One day, I told a mentor of mine, “I will try to get that done.” He asked me to sit down in a chair and then get back up. “Did you try, or did you just get up?” he asked. I replied, “I just got up.” He told me he didn’t want to hear the word “try” anymore. I never said try again, and I strive to just get things done.
When you say you will try, you are leaving an open door for an excuse. We must take ownership. I challenge you to change your try into I CAN!
Here are three steps to change into an I CAN mindset:
- Develop a Growth Mindset
- Make the Choice
- Be Relentless
1) Develop a Growth Mindset
Having a growth mindset means that intelligence can be cultivated. A growth mindset sees opportunities instead of problems, learns instead of fails, and adapts to reach a goal or solve a problem. This is where a person turns off the phrase, “I will try.” A leader with a growth mindset embraces new paradigms, new disciplines, and new challenges. With a mindset focused on growth, we can pursue excellence and leave mediocrity behind. Want to change your results? Then change your thinking. Change your thinking, and you will change your belief system. Change your belief system, and you will change your behavior. If you believe that you CAN accomplish something, then everyone around you will be empowered to take another step.
2) Make the Choice
Whatever we have chosen up to this point, today we have the power to chart any course we wish. Our personality and experiences have informed our behaviors, but they are not determinative. The understanding that we have the freedom of choice is a foundational factor in becoming an I CAN person. Life is about the choices we make. My mentor’s life story includes walking many miles by himself as a young boy to get away from his toxic family to find a better life. He did not try. He just got it done. He went all-in on pursuing something bigger than himself!
3) Be Relentless
Being relentless is having an unwavering, unyielding mindset that will not allow us to stop striving to be the very best version of ourselves. If we want to switch from trying to I CAN, we must have the courage to develop intentional and consistent focus. Everything we do must be targeted at our ultimate goal, because whatever we focus on is what we will become. A relentless person is always pursuing their most impactful goals no matter what. This person is committed, and they don’t let distractions knock them off course. When we develop consistency in our relentless pursuit of excellence, everyone around us will gain courage and inspiration.
What resonates with you in this transformational journey from trying to having a mindset of getting it done?
Be awesome in your daily life and continue to focus on getting things done and applying these tools to take another step!
Always enjoying hearing about people’s success stories. Keep them coming!
