Who do you think you are? No, seriously.

Many of us are living our lives around a script and, as scary as it may sound, the person you think you are isn't necessarily authentic. There is so much that is scripted and manufactured all around us. Take our autopilot response to the question, "Hi, how are you?" I'm sure some of you have experienced the startled and confused look some people get on their face when you don't answer "fine and you?" according to your social script. We've been programmed to follow this script from the moment we were born, so it's no wonder that some of us are using our scripts to hide behind.

In order to tear the script away, the first step is to evaluate where you are in life at the present. Not just superficially, but deeply and honestly. Be truthful and kind with yourself and take stock of your achievements, your failures and how much or how little you find yourself moving to your dream goals every day. Learn to see your life clearly and not through the filter of those scripts.

I struggled as a photographer for years. Not because photography wasn't a great source of money (although there was that too), but because according to my script choosing to be an artist was a foolish thing to do. I wanted to be respected, I wanted my parents to be proud and I wanted to be financially secure and my script insisted that this wasn't going to be possible as a photographer. I spent two years studying for and then applying to law school because according to my script that was a respectable career move. In the end I found that my script couldn't stand up to my authentic self and I understood that there's nothing better than pursuing a career you feel completely passionate about.

Ask yourself, if you continue going the way you're going right now will you achieve your dream? Are you living authentically, or are you guided by the scripts you have inherited? One very good way of answering these questions for yourself is to see whether you can figure out what your authentic self is. It speaks to you in moments of optimism and excitement. You need to tune into that voice inside your head and really listen to it. This is important because your script will come in the form of a direct response to that voice. You may think to yourself, "I want to be a writer. I'm so happy when I write," and your script will respond, "Oh, but I'm not talented enough. If I try I'll probably fail, so it's not worth it." The script is like a parasite living off of your authentic self, changing it in the process.