When I was a kid, I loved watching the movie “E.T.”
It scared me, but it also fascinated me.
The bigger picture of the movie was kind of “duh” for me — of COURSE there’s extraterrestrial life in the universe…why wouldn’t there be?
For me, I was more intrigued by the small human dynamics played out in the movie.
I was fascinated by the teenage boys playing a game at the dinner table, ordering a pizza without their mom’s permission, ignoring Elliott’s request to play the game. I was fascinated by how they later made fun of Elliott for declaring he’d heard strange noises outside.
I was intrigued by how the mom acted like a “mom” — rushing in the morning before work, wearing her work clothes, taking her son’s temperature with a thermometer, believing he was indeed sick (when he playing hooky), and allowing him to stay home from school.
These small details captured my attention as a kid.
Perhaps it was me prepping for my eventual adult habit of “people watching.” As a writer, I people watch constantly. I observe their behavior, feel their emotions empathetically, watch how they communicate…and then write about them, while offering my perspective. (This “habit” of mine has been my biggest money maker to date.)
I hadn’t thought about “E.T.” in years, but recently the movie came to mind.
I was recalling the scene where Elliott was in the forest, setting up a weird device E.T. had created in an attempt to communicate to his people back home.
Watching the fork move, hearing the electronic beeps, Elliott started hyperventilating — realizing the device was working.
At first he whispered, “It’s working.”
Then in a loud voice he cried, “E.T.! It’s working!” His words echoed loudly through the forest.
I recalled that scene while in the bathroom, brushing my teeth. The way Elliott screamed, “It’s working!” was almost terrifying — as if the notion of something working, was something to be afraid of.
The fact that E.T.’s invention worked successfully would mean that results would take place. Changes would occur. E.T.’s people would eventually come back to earth, pick E.T. up, take him home…and Elliott would have to say goodbye.
It got me thinking: What kind of message did this scene send to me as a child?
Maybe I subconsciously decided that when things are “working” well…it will eventually mean some sort of loss. So that’s a damn good reason to make sure things fall apart.
Humans are adept at finding ways to sabotage themselves when things are working well. Ever notice that?
When things are working — when we’re causing success to show up in our business — it requires us to part with something. (Usually something that is in direct opposition to that success.)
Maybe it’s an old habit, an old belief, or an old view of ourselves. Whatever it is, we have to say goodbye to it, if we want the success to continue.
That can be hard.
Our brain can come up with thousands of convincing reasons NOT to succeed. We don’t want to give up the part of ourselves that we’re so attached to.
Just like Elliott had to part with E.T. at the end of the movie…we have to part ways with things that AREN’T working for us anymore.
“Working and “not working” are two polar opposites. They cannot coexist.
Is your brain primarily geared to the notion that “Things are working”? Or is it primarily geared to the notion that “Nothing is working”?
To reach our goals, we must let go of whatever is in direct contrast to achieving those goals.
Some of you reading this may need to let go of your addiction to drama… or your addiction to business being “hard.” Or your habit of viewing yourself as “unable to grow a business.”
Recently I discovered I’ve been attached to having a certain viewpoint about myself — but that viewpoint is no longer serving me. It’s in direct opposition to my vision of who I can become. It has to go.
Without getting past this mental barrier, any “tactical” strategies you do will just be like shuffling papers around on a desk for hours without really accomplishing anything.
With that said…I’m off to enjoy the sunshine today and get ready for my trip to Charlotte, NC, next week!
I’ll leave you with this:
What’s causing you to be attached to “things not working”?
Ponder that.
Talk soon,
Michelle
Anti-Marketing Manifesto
Michelle Lopez Boggs is a copywriter, copywriting mentor, and author of "The Anti-Marketing Manifesto: How to Sell Without Being a Sellout." She's helped her clients sell millions of dollars' worth of products and services online by using the MEI(S) principle — motivate, educate, and inspire, and sell. 