"But I Can't..."

But I can't....

Have you said it? Have you heard it? Those negative contracted words seem to invade our daily conversations: don't, can't, shouldn't, mustn't, didn't, and so on.

Sometimes we truly can't do something. But when it comes to self-talk, can't is a word that is often used to excuse oneself from trying. Trying to do something for the first time is often a scary proposition. Consider writing a blog. I told myself for a decade I didn't have time to write blogs. They didn't pay anything. They took time to create. They were redundant. But were they really? How many blogs have I been reading regularly? How many posts to my social media accounts were being shared and even used in other people's blogs and speaking material? I had something to say. I HAVE something to say.

Then came the moment of self-realization. I wasn't spending enough time with my private writing manuscripts. My Everything English Academy tutoring and editing business ate every minute I wasn't at the college. My newest project, Charlie McGillicuddy LLC was formed almost seven months ago and I have yet to take any serious effort to build its website. Why bother when clients just kept coming? Blogging is a gateway to get me focused on crucial business issues, trending topics, connected to clients and potential clients, to help others, and to commit to some form of daily writing. More importantly, a blog requires personal commitment and how else to teach or coach others than to practice the very fundamental basic concepts I am always talking about?

Blogging for me has been the motivator to get up at 6 am before my hour commute and start formulating a writing strategy for the day (aka finding time amidst clients, classes, and research). The very first writing I do is for the benefit of others. And that starts the day off on the right foot.

I can. You can. We can. I don't mean Obama's mantra, "YES WE CAN.". I mean you can do whatever it is you think you can't do. The true question becomes "should you"?

Below I have created a list of objectives to think about as you analyze your "to do" list and your list of "I can't..."

1) Why do you think you can't do it when it is obviously on your mind?
2) What can you learn or gain from the experience of trying?
3) What could this experience lead to?
4) Could this be the very act that leads you to your own personal paradigm shift?

Soon "I can" will evolve into "I am...".