Estimated reading time: 3 minutes, 54 seconds
What you have to do can feel like a burden.
What you get to do becomes a privilege.
The task doesn’t change, but your perspective does.
Let’s look at today’s illustration:
Same life. Same responsibilities. Completely different experiences.
One mindset feels restrictive.
The other reveals opportunity.
Here’s a simple saying that sums up today’s sagacity succinctly:
“The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty.”
Your situation does not define your experience.
Your perspective does.
There are so many things in life we say we have to do:
“I have to go to work.”
“I have to exercise.”
“I have to look after the kids.”
“I have to respond to these emails.”
And while those statements might be true, they often feel heavy.
Obligatory. Draining. Unavoidable.
But what if we reframed them?
“I get to go to work.”
“I get to move my body.”
“I get to care for people I love.”
“I get to contribute something meaningful.”
Same actions, but very different meaning.
And meaning shapes experience.
A “get to” mindset isn’t about ignoring difficulty.
It’s about recognising the privilege within it.
Here are 3 ways to develop this mindset:
Look for the hidden privilege
Behind most responsibilities is something valuable: an opportunity, a relationship, a capability.
Train yourself to notice it.
Reframe your language
Pay attention to how often you say “have to.”
Try replacing it with “get to” and notice how it shifts your attitude.
Remember what you once wished for
Many of the things you now “have to do” were once things you hoped for.
Revisiting that perspective can restore gratitude.You don’t need a different life to feel differently about your life.
Let’s dive deeper into today’s wisdom with these 3 journal prompts:
What is something I’ve been saying “I have to” about recently?
How could I reframe it as “I get to”?
What privilege might I be overlooking in my current situation?
Today’s resource is a little clip that Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, sharing how he applies the Have To vs Get To mindset.
Watch this short video here:
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Thanks,
Michael