Perception vs Reality
I’ve wanted to talk about this topic for years but haven’t quite been able to find the words that describe how I feel about it as well as what I’m seeing social media is doing to our kids.
Like anything, it can be either used positively or negatively. It’s when the tool starts using us then we’re in trouble. Think about this, how do you feel after a thoughtless scroll for 45 minutes on facebook or instagram? I don’t know about you but I feel like shit. I’ve just wasted 45 minutes of my life looking at majority of people I have no idea who they are showing a life through filters which is actually so far from the actual truth of how everybody’s life actually is.
If this is how we feel, imagine how our kids feel. In their minds their entire lives are run from what social media is telling them about themselves and how they stack up against others their age in every facet. Depending on the amount of likes they get from last nights or this mornings post this is either going to be a good day or a bad. Depending on likes!! What!! We have completely given up control of our life and feelings to outside sources that we don’t even know.
Now let’s move onto the reaction response once a comment pops up on their post. This could be someone they’ve never met or have no idea who they are. Very powerful if the comments building them up, which actually only feeds the fire for instant gratification. It’s the other side which is most concerning & creates the real issue. Someone comments and says something that is so far from the truth it doesn’t matter that it’s completely fake news about someone or even yourself all of a sudden our perception of this starts to believe what we see and starts to turn it into reality.
Here’s an example for you whihc actually happened last week. Kid posts they throw 82mph as a 14 yr old on social media. One player on the other team sees this and text’s his buddy, “did you hear so and so we’re facing tomorrow throws 82mph”. “82mph, we’re screwed” his teammate replies. This then travels through the entire team within a matter of minutes. The kid that says he throws 82mph has never thrown above 70mph in his life. So what makes these kids believe this? They are so lost in their perception of what’s actually real life.
Come Saturday low and behold the kids throwing 70mph. The issue is the entire team is so scared of this giant throwing 82mph about to step out there on the mound, they’re already beaten before they step into the batters box. This is a beautiful analogy to how social media is running our lives.
The 13 year old girl who is looking at her friends post who in her mind look so beautiful and seeing all the comments/likes from other people. All due to the fact they’ve spent all day taking 157 photos to find just the right angle, lighting and then put 17 different filters on the photo to make herself look a certain way society is telling us is “beautiful”. These poor kids don’t have a chance but it’s also affecting us in every facet of our lives as well. These mega giants know everything about us and know exactly how to keep you coming back, distracting you more and more from the truth of life into a complete false virtual reality which is now starting to take over our lives.
Whether it’s the married couple who posts them out on a date night, with the caption “my love, so happy and grateful.” Is in reality that couple you see at dinner who are both on their phones and haven’t said one word to each other the entire night. Eat, pay, get up and head home but they made sure to put up that post. Reality vs perception.
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The fake resume & lies on LinkedIn from the business professional who’s entire identity revolves around what he/she has done in their careers. Reality vs perception So the question, we’re all asking right now…. Ok, Trent, we agree but what do we do? You try taking the phone away form a 14 year old.
Agree!! Totally agree.
It’s about small wins. The same way we are claiming back our lives and becoming the best versions of ourselves day in day out by stepping out of our comfort zones. The instant gratification mindset needs to get thrown back out the window and this goes for our kids as well. Sorry guys, but life’s tough. I’ll tell you now there will be times your closest friends, your parents, your family they won’t understand you. Especially in this social media/digital world we now live in. It takes extreme resilience and focus to continue the pursuit of your dreams even in the face of all the naysayers and distractions that are going to stand in your way day in day out, over and over again.
Which on the other side of the coin also creates enormous opportunity because it’s hard, not many people are willing to stay the course and I can’t blame them. This is not a life for everyone, but I’ll tell you what, the thought of that feeling when you lay down at night knowing you gave today your absolute all is sooo amazing and will always be worth fighting for. Day in day out for the life you deserve and are committed to living.
Put that phone down today and get outside, put yourself first. Ask yourself, have I done everything I had and could of done today? If the answer is yes, then have at it, but continue to ask yourself, am I in control and is this actual reality or just perception?