While Japan recently experienced one of the most devastating earthquakes in history, and the Mayans prophesize armegeddon in 2012, the most obvious sign that the end draws nigh for humanity is that amongst his recent drug-riddled psychotic rants, Charlie Sheen actually make some sense.
While I'm particularly impressed with how Sheen brought the term "winning" rightfully to the forefront of our lexicon, I keep going back to one of his many other catchphrases from the 20/20 interview. "Can't is the cancer of happen," Sheen said, and while probably pulled from something he heard a counselor say in one of his many rehab stints, I can't help but fall in love with the phrase.
I hear the words "can't" and "couldn't" a lot in talking with people about my weight loss accomplishments and marathoning. And frankly, I often find myself wanting to slap the person saying it. When someone tells me, "I can't lose weight because..." or "I couldn't run a marathon because..." all I hear is excuses. And I recognize the excuses because I've used every one of them in the book. The word "can't" really did become my cancer for many years, and once I woke up and realized that the word--and the accompanying attitude--were poisoning me, I was finally able to make change happen.
When you use the word "can't" you limit yourself. You are not opening up yourself to possibility or to the chance that what you can't do, you can really do. I urge all of my readers to really think about the way you use the word "can't" in your daily conversations, and stop telling yourself--and others--what you think you can't do. You "can" do anything that you believe you can.
Helpful hint: Replace the word "can't" with "tiger blood" whenever necessary.
2 comments:
I have to respectfully disagree with your quoting a drug addled, narcissistic, megalomaniac, with delusions of grandeur. Can’t is an important word. It is gives us a reality check. It stops us from unrealistic expectations of ourselves and others. It allows us to narrow our goals and our focus. Unlike Mr. Sheen, we are all born with limits. Not all of us are athletic enough for professional sports, not everyone can be an astronaut. It is not always a matter of drive and attitude; sometimes we must face our physical and mental limitations. Can’t, used properly, helps us remain grounded in our realities. Using can’t as a broad declarative challenges us to redirect our goals to the achievable; goals with reasonable expectations of success. I can’t run a marathon, but maybe I can walk around the block everyday for a month. I can’t lose 100 pounds, but maybe I can make healthier food choices. We all know the things in life we should do; whether that is losing weight, being healthier, or just being a better person. However, this nebulous, seemingly unachievable goal, this “can do” spirit, can set us up for failure. I can break through this brick wall may lead us into an endless cycle of crashing and smashing that never works, I can’t break through this wall, but I can loosen the mortar from this brick, I can flake away this bit of concrete, until one day the wall is gone and you just walk through. Can’t gives us the freedom to redirect our energy where it has the greatest hope of success. Can’t allows us to realize our limitation and the reality of our lives.
Jason
Excellent points, Jason. I certainly agree that there are limits to what a person can realistically achieve in life. I can't, for instance, ever grow wings and learn to fly like a bird. There is a distinct difference in the level of sanity between someone who, beyond reason, believes in something that can never be and someone who allows themself the freedom to hope and dream. I truly believe in the power of positive thinking, and what I'm saying here is that I think sometimes people limit themselves simply through the act of being pessimistic. And those people could greatly benefit from believing in possibility, rather than assuming that they cannot do something just because it seems out of reach.
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