Are You the Same Person When No One is Watching?

If a film crew followed you around and recorded everything you did, what would they find?  Would the film of your life be exactly the same, or would you act one way with people around and another with no one there?  To be clear, this is not the same thing as speaking differently to different people depending on context.  You would not be expected to speak to your teacher at school, your friends or a police officer the same way.  What we mean is are you the same person regardless of the situation?

Are you a nice, empathetic and caring person in public, but in private you are rude and selfish?  Do you say you will work out, watch what you eat, work on your side hustle, but then spend hours watching the television and surfing the internet?

This is not to point fingers or accuse you of anything nefarious.  If you choose to be one way in public and another way in private, that is your choice, but you will probably find that you are conflicted and not as successful as you would like because of the conflict that is inside of you.

The Same Identity at all Times

The most successful people are not perfect by any means.  They have flaws and inner demons and deal with the same temptations and challenges that we all do.  Where they excel is the majority of the time, their identity is completely congruent.  They say the same things and act the same way all the time.  In their case, if a film crew followed them around, there would be no surprises.  Their identity remains the same regardless of circumstances.  They are the same when no one is watching.

To truly be successful, you not only have to be unrelentingly moving towards your goals, but you also have to maintain that focus all the time.  You have to put in the work when no one is watching because that is where the growth will genuinely happen.  If you totally commit, it actually becomes easier because you do not have to think about acting differently depending on the circumstances.

You act like the successful achiever that you are, even when no one is watching, and you will become the success you desire.