Get Rid of Your Junk

By Dan Nielsen

August 1, 2019


Dictionary.com defines junk as “anything that is regarded as worthless, meaningless, or contemptible; trash.”

The legendary race car driver Louise Smith once said:

“You can’t reach for anything new if your hands are still full of yesterday’s junk.” - Louise Smith

We all have “junk.” Some of our junk we are very aware of, but other junk we might not recognize as such. Either way, as Louise Smith wisely noted, our junk often prevents us from reaching for something new.

What does your junk look like? Maybe one of these examples will help you identify it:

  • Off-base criticism or unfair negativity that has deterred you from pressing on.
  • A destructive relationship or negative experience that has taught you a false story about yourself and/or others.
  • An unwarranted feeling of obligation toward a certain job, organization, person, or even place that has kept you “trapped” and unable to make needed changes.
  • Your own prejudices, flawed perceptions, or unmet expectations that have kept you from giving someone or something a chance.
  • Literal “junk” in your daily life—a junk-filled, cluttered home, a junk-food heavy diet, hours of your day wasted on the junk so prevalent on social media—all keeping you feeling low and preventing you from finding peace and achieving your potential.

We all have our junk.

What kind of “worthless, meaningless, or contemptible” junk are you holding on to? And what kind of new experiences, opportunities, or relationships are you missing out on because of that junk?

Give it some thought. And then get rid of that junk and reach for something better!

About the author

Dan Nielsen is the author of the books Be An Inspirational Leader: Engage, Inspire, Empower, and Presidential Leadership: Learning from United States Presidential Libraries & Museums. He regularly writes and speaks on leadership excellence and achieving greater success, and is available to deliver keynotes, lead workshops, or facilitate discussions for your group. LEARN MORE

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