A New Perspective

I caught myself the other day in the middle of one of those moments.  You know the kind - when the “will” in your will-power becomes a “won’t” and the “can” in your can do becomes a “can’t possibly.”

Those kind of thoughts have no future and if the thinker gives into them, they’re in the same doomed vehicle.  Since this kind of vehicle only has a neutral and reverse, I hopped out as fast as possible.  I held myself accountable before bailing, though.

My brain had just informed me that I couldn’t do a certain thing.  It’s exact words were, “You can’t get this done.”  Something about that didn’t set right, so I immediately edited the thought.  I took out “can’t” and replaced it with “won’t” and then through an open-ended ”because” on the end.  Then I stood accountable before the new challenge:  “You won’t get this done because__________.”

So I asked myself to fill in the blank with a list of the things that were standing in my way. Reasons that I could not get this particular thing done. Turns out there were only a couple of obstacles.  Calling them out gave me a sense of power, and put me back in control.  I was able to see them for what they were - road blocks.  If I were going to move forward, the road blocks had to be removed.

The next time the vehicle of doom shows up at your doorstep, be ready for it. Outsmarting yourself can be very liberating.  For example, if you were to think, “I can’t lose weight!!!” (Weight-y quotes always scream.) - Turn the tables around and say, “I won’t lose weight because _________….”  

• ….I eat too much ice cream.
• ….The only exercise I get is walking into and out of Wal-Mart.
• ….I sit too much.
• ….My three meals a day has turned into six.

When you realize that it isn’t a matter of “can’t” but a matter of “won’t,” a little alarm goes off inside your head.  The new perspective acts as a wake-up call:  Most of the things we “can’t” get done are simply things we “won’t” get done.  

Until, that is, we’re ready to put the pedal to the metal and plow through the road blocks.  I’m game, how about you?