Randy Bachmeier’s Post

Transcript

But the really important thing that I want you to get here today. It's been at least stories in addition what we get from them. Did we get our identity? So. When we're telling stories, we are telling who we are as a people. We're going back, like to the people who decided we haven't this Manifest destiny for saying this is who we are as a people. And based upon that identity, what did they do? We do the same thing. Based upon the identity I've gotten, I made decisions. And based upon the decisions that I made, what do I do? I take actions. Soon we get to this point where we think stories, while they're stories, they're just fun and fairy tales or entertainment or whatever it is, But they're not. Our stories. Are more than just a reflection of the past events, the stories that we tell, They literally shape the future. Because they tell us who we are and as a result of that we make decisions and we take actions. Soon. What you need to understand about the stories that you tell we we all stand around and we say things and we hardly think about what we're saying. But it's really critically important the way that you framed the story that you tell because that story it can either drive people in their. Mindset towards optimism or pessimism and and when their stories drive people towards pessimism. Why does it matter? Well. When I tell a story, that is really pessimistic. It colors people's understanding of the past. It changes the way that they think about the past, but it also changes the way that they think about the future and they start to change their expectations of the future. It becomes kind of leak. Because we've always had these bad things, while we always will. Well, this is a natural human thing, right? Pessimism and negative expectations. There are psychological defense mechanisms. What do they do? They shield their mind and our emotions. From bad things that might happen. And so when the bad thing happens to you, what are you saying? My luck. That's just the way it is. We can't change that. They become self fulfilling prophecies in that way. OK, because when we tell. Pessimistic stories that it creates a confirmation bias where we only know this the negative things in our lives and we focus on those. And so when there are positive things or opportunities that come into our lives. What do we do? We don't notice. If we don't take advantage of it, we don't even maybe see it because we've gone again, this negative mindset that says even if I notice it, this opportunity, I might say, well, that's not for people like me. That's for those other people. They went to. Imagine George Washington riding on his White Horse coming out of Valley Forge. OK it's really terrible. Winter and the army is almost defeated and and he's addressing the troops. He's riding up and down the line of troops. And one of the things I. Down. Probably gonna lose today. I mean, look at the roots out there. They have these beautiful red matching later forms and they go look at the latest muskets. And what do we have? And look at it, they're all well fed and they're well rested. And just look what we came out of this awful winter at Valley Forge. So not only are we gonna lose today, guess what? You're probably all gonna die. Guess what? The Brits? They're gonna go after your family, too. OK. And it's not the George Washington we know visit. George Washington when he went out on his horse that day. I can bet this story was something more like this. And. He's riding up and down the line and and he says. Look at them out there. They're a bunch of lazy, soft people. Because what have they been doing all winter? They've been laying around and eating everything that they could steal from the colonists. But look at you, you guys. You're a bunch of lean, mean fighting machines, right? And look at those uniforms. They're ridiculous. They're a bunch of handies and they probably don't even want to get dirty, did they? Not really that red uniforms. They're walking out there and like big red bullseye targets, and not only that, they have these crops belts on them that are like crosshairs. This is your target right here. They're setting up. Hey. And he says too. You know, what are they fighting for? These British soldiers, they're out there fighting for a paycheck. They don't even like the king. Look at you. What are you fighting for today? You're fighting for your families. You're fighting for your land. And you're fighting for more than them. We are fighting a glorious revolution, not just in America, but in the world and in history. Because guess what? The era of Kings of Dead. And from now on people will burn themselves because of you. And you'll always be remembered as heroes. Which George Washington do you wanna fight for? And how much are you willing to sacrifice for that, George Washington? So our stories matter, and when they're driven by confidence and hope, what happens to our interpretations of the past and the future, They change entirely, don't they? My expectation now is not that I'm going to go out there and die on the field for nothing. People out there, and I'm going to change history. I'm part of history. The weird thing about optimism that took me a long time to realize it is, you know, pessimism is a psychological defense mechanism, so as optimism. Because what does it do for you? It also Shields your mind and your emotions from potentially bad things that could happen to you. I don't know what's going to happen when we were out there in the field today and tonight, I don't know. But when I have that optimism, what does it do? It suppresses my fear, and it enables me to go out there and do things that I wouldn't otherwise do. So imagine too put yourself in the situation. What happens to you? And we've all been there. You put your heart and soul into a grant of postal rate. When you send it out and you wait, wait, you wait and it comes back. Now, if I have that mindset of optimism, how do I react to that? I realize that. You know what? I have a great idea. This just wasn't the right frame maker for me. And there's others out there, and I'm going to find the right one who knows my idea and believes in my idea. And so you keep submitting that grant proposal and maybe you even submitted to one of those really super competitive programs that everybody tells you. You'll never get that money. And guess what? You get it. But if you had had that pessimistic mindset, if you told that pessimistic story that, hey, I'm gonna go out on the field today and buy. But never submitted that grant proposal. So I need you to understand today these these mindsets of pessimism and optimism. These are the inherent traits of victor and victim mentality. Then. In these victor and victim mentalities, where do we get these? Getting from the stories that we tell and the stories that we've been told. It unfortunately people who have suffered either individually as a group, through continuous traumas and hardships and disappointments, What kind of mindset do they tend to assume? They assume that pessimistic mindset, and So what kind of stories do they start to tell? Well, my defense mechanism kicks in. And they start telling these negative stories so I can protect myself. I'm not going to be disappointed when this happens to me again. And based upon that, I assume an identity, and based upon that identity, identity decisions, and based upon those decisions. The future changes anything. But when you have people who have continuously been blessed to experience privilege and and success over and over again, what kinds of stories they start to tell? They assume that mindset of optimism, their victors, and they tell positive stories and as a result. Entity and they continue to make decisions and take actions and take risks that do what they change their circumstances and keep them moving better.