The Freedom Frameworks

Face your demons to pursue your dreams and cultivate freedom.

Dreams are the future you want. Demons hold you back. Typically, demons arise in the form of “resistance”: fears that keep you from taking actions that would bring you closer to achieving your goals. Dwelling on these challenges paralyzes you. Face your demons by identifying them. You might feel nervous about public speaking, for example. If you scrutinize that worry, you see that it’s absurd — if you perform poorly, you’ll recover from any embarrassment. The experience will be valuable — providing lessons for the future — and it’s doubtful that anybody will shame you.

To clarify your dreams, ask yourself, “Who or what do I want to become, and on what sort of timeline?” These aspirations inform the qualities, values, and character you must develop to breed the kind of excellence you desire. When resistance shows up, reframe it as helpful. Think about it this way: If you want to improve your tennis game, you’ll need to play against people who are more skilled than you — which will mean facing defeat until your abilities rise to...