Chuck Norris died five months ago.
Actually… according to the internet…
“Chuck Norris didn’t succumb to death. He just let it win once, to keep it interesting.”
If you grew up about the same time we did, you probably watched a few of his movies.
And later… when the internet exploded… so did the Chuck Norris memes.
They were everywhere.
And some of them were brilliant.
Here are a few:
“Chuck Norris doesn’t read books. He stares them down until he gets the information he wants.”
“Chuck Norris breathes air… five times a day.”
“The dinosaurs looked at Chuck Norris the wrong way once. You know what happened to them.”
“Chuck Norris does not sleep. He waits.”
“On the 7th day, God rested… Chuck Norris took over.”
“Chuck Norris can dribble a bowling ball.”
“Chuck Norris does not use spell check. If he happens to misspell a word, Oxford will change the spelling.”
“Some kids pee their name in the snow. Chuck Norris can pee his name into concrete.”
“Chuck Norris’ calendar goes straight from March 31st to April 2nd, because no one fools Chuck Norris.”
“Chuck Norris counted to infinity… twice.”
“Chuck Norris can speak Braille.”
“Once a cobra bit Chuck Norris’ leg. After five days of excruciating pain, the cobra died.”
“The dark is afraid of Chuck Norris.”
“Chuck Norris can kill two stones with one bird.”
“Chuck Norris never retreats; He just attacks in the opposite direction.”
Absurd.
Over the top.
Unforgettable.
But here is the part that caught my attention the most:
Chuck Norris hated these memes in real life.
Not mildly disliked.
He was genuinely bothered by them.
At the time, I couldn’t understand it.
Why would anyone be upset by something so flattering… so funny… so viral?
I didn’t have the answer then.
But I remembered the question.
And about 15 years later… I found the answer.
It lies in a quiet dynamic that shapes our behavior far more than we realize:
The relationship between pride and shame.
Here’s what most people never see…
Those memes are built on exaggeration. On extreme pride. On pure hubris.
And whenever pride rises… shame rises with it. Automatically.
Even if you’re not aware of it.
Which means…
While the world was laughing… something inside him was being triggered in the opposite direction.
Let us make this simple (we explained it in the previous email as well).
Imagine little pride as slightly warm water… and little shame as slightly cold water.
Now imagine you’re taking a shower.
But the water behaves strangely:
10 seconds warm… 10 seconds cold… back and forth.
Not comfortable.
But manageable.
Now imagine your success grows.
More recognition. More admiration. More pride.
At the same time… beneath the surface… more shame.
Now the water swings feel sharper.
Warm… cold… warm… cold. It’s painful.
Then comes even greater success.
Bigger attention. Bigger praise.
Now the water is no longer slightly warm and slightly cold.
It’s hot… then ice cold.
And that… you can’t tolerate.
So what happens?
You stop.
Not because growth itself is painful…
But because the swing between pride and shame is unbearable.
And without knowing how to manage it… stopping your growth is the only solution.
This is what most people never realize.
And it explains something fascinating:
Why even someone like Chuck Norris, surrounded by admiration… attention… and global fame… couldn’t enjoy something the world found hilarious.
Because internally… the cost was different.
Now here’s the part that matters for you.
If you don’t understand this dynamic, it will stop your growth sooner or later.
I firmly believe that if Chuck Norris had learned to balance pride and shame, he would have had a far greater career… and those memes would have worked to his advantage.
Which brings us to a simple, powerful idea:
Don’t let pride and shame stop your exponential growth.
Learn to manage this cycle… and you’ll move freely through life.
Without the hidden brakes.
Without so much inner struggle.
But with far more ease than you thought possible.
Love and Wisdom,
Monica and Stefan
More from Monica, Stefan and the Inspired Life Circle team.
Join us at the next live, free, online workshops here.
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For high-achieving women who are known as strong, capable, and dependable, but feel exhausted from always carrying everyone else.
August 26th - Dissolve Impostor Syndrome in 5 Steps
For coaches, therapists, healers, and psychologists who know they are good at what they do—but still question themselves.
