THURSDAY MEDITATION
“I Can’t Do ___” is the Most Harmful Lie You Can Tell Yourself
I told myself this lie for 30+ years
“I can’t sing.”
“I can’t learn to program.”
“I can’t fix the car.”
“I can’t overcome my anger.”
Does any of this sound familiar?
Most people go through life believing they can’t do a variety of things.
Parents and Teachers Meant Well, But They Are Wrong
Well-meaning folks — usually teachers (and occasionally parents) — have convinced you that you’re not good in certain areas.
You believed them. Why wouldn’t you — they were older, more experienced, and likely to be right.
Well, guess what — they were dead wrong.
I had a series of debilitating beliefs.
- I couldn’t do mechanical work (like assembling furniture). (In my freshman year of college, I took an engineering class where I had to build a pump. I couldn’t do it for the love of my life. I switched my major from engineering to computer science.)
- I couldn’t do anything electrical.
- I am bad with computer hardware.
- At one point in graduate school in Computer Science, I believed I couldn’t write code(!)
This is just a sampling of self-destructive beliefs I have held.
Life is a Series of Self-Fulfilling Prophecies
“Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re right.” — Henry Ford
When you tell yourself that you can do something, your brain looks for ways to make it happen.
And vice versa.
Most people choose the negative belief for various reasons—the top reason being fear of failure.
Given that we have one life, why not make the most of it and push ourselves to go for it?
Any Sentence Beginning With “I Can’t” is a Big Fat Lie
Any sentence beginning with “I Can’t” is a big fat lie.
A convenient lie. A lie that helps you avoid discomfort.
You can do anything you put your mind to. “But I’m 5'1”, and I can’t play in the NBA,” you say? Check out this Wikipedia page that proves otherwise.
You can’t do some things, I concede.
You can certainly do something you like.
Replace “I Can’t” With “I Won’t”
You can do anything, but not everything. — David Allen
You can do anything, given the appropriate time and efforts. But you may not want to. And that is okay.
Say, “I won’t be a rocket scientist,” proudly. You can if you really want to, but you are better off doing something else closer to your potential.
Be Careful of the Stories You Tell Yourself
The power of the subconscious mind is remarkable.
It is important to be aware of the stories we tell ourselves. The negative stories compound over time. So do the positive stories.
Let us feed ourselves with uplifting thoughts and beliefs so that we can go ahead to do great things and have happy life.
We deserve it.
