#1306 - Stories
Last week, I watched an interview with a Hollywood actor I can't remember the name of. The clever interviewer asked him how it felt to ask the same questions over and over. I was struck by the actor's answer. He said that he told the same stories so many times that he wasn't even sure if they were true or just a product of his imagination.
Last weekend I was researching how looking back properly is essential to move forward. I found this article on a website I've never heard of, The Daily Targum. The author wrote that we must always be careful when we look back because "our personal past is shaped by our memory, which changes with time. It's not reliable in the way that facts are and shouldn't be treated as such."
Yesterday, I had an insightful conversation with two old-time friends. We reflected on how easily people can tell good stories to justify their questionable actions. And some are so good at this that they very much convince themselves.
Stories are so powerful. Yet, they can also be deceitful.
I cannot help but wonder how many of the stories I carry with me are entirely or partially made up. It's a vital question because, as Dave Gray wrote in his book Liminal Thinking, "a belief is a story in your head."
On those stories, I base all my choices and actions. They can push me forward or hold me back.
The time spent questioning the stories in my head is always worth it because changing stories can change reality.