Stop 'trying' and start 'doing' in 2 simple steps!

Words of wisdom?

I like quotes. Small pithy statements that we can turn to when in need of a moment of wisdom. And, fortunately for us, there are lots of wise people to choose from, with enlightened thinking ranging from Aristotle to Stephen Covey to Eleanor Roosevelt, to name but a few.?

What’s my personal favourite though? Well, without a moment's hesitation, that would have to be Yoda! (or more correctly screen writers Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan) who said:

?"Do or do not there is no try".

And in fact my husband and I had a somewhat animated discussion (feel free to insert the word ‘heated’!) around what, I asserted, was one of the most useless word in the entire English language. A word which, quite frankly, is the road to nowhere, the highway to habitual dithering and the pathway to procrastination!! Because what (if you actually examine it) does the word ‘try’ mean??

Well the Oxford English Dictionary suggests it means to ’make an attempt or effort to do something’. (Already I’m feeling exhausted!).

And we all know how that’s going to end don’t we! But for those unsure, let me just take a moment to remind you….. “I’m going to ‘TRY’?and …….get up earlier….. take a lunch break ….be more patient… lose weight …be more organised ….get on better with my in-laws…think before I speak… get fit….meet my deadlines….make it to the party….see you next week….win the race…..stand up to Tom when he talks over me in the next meeting!” and the list goes on and on!

Just Do it!

So here’s a suggestion - remove the word ‘try’ and two things will happen - firstly your commitment is raised because you have made a positive statement, and secondly, your end goal and objective is clear. In fact to take it one step further, take out the words?'I’m going to’ and replace quite simply with ‘I will’!?

Read that previous list back and you will see exactly what I mean. How empowered and motivated do you feel now?!! And that’s because now it’s about what you are actually going to ‘do’ not what you are going to ‘try’ to do.

So guess what - you ‘will’ lose weight’, you ‘will’ be more organised, you 'will' stand up to Tom when he talks over you in the next meeting!’. Ok Ok!! if it were that easy you would never have needed to use the word ’try’ in the first place!

Two simple tips - one big difference

?So what’s the top tip here?

1. Remove the word ‘try’
2. Ask yourself, so ‘how’ am I going to do that?

?And hey presto you will be met with either a ton of ideas, a ton of questions or a ton of worries as you realise that maybe that thing you want to do is actually quite tricky. Either way, you can start to develop the steps and actions needed to do that ‘thing’ or at the very least begin to mitigate the obstacles getting in the way.

What you will also realise is that the word ‘try', whilst it can be energising and motivating as you consider something challenging you wish to achieve or overcome, can also be a technique of deception, both for yourself and others.

?’Try’ so often means either, I am avoiding you or it, or, actually there’s no chance in hell I am ever going to achieve this - I’m kidding myself!! Removing the word ‘try’ forces you to address what’s really going on and what is really getting in the way, which then allows you to commit to the tricky path that may lay ahead, involve others to help you or quite frankly decide you’re never going to do it, lose the guilt trip and determine to be happy with that decision!

So this week - check yourself, be mindful of the words you use and the messages you are really sending yourself.

Go on, give it a ‘try’ or even better still? DO IT!