Breaks not Brakes: Understanding the Mechanics of Personal Growth

First Get Your Foot Off The Brakes: Real Talk About Growth

Let me paint you a picture about progress that might hit home.

Understanding the Three States of Behavior

We’re going to talk about the three states of behavior- surviving, maintaining, and thriving – but not in that motivational poster kind of way. Let’s break this down with some basic driver’s ed.

Moving in Life is Like Moving in a Vehicle

• Surviving? That’s you with the brakes locked down. Going nowhere fast.
• Maintaining? No brakes, no gas – just coasting at a steady clip.
• Thriving? Now you’re hitting the gas, moving forward with purpose.

But here’s the thing most people miss: You can’t floor the gas in one area while another area has its foot on the brake. You can’t thrive at the expense of making another part survive.

Finding Your Balance

Let me be crystal clear: This isn’t about judging where you’re at. I’m not here to tell you that thriving is better than surviving. Sometimes survival mode is exactly where you need to be. What I am saying is most of us are rolling through life with one foot on the brake and one on the gas, wondering why we’re burning out.

Getting to Baseline First

Before you even think about hitting that gas, let’s make sure your vehicle’s actually ready to move. We’re talking about getting to OK – just getting the foot off the brake:

• OK Sleep that doesn’t leave you dragging
• OK Food that doesnt make you feel bad
• OK Movement that keeps you from feel achy
• OK Blood work that shows there is no disease
• Basic maintenance (yeah, we’re talking hygiene – teeth, shower)

Once you’ve got these basics handled – just handled, not perfect – then you can think about where you want to pour on the power. That’s when you can focus on thriving in specific areas without your whole system braking down.

Understanding When to Slow Down

Here’s the real wisdom: Sometimes you need those brakes. Just like you wouldn’t blast through a red light or take a sharp turn at full speed, there are times when slowing down is exactly right. But knowing when to use breaks versus when you’re just jamming the brakes? That’s the game-changer.

The Bottom Line

Get your baseline systems running smooth first. Make sure you’re not fighting yourself by running with the brake on. Then, when you’re ready to move forward in any area of your life, you’ll have the foundation to actually make it happen.

Ready to take an honest look at where your brakes are on? That’s where real change starts.