T

he other day, I was watching an episode of the Flash with my wife on Netflix (surprisingly good show by the way) and I had an epiphany of sorts. I realized that I was staring at a screen, watching other people be awesome in their imaginary world, instead of being awesome myself in the real world.

As I contemplated this idea further I stumbled upon an interesting question. Would you watch a TV show about your own life? Now it doesn’t have to be a TV show. It could be a book or a movie, but the idea is the same. Are you living a life that you’re proud of, that’s interesting, that others would be intrigued by? Most would answer no, but you can change that.

Image via duncan c

You can change that by taking this idea a step further and actually living your life like you were the main character in a TV show or a book or a movie. I’m not saying to become the next Walter White or Dexter (and certainly not including any reality TV either). I’m also not saying that you need to get struck my lightning and wake up with super powers, but playing the hero and being more aware of yourself can go a long way. Let’s explore how you could put this idea into practice.

1. Be the Hero

If you view yourself as the protagonist of the story, as the hero, the decisions you make will take on a new meaning. You’ll try harder, embrace the struggle, and understand nothing will come easy. But all of that is OK because you’re the hero. Everything is going to work out. Everything will be OK. You’re going to win in the long run, so simply be positive, be optimistic and work hard. Unless you’re in Game of Thrones, but let’s just act like that doesn’t exist.

A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.Christopher Reeve

2. Fight the Villain

Do you have a bully in your life? Or maybe a boss that gives you a hard time. Or even a problem you’re having trouble solving. Well lucky you, you’ve met one of the many villains in your life. Whenever you encounter that person or situation, instead of feeling defeated or letting it ruin your day, get excited. Realize that it’s your villain, your arch-nemesis and that you’re about to go to battle. You won’t win every time, this battle may be the one where you get crushed and hit a new low, but the next one will be your redemption. Use the story to make things more interesting and bearable, because things will get better. And with any story, there will always be a new villain to face, but that’s part of the fun.

3. Be More Interesting

If your life were like a TV show, would there ever be a dull moment? Probably not. You’ll always be doing something to progress your life forward. Something interesting, new, or eventful would be happening every day. It doesn’t have to be major events, you’re not going to change your life overnight, but you should always move forward. Say you’re eating lunch, don’t eat alone, go find someone to eat with. Or maybe instead of sitting in front of the TV, you go out and meet new people or try new things. Do something. It’s a simple idea that can have a big impact.

4. Get a New Perspective

The entire idea of viewing your life from the perspective of a hero in a story gives you a unique point of view. It’s almost like you can view your own life and story from the third person. You can see what you’re doing more clearly, as well as what you SHOULD be doing. Looking at things from this perspective, can shed light on where your life may be headed and what action you need to take to make that a reality. Often when watching or reading, we try to predict what’s going to happen next based on the situation. Just think about the power you have over your own story and try to make your predictions a reality.

__________

It’s an interesting idea to say the least, but the most important piece of advice is to move the story forward. Just like seasons in a show or chapters in a book, there needs to be progress. The question is, are you going to be a hero? Or is your show going to get cancelled after the first season. The choice is fully in your hands.

Stop watching, start living.

Image via flickr