The Nature of our delusions. They protect and paralyze us.

We all carry quiet stories about who we are and what we’re capable of. Some sound like logic. Others sound like experience. But many are simply delusions, false narratives that keep us safe inside familiar patterns while quietly paralyzing our potential.

“I’ll start when life slows down.”

“I’ve tried everything.”

“I’m just not disciplined enough.”

“I’m too far gone.”

They sound believable because they once protected us. These thoughts help us make sense of disappointment and keep us from confronting failure head-on. They allow us to stay comfortable, convincing us that change is impossible or that now just isn’t the right time.

How many of you hear this voice limiting your potential and resiliency? Let’s start a conversation in this Facebook thread. What is your voice telling you? You might be surprised how validating this will be for others to see.

They Protect and Paralyze

Delusions are subtle, they don’t announce themselves. They blend into the background of our daily self-talk, shaping choices before we even notice. They whisper reasons not to try, disguising fear as practicality. Tricky little devils!

When someone says, “I’ll start when work slows down,” they might really be saying, “I’m afraid of failing again.”When someone believes, “I can’t stick with anything,” it’s often a reflection of past hurt rather than present truth.

Delusions provide emotional safety, but they also create stasis.They make us observers in our own transformation, watching life happen instead of shaping it.

Leaning In: Go Test the Lie

The way through isn’t to fight these delusions but to lean into them. Face them head-on and put them to the test. You might find how much stronger your heart is than you brain. How do we move forward challenging these thought distortions?

Ask yourself:

• What if I acted as though this story wasn’t true, just for one week?

• What evidence would start to appear?

• What would change in my energy, focus, or confidence?

If your story is “I don’t have time,” track your time for a week and see where your energy really goes. Yes, this might take some time but this time will equal the value of unveiling capability. If you believe “I can’t stay consistent,” choose one action so small it’s impossible to fail, five minutes of movement, a single mindful meal, a short breath-work break.

Each time you act against your delusion, you collect data and data are the facts you are missing. You’re not trying to destroy the story, you’re proving to yourself that it’s no longer relevant.

That’s how resilience is built: through experience, discipline and structure, not willpower.

Transformation Through Tested Truths

The truth about delusion is that it’s not the enemy, it’s the starting line. Invite the delusion in to give you the targeted goal. You suggest I can’t, let me show you I can. Each delusion highlights a place where self-belief hasn’t yet caught up with potential.

When we stop hiding from those lies and instead lean in, we start to see our real capacity for change. We learn that fear doesn’t mean stop, it means there’s something worth discovering.

“Greatness is when you turn your delusions into reality.” -Mike Tyson