Most of us try to change unwanted aspects of our lives by modifying our actions.

However, changing actions without first changing your self-concept is hard and rarely lasts.

Adopting new behaviors while remaining the same person demands persistent willpower.

Unfortunately, willpower often runs out before the change sticks.

The solution is to recognize who you truly are. You are consciousness having a human experience, and you hold the power to design your life.

Our self-concept forms through societal influences and our perception of who we think we should be.

Subconsciously, much of our behavior stems from a desire to escape the anxiety of not knowing answers to fundamental questions, such as why we are here or what happens when we die.

As a result, we consume, buy, and seek significance. Yet, all these pursuits focus on external validation.

When you embrace the magnificence of your true essence and reveal your authentic self, your actions naturally align.

This process creates transformation from the inside out.

For example, instead of focusing on stopping behaviors like overeating, overdrinking, or overworking, reshape your identity in your mind. Consider who you really are.

Take a moment each morning to quiet your mind for at least 5 minutes and feel your life force within.

Picture a beautiful painting of the sun. No matter how magnificent it looks, it remains only a representation of the sun.

It isn’t the sun itself.

This painting represents your current identity, while the sun symbolizes who you truly are.

To see the actual sun, you must turn away from the painting and look within.

Yet, most of us resist doing this. After all, we created the painting. It’s familiar, and we may even like certain parts of it.

We grow attached to the painting.

We mistake the painting for the sun. We convince ourselves that our identity defines who we are. Because changing it feels risky and uncertain, it triggers the primitive brain to sense danger. That’s why so many people stay stuck.

But the painting does not define you.

Your identity is not who you are; it’s simply the painting you’ve created.

Instead of judging your painting, evaluate the results you’re getting. Then, let it go.

Know who you truly are.

When your self-concept aligns with your true essence, behaviors that don’t fit will naturally fall away without requiring willpower.