Actions first, story second

As Bryan slept the many voices inside his head were called to an urgent meeting.

Arthur: Quiet down! Quiet down! Let the record show that the committee of Bryan’s internal voices is now in session. First and only item on this emergency agenda is labels. Carl the floor is yours.

Carl: Thank you Arthur. Unfortunately ladies and gentleman I come to you with a grave situation. I put it to the committee that we need to review and update Bryan’s labels for himself.

Susan: Are you telling me that we can no longer call him a flabby fatty?

Carl: Yes

Kevin: Or lethargic lazy lump?

Carl: Yes

Bernard: Or big bottom Bryan?

Alfred: Preposterous! We’ve been doing it for years, why should we stop now?

Carl: Well in the past 2 weeks, he’s only eaten chocolate once, he’s gone jogging 6 times and he shows no signs of stopping. The label of couch potato is quickly becoming stale. We need to create a new label quickly to make sense of his new activity.

Lisa: How about ‘Work in progress’?

Keith: Or ‘Six pack coming soon’?

Georgia: Or ‘Handsome man in the making’?

Carl: They will all do nicely, thank you all

…

“If you want to change your story, change your actions first. When we choose to act a certain way, our mind can’t help but rework our narrative to make those actions coherent. We become what we do”

Seth Godin in ‘The Practice’