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Brian Johnson contrasts victim and creator mindsets. The victim focuses on complaints and blame; the creator asks "What do I want?" When you catch yourself in victimland, that question is the pivot.
Brian Johnson contrasts victim and creator mindsets. The victim focuses on complaints and blame; the creator asks "What do I want?" When you catch yourself in victimland, that question is the pivot.
Hi, this is Brian with another mini chapter from A Philosopher's Notes. This one's called Victim versus Creator. The difference between optimism and pessimism is really quite simple. It's all about our orientation to the world. In any given moment, we either choose. Yes, it's a choice, an empowering perspective, or a disempowering one. We choose to be victims or we choose to be creators. The trick is to practice noticing when we're slipping into the victim perspective. So how do we catch ourselves? If you're complaining, criticizing, blaming, gossiping and comparing, you can be pretty sure you're hanging out in victimland, the unhappiest place on earth. Find the exit by asking yourself a simple what do I want? Whereas the victim constantly focuses on all the things that are wrong in their lives and with everyone else around them, when. Which is really just a reflection of all their inner angst, the creator gets clear on what she wants. So what do you want? Pay attention. If you are complaining, criticizing, blaming, gossiping and all that stuff. Just get out of that victim mode by asking yourself, what do I want? Something is being thwarted. What do I want? Focus on that. It's a big pivot to get you from victim to creator. Powerful stuff. Hope you dug it. Look forward to sharing more with you soon. Have an awesome day, Sam.
