Please, Don't Be Yourself

“Just be yourself.”
 
Hmmm. I see a problem here.
 
If I’m always myself, how can I become better?
 
Humans can be selfish, and I can be selfish. I get defensive sometimes. I can wallow in self-pity. I can get hyper-opinionated. Heck, I can worry better than most people!
 
In other words, being myself only works when I’m looking at the “bright side” of my personality.
 
I have another idea: Don’t be yourself. Be the version of the person you want to be.
 
Just do things according to your better version. Imagine your life as a movie, and see yourself doing whatever that version of the person you want to be is doing. Then, go and do likewise.
 
When you want to do something like get defensive, make comparisons, or even wallow in self-pity, look at the version of the person you want to be. How would that person act?
 
This works because you’re getting out of your ego and the ego-centered universe you live in. You’re thinking clearly and realistically about who you want to be.
 
And your life gets better. And everyone else’s life gets better, too. After all, your life affects everyone else’s. Your choices impact everyone around you. You’re not some isolated individual; you’re in a living, breathing biosphere of community, whether you like it or not.
 
There’s enough anger and criticism to darken the world seven times over. Wouldn’t it be great if everyone worked on this?
 
Be the version of the person you want to be.
 
Or not. It’s up to you.

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