Are you committing? Or are you just an idiot in a box?
I know, I really missed my Friends references, too! When you watch the show as much as I do, and it's engrained in your mind, you can find a metaphor for anything. You could say that it's my special gift. Why, thank you!
OK, so after Chandler kissed Joey's girlfriend, Joey puts Chandler in a box as punishment. It was his equivalent of sending Chandler to his room to think about what he did.
Chandler, being Chandler, makes jokes while he is in the box, and Joey gets pissed off that Chandler isn't committing.
IF THIS IS JUST A BIG JOKE TO YOU, THEN FORGET ABOUT IT!
— JOEY TRIBIANI
Chandler then decides to get serious about his punishment because he respects Joey and cares about their friendship.
Well guess what?
That box is Los Angeles.
And Chandler is you.
Who is playing the part of Joey?
That would be your dream career.
Your dream career put you in this box that is LA.
It sent you there to create the life you want.
And you're there! You're in LA!
But why aren't you seeing the results you want yet?
Are you taking this commitment seriously?
Or do you find yourself making jokes like Chandler?
OK, maybe you're not literally making jokes.
But can you confidently say that you've committed to this dream of yours and you're going after it every day?
It's really easy to be Chandler. Opportunities always present themselves in a tempting manner.
Maybe you're taking on other jobs that are taking up all your time.
Maybe you're doing a million different things without a real focus.
Maybe you're not filling your time with the things that will bring you closer to your dream, but instead, you're finding a myriad of projects to fill your calendar that feel creative, yet they don't actually speak to your dream.
Maybe you're not really doing anything. Fear has a way of paralyzing you.
So let me ask you a question: Do you respect your dream?
Do you like the relationship you have with your dream?
Does your dream light you up?
Then it's time to really commit.
You're here.
You're in this box.
You may as well commit to this thing.
IF IT DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING TO YOU, THEN YOU SHOULD GET OUT OF THERE, OTHERWISE YOU'RE JUST AN IDIOT IN A BOX.
— JOEY TRIBIANI
Of course you're not an idiot. Everything you've done has led you right here to this moment, to this page. But you are wasting time if you're not fully committing. And the results you're currently getting will reflect that.
Big dreams require big actions.
And I know you're fully capable because you're here, in this box. You wouldn't be here if you weren't capable of committing.
So what is holding you back?
The two biggest culprits are
- Fear
- Lack of belief
And these happen subconsciously, so you may not even realize that they are taking over your ability to find success.
Fear just means that you're secretly scared—scared of failing, scared of stepping outside your comfort zone in order to move forward, and scared of saying YES to something that feels like it has no guarantee.
Lack of belief happens deep in your soul.
It says that you don't believe that you are capable of achieving this thing.
It says this thing you're going after is too big, too hard.
It may even go as far as telling you you're not talented enough.
With fear and lack of belief by our side, it's no wonder we act all Chandler-like.
But I want to let you in on a little secret: you can do this.
Yep, it's going to feel scary.
Ugh, and of course it's going to be uncomfortable.
But the moment you step off that ledge, you will fly, my friend.
Jack Canfield says,
We're not given a dream unless we have the capacity to fulfill it.
Your dream can be yours. It's not too big. It's not too hard. You are talented enough. You do deserve it.
All you have to do is commit.