“I can’t do that.”
How many times have you heard or said that sentence? If you’ve heard (or said) it once, that’s one too many.
We all have limitations. We’re mortal, and there are some things that are truly unattainable. Example: flying by just flapping your arms. That really can’t happen. There is not a single person--past, present, or future--who is capable of that.
But we sometimes look at simple challenges as impossibilities. The fact that we don’t currently possess the ability to do something, or it will take us out of our comfort zone, doesn’t mean that we can’t.
I wasn’t born with many natural talents. For a long time, I was convinced that I wasn’t exceptionally talented at anything, and I just accepted it. Being great just wasn’t my thing. I left it to the “talented” people. Then when I was about eight years old, I discovered my gift for writing, especially writing poetry. I had a gift! I had a talent after all! I knew immediately that I was good at it, and that became my focus. I wanted to be the best writer I could, and I knew that if I worked hard enough, I could one day be the best ever. Now, eight years later, I have greatly expanded and improved my ability in that regard. The problem with that is that I had never really tried--or stuck to--anything else.
My sister was born a performer. Drama, music, dancing, you name it. She has a wonderful ear for remembering and writing music. For years I would write song lyrics and then pass them on to her without even attempting to write a melody, because I thought that since it didn’t come naturally, I “couldn’t” do it.
Then I decided that I didn’t need to depend on her to finish my songs. I sat down at the little electric piano in my room and wrote a melody to my latest song by myself. It was hard and took a lot longer than it would have for my sister, but I learned something that day: I really could do it! My limitations were created only by my mind. Finding that I was capable freed me in a way. All of a sudden, I could add guitar chords and harmonies and I even arranged a song and added a violin part (I don’t play violin). Who knew? It took me sixteen years to learn that I could do anything, as long as I put in the effort (anything except flying with arms, of course).
Moral of the story: when you think you can’t, the reality is that you won’t. It’s your mind that puts obstacles in your way, and you have control over that. You have the power to choose to ignore the doubts and excuses. Rise above your self-made limitations, and you will soar.
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