Can't Never Could: A Mindset Hack for Unlocking Your Potential

Have you ever heard the saying. “Can’t never could”? It turns out there’s more wisdom in that little nugget than you might realize.

How often do find yourself thinking or saying, “I can’t”? 

Maybe it’s that you can’t do a skill or go some place or have a certain experience for whatever reason.

I’m sure your mind has a reason or two, but have you ever stopped to question, though, just how accurate that statement might be?

I used to think “I can’t run a clinic.” Now I have a successful private practice.

“There’s no way I could fun five miles. I can’t do it.” I’ve done six (so far). 

“I can’t build a website.” I’ve built three.

The Problem with Can't

Those directives about what we can’t do come from a number of places – the internalized voices of others, disbelief about our capabilities, lack of trust in our capacity to grow and learn, lack of example or lack of knowledge that it’s even theoretically possible – but they have the same effect: our brains shut down and don’t even try.

Let me say that again. When we say “I can’t _____,” our brains hear “Oh, that’s not possible. Don’t bother trying to question, problem-solve, or figure out a way to make it happen. It’s not possible. It’s a waste of time.” 

Because our brains are designed to be efficient, they don’t like to waste time (or, more accurately, energy), so they stop even trying. The result? You can’t, in fact, do it.

That result, though, is not necessarily inevitable. What if that can’t isn’t a fact? What if, like my examples, it could be changed into a can?

Changing Can'ts Into Cans

To help make that happen, try this little tweak. Instead of saying “I can’t” say “How can I.” 

“I can’t ask for what I want” becomes “How can I ask for what I want?”

“I can’t eat healthy” becomes “How can I eat healthy?”

All of sudden, you’ve thrown a problem at that beautiful brain of yours, and it loves to solve problems.

Instead of shutting down game over, the wheels will start spinning, and you may just find a solution that opens up a whole new avenue for you.

Give it shot!