Make it a laser and make that focus your priority so you can use your determination to transmute your intention into energy which will fuel your greatness and that energy will turn into something valuable the more you focus on it. Do not let others or society dictate how you should spend your time. If your family thinks you should have a draining 8-6 job that you really hate just to keep up with appearances, think about if that is helping or hindering your dreams to change the world.

Becoming independent in how we use our time and who we allow to influence us is key to removing distractions. If you didn’t think your job is a distraction, evaluate if it is in line with your passions and if it exhausts you so you can’t focus on changing your life. Relationships can be a mental distraction we create too. If your partner isn’t completely on board with supporting you, they may be holding you back.

Self-Doubt Which Perpetuates Routine

Our self-doubt is a creation of the negative ego. We will often think that the opinions of others that tell us we are only dreaming is good sound advice but it is actually something our mind has allowed us to accept as true to keep us from greatness. When we ask leading questions to skeptical people, of course they will tell us not to change. If you know the ego will try to convince you to stay the same, don’t tell negative people about your plans or they will convince you exactly of what your ego wants. They will say, “no that’s scary, do the sensible thing, stay where you are.” The ego likes routine, it likes things to stay the same because that’s where it feels safe.

In order for things to stay the same, we also need to think that we are not capable of greatness. The ego will tell us that we aren’t good enough and that we should give up on our dreams because we aren’t smart enough, don’t have enough money, we are too old or it’s just too hard.

The best way to overcome self-doubt is to study and know your stuff. When you dive head first into your goals and become an expert, people will notice you do know what you’re talking about and your negative ego will start feeling safe again. The negative ego is not very smart, it doesn’t have the ability to decipher things clearly. The negative ego is like an overprotective parent that holds onto you too close and keeps you from taking risks.

In meditation, ask your higher self whether you are hearing your heart or your ego and you will begin to hear your heart more clearly. Believe it or not the ego may disguise itself as humility and say I’m not that great when that is an illusion. Humility is just about not bragging when you do become great. So just remember, sometimes the ego will masquerade as humility to keep the status quo.

Scattered Thinking Created By The Ego

Many people that dream of success have the problem of scattered thinking. This is a form of distraction created by the ego. If you find yourself working on many different projects with good intentions but finishing none of them, this is that tricky ego at work. Confusion is something that many good-hearted and intelligent people deal with but they don’t recognize it, nor do they know how to overcome it.

To overcome the confusion that the ego creates, write down exactly what it is you want to accomplish and by when. Then make a list of what you will do on a daily, weekly, monthly and yearly basis to get there. Having clear intentions will overpower the negative ego and keep that confusion about what to work on first at bay.

So remember, surround yourself with people that help you maintain your focus, ask you to be your best self and bring your gifts and talents to the world to make it a better place. Distinguish self-doubt from rational thinking by asking your heart what is true. Finally, write down your goal and take steps on a daily basis to get there. When we stay humble and work hard we can overcome these mental obstacles.

About Sarah Williams

Sarah Williams is an avid lifestyle blogger, passionate about self-development , health and nutrition. She believes that happiness is a combination of a peaceful mind, self-discipline, and appreciating every day - just the way it is. You can read her articles at Wingman Magazine .

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