Are you acting like a rational and mentally sound person these days?
In psychology, we define insanity as, "A derangement of the mind or a state of the mind usually occurring as a specific disorder (as schizophrenia)." It can also be defined as extreme folly or unreasonableness, or doing something utterly foolish or unreasonable. Albert Einstein said it best when he defined insanity as “Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.” If you are still doing the same thing you were doing at this time last year - and nothings changed (or maybe has even gotten worse) - then you are headed down a road of INSANITY!
Do you remember William Shakespeare's play Hamlet? It depicts insanity in its truest form and is therefore considered a piece of literature. If you can remember the storyline of Hamlet, it follows a vein of madness that begins with Hamlet’s Uncle Claudius' murdering his brother King Hamlet. Claudius' murdering of his brother, the king is the first murderous act of mental illness in the story and it sets into course the madness of many other characters. Can you recall why Claudius murdered his brother? Well, he murdered his brother because he wanted to marry his wife (yes his sister-in-law) – insanity. In the play the title character Hamlet, who is also the Prince of Denmark, and the protagonist in the play pretends to be completely insane as he plots to get revenge on his Uncle Claudius for killing his father. He was also extremely mad with his mother (the Queen Gertrude) for marrying his Uncle so quickly – within a year - after his father’s death. Hamlet becomes neurotic about acting insane for the sake of revenge. His display of mental illness allows him to prove to himself that his Uncle Claudius did, in fact, murder his father; thus, providing him with the means to prove Claudius' guilt. This overall madness is the cause of the eventual tragedy in almost all of the characters in the play.
Here are some basic examples of acting insane in today's environment: (1) If you are still behaving in an inappropriate manner (not giving attention to, using condescending words, talking down to your partner like a child, disrespecting the other person) in your relationship and wondering why your relationship is not growing, or your partner does not seem to admire you, then you are probably doing insane things. (2) If you are hoping to get promoted on your job yet you are still going to work every day and not making a difference at work by taking on additional responsibilities, going the extra mile, and making yourself standout from the crowd – then you are probably thinking in an insane manner. (3) If your children are over the age of thirteen and you are still treating them like an eight year old, still spanking or “beating,” and still trying to control their every thought and behavior then you are acting in an insane manner.
The moral of the story is this: stop acting insane! Take the time to reassess some aspects of your life. It’s time to make some changes in your life. It’s time to reinvent yourself for the better. The New Year is slowly approaching and there’s no better time than now to start anew. Ask yourself, “What will I be doing differently next year this time?” What goals will I be working towards? What do I need to “stop” doing? If you’re not reaching the kind of success you imagine in the areas that are important to you, one or more of the following things may still be true for you:
- You don't have written goals;
- You don't have a vision for your future;
- You don't have a success plan;
- You're not self-aware of how your action and behavior impacts others; and/or
- You have a true fear of success.
Don't follow in Hamlets footsteps, start making some worthwhile changes in your life today! Start acting like a rational and mentally sound person so you can get on the journey towards success. Change your thinking and behavior, so you can change your life!
Your Success Coach,
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