Being told what to do!
We got used to being told what to do from a very young age. We were told to behave, to study and score high marks. We were told to build careers and have families. We were basically told whatever we are doing today.
Then later in life we start questioning: What am I doing? Is this what I want or is it because someone else told me to do it?
Being told what to do is a habit that can stick to you like a very sticky glue which can be so hard to let go.
The worst thing that is happening in schools and colleges today is students are being told exactly what to do. What to study. What chapters are included in the exam. What careers to choose. What companies available in the market. What to read. What group to join. How to do the assignment.
Although we do our best efforts with teaching our students, when we tell them what to do exactly, we kill their initiative and problem solving skills. The current market is not for those who want to be told what to do. It needs people who are ready to take the lead, to take the initiative and to do the hard emotional labour. The market needs people who can figure it out and find the missing puzzles when solving a problem.
When I think of this habit “being told what to do”, it shrinks my throat and tightens my chest. Why? Because this act confirms that you don’t have an opinion of your own, you don’t have an identity and you just need to go along with it.
To loosen up and reflect on this addictive habit, you may start working with the following questions:
Is this what I want? If not, what do I want?
Why do I keep doing what I do today? What is my motivation?
Do I get scared when being told what to do? What am I scared of?
If I decide to go on my own and do what I want instead of waiting to be told what to do, what is the first thing I will start doing?
Doing what I want or waiting to be told what to do, which one resonates best with my soul and heart?
Working and processing this habit with above mentioned questions can show you the way and lighten your path. Whether it is a career, a relationship, an education, a lifestyle or whatever area you go through in your life today, finding out what you truly want instead of following the crowd is the best thing anyone can do for themselves.