The cans and the cannots (Day 56…)

I hate hearing the word can’t.

I’ve heard it all my life — people telling me what can and can’t be done.

In my current role I demand push ups when people say they can’t do something — a stance I feel should be mandatory in all school systems and households.

The thing I hate most about “can’t” is that we believe it.

I watch children as young as 8 tell me they can’t lift things, reach things, do difficult or challenging things and the thought which occurs to me all too regularly is how defeated they sound. What business does an 8 year old have feeling defeated?

The I can’t attitude is like a virus. In it’s wake it leaves the most destructive sentiment I’ve ever encountered: learned helplessness.

Learned helplessness leans on I can’t, it even turns into you can’t…

You can’t do that you aren’t strong enough, here let me help you.

You can’t do anything about that, it’s bigger than you.

You can’t do that, it’s never been done before.

These sentiments and ideas go against everything I believe in. We talk so often about empowerment but when was the last conversation you had where you left feeling empowered. When did we switch off and hide so safely behind the cop out of: I can’t.

It is a cop out too, reserved for people who want the world to serve them instead of finding innovative ways to serve themselves. The 50 pound 8 year old has to get pretty creative to lift the 36 pound saddle…

I’ve been hearing a lot of I can’ts and you can’ts from people in my life of late. People old enough, smart enough and wise enough to know better.

Let this be a reminder, nothing absolutely nothing has ever been accomplished on the tail end of I can’t. Nothing has ever changed by not trying. A defeatist attitude has gotten the defeated exactly nowhere.

Open your mind, get stronger, push harder, get louder, learn and above all, keep going.

I dare the next person to tell me: you can’t.

Watch me.