Growing up my favorite expression was “I Can’t”. So I am told anyway. I do recall my father trying to explain to me that I should probably at least try before saying those words and my mother rolling her eyes as I paced up and down a room having a lack of confidence moment. Two particular instances spring to mind. The first was my ‘A’ levels. I won’t pass, I can’t pass was my mantra. I still have nightmares about “A” levels levels let me tell you! Actually, the results were very mixed but I scraped a place at college anyway because despite thinking I couldn’t – I did. One of my parents told me to do something like writing to all Universities asking to be accepted since my UCCA choices all rejected me based on those results. I did. I sat and I wrote to about 20 Geology programs across the country and was accepted at three! I chose Aston University. It was the farthest away I could get from Hull. The second instance was passing my driving test. I had been accepted into a PhD program at Strathclyde University (in conjunction with the British Geological Survey) but in order to do the fieldwork in Nova Scotia, I needed that license. It took me two attempts but I passed with a week to spare and I made it to Sydney Nova Scotia.
I can’t.
Two very small words but so negative.
I realize that I have changed a lot in the last 30-years especially when I hear myself say I can. You see, I realize that I very rarely say I can’t anymore. Those words take away your power. I can’t takes away your magic. By admitting defeat like that you are programming yourself to be a failure. You are really. You are telling yourself with conviction that you will fail when you say I can’t. Think how many times you say those two words. Has it become your mantra? I can’t, I can’t and trust me – YOU WON’T!
Perhaps it having kids myself, perhaps it is a function of being older and hopefully wiser or maybe it is because I read, study and try to make magic, but I try never to utter these two words. Instead, I believe I can and I will. In fact, I believe it so much it already is. This is how I have achieved everything that I have achieved. It’s how I built my own business, sold it and created a new business all over again. It’s how I moved to become CEO of a 2 billion Euro turnover power trader in Prague – because I knew I could do it. It’s how I gave up that job and joined with my friend and colleague Patrick to start a new business that is now thriving. It is how I write books, publish poetry, blog, create websites, give presentations 20 times a year, interview on the radio. It is why I thrive in almost everything that I do. Because I CAN.
Think how important that ‘apostrophe t’ is at the end of I can. Instead of victory we create defeat. In a word.
Words have power. We create with our words and imagination. In the beginning was the word and I am pretty sure it’s first words were not I Can’t.
