Those 2 phrases keep an unbelievable number of people from achieving their goals and dreams – be they small or big. It’s ridiculous how often I hear those words.
Let me tell you who I hear them from: losers, failures, & those stuck in the thick of mediocrity. What’s weird is that I often hear the phrase “I want” come out of the mouth of the same. Well, keep on wanting then, because you are never going to actually get as long as “I can’t” and “I won’t” continue to dominate your vocabulary & thought process.
Why not instead substitute “I haven’t yet” and “I’ll try it.” Those are the words of winners, of successful people, of those who have risen above mediocrity, and are living the “I want” of all those “I won’t-ers.”
No, you won’t do it right the first time, you won’t do it well the second time, and you might not even truly grasp it until the 7th time. But guess what, if you continue to learn from each failure, success is guaranteed to be waiting for you. Because at the end of the day, there is always a limit to the number of ways you can screw something up! :)
In the health & fitness industry, the stuff I hear holding people back sounds like this:
I can’t run. I won’t give up alcohol. I can’t do squats. I won’t record my diet. I can’t quit caffeine. I won’t do pushups. I can’t get off these medications. I won’t workout on days I work. I can’t drink that shake. I won’t get on that exercise ball. I can’t workout while traveling. I won’t make my kids eat that. I can’t not drink while entertaining clients. I won’t train at lunch. I can’t train at night. I won’t eat that. I can’t swallow this. I won’t change that because I’ve always done it this way. I can’t do that because no one else does. And the list goes on….
Take a moment to examine your vocabulary and censor it. Better yet, change your thought processes, and the vocabulary will take care of itself.
Ask yourself and be honest: are you an “I can’t” and “I won’t” kind of person? Or are you an “I haven’t yet” and “I’ll try it” kind of person? Who do you want to be? Isn’t it time to start becoming the person you want to be? You’ll never get there if you are of the “i can’t, i won’t” camp. Become a member of the other camp and you will quickly find ways to become exactly who you want to be. But it starts with how you think, and how you think is often evidenced by the words that come out of your mouth. Try this, ask someone who is around you often to point out every time you say something like “I can’t” or “I won’t.” If that mindset is a problem, you’ll quickly become aware of it and can proactively change it. You’ll be amazed at the opportunities to learn and improve that you’ve been missing because of your poor mindset. A whole new world opens up when you are willing to learn, willing to try, & willing to fail. Ultimately, those are the ingredients that make you willing to succeed!
