This Is What Happens When You Label Yourself
Summary
- When you label yourself, it's like experiencing a placebo effect; you might start to behave according to that label in every area of your life.
- If you call yourself something based on a few specific behaviors, that label might spread to other parts of your life, even if it doesn't fit.
- By taking on a label, you can begin to adopt additional characteristics that are associated with it, even if they weren't true for you.
- I had many unhelpful beliefs about myself that were limiting; for example, I thought I had to be either an introvert or an extrovert.
- Remember that your personality can vary depending on the situation; it's not fixed, and you can exhibit traits of both introversion and extroversion as needed.
Video
How To Take Action
- Start by avoiding labels. For example, if you think you're not good at talking to people, don't say, "I'm shy." Instead, try saying, "I'm working on becoming better at conversations."
- Reflect on your beliefs about yourself. Make a list of labels you've used to describe yourself and ask if they're truly helpful or if they might be holding you back.
- Put yourself in new situations to explore different sides of your personality. For instance, if you've labeled yourself as "not creative," try a simple creative task like drawing or writing a short story.
- When you're faced with a challenge, remember that your personality traits can adapt. Remind yourself, "I can be both outgoing and reflective when I need to be."
Here's a simple action plan to tweak beliefs about yourself and flex different aspects of your personality:
- Write down labels you often use about yourself.
- Challenge each label – is it helpful? Does it limit you? If yes, cross it out.
- Pick one label you want to work on first. Create a mini-challenge for yourself to act against that label. If you think you're not a public speaker, practice speaking out loud by yourself.
- Give yourself small goals, like joining a group discussion once a week, if you've labeled yourself as "not a group person."
- Reflect every night for a few minutes. Ask yourself, "When did I act differently from my labels today?" Celebrate those moments.
- Remember, you can change and be different things in different situations. It's not "either-or." You can be both!
By taking small steps to challenge old labels and try out new behaviors, you'll start to see your personality as more flexible and dynamic.
Quotes by Leila Hormozi
"What happens when you label yourself is that it's almost the placebo effect"
– Leila Hormozi
"You might have a few attributes that within certain situations you label yourself as this thing"
– Leila Hormozi
"But then it generalizes to the rest of your life"
– Leila Hormozi
"You start to show up as that label within all facets of life"
– Leila Hormozi
"I had a lot of really unhelpful assumptions about myself that made it hard at first"
– Leila Hormozi
Full Transcript
you are you what happens when you label yourself is that it's almost the placebo effect you might have a few attributes that within certain situations you label yourself as this thing but then it generalizes to the rest of your life you start to show up as that label within all facets of life and then you actually start to take on all the rest of the attributes of that label as well I had a lot of really unhelpful assumptions about myself that made it hard at first to realize that it's not or it's and it's not that I have to be an introvert or an extrovert I can be both it depends on the context and the circumstance
