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Abstract

s have an option to do something. You do not have to speak those negative words into existence. Or write them, for that matter!</p><p id="da97">Think about something you have said “I can’t” to at some time in your life. A recent example was when Jane, my wife (who is also a retired coach), and I decided to start our YouTube channels. Independently, we thought, “I can’t do that. I am too old now. We don’t have the equipment or skills” and a hundred other things popped into our heads. More on how we dealt with this in a few paragraphs.</p><p id="1631">To conquer the can’ts (and cannots) in life, you must become acutely aware of when you or someone else uses the words. In doing so, you will have come far in building a better life!</p><h2 id="4eba">Focusing on “can”</h2><blockquote id="46f4"><p>“Believe you <b>can</b> do it and you are halfway there” Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919)</p></blockquote><p id="f0d1">You radically change how you frame things when you get rid of the cannots and can’ts and redirect your thoughts to what you can do. By ridding yourself of the negative, you can refocus on something positive. Not a bad tradeoff, is it? All of us could use more positivity in our lives!</p><p id="36ff">Do not confuse what I am suggesting with positive thinking of the “name it and claim it,” “blab it and grab it” variety. The following words put this positivity in a better context for what we are discussing:</p><blockquote id="7cbe"><p>“Positive thinking doesn’t guarantee results, all it offers is something <b>better than negative thinking</b>.” Seth Godin (1960-present)</p></blockquote><p id="8a4c">Look back at our earlier example of thinking, “I can’t do that. I am too old now….” Because of understanding the secret of getting rid of the can’ts, we moved to what we “can” do. We immediately reframed our thoughts. We went from thinking, “I can’t do that. I am too old now…” to “What can I do?”</p><p id="085c">I am fortunate that a hobby of mine is photography. Today, every decent digital camera can do first-rate video recordings. My first thought was I can make a great video. Additional cans started to flow as we thought about using our cottage as a studio. We can have someone help with the editing. My wife and I can help so many people in their lives. Many other cans followed.</p><p id="fcda">The shift was effective, and Jane has published over a hundred videos on YouTube and continues publishing weekly. <b>We not only have a lot we can do, but we are well into doing it!</b></p><h2 id="ab21">Final thoughts</h2><p id="a9c6">Now you, too, have the hidden secret of “can”! Take charge of your thoughts and words. Pay attention whenever you hear the words cannot or can’t, and start your journey on a different path. Take the road less traveled, free of the obstacles of cannots and can’ts. Blaz

Options

e a new trail in your life filled with what you can and will do!</p><blockquote id="739e"><p>“If you can dream it, you <b>can</b> do it. Your limits are all within yourself.” Brian Tracy (1944-present)</p></blockquote><p id="617f"><a href="https://www.billabbate.com/">BillAbbate</a>| <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamabbate/">LinkedIn</a> |<a href="https://twitter.com/billabbate">Twitter</a>| <a href="https://billabbate.medium.com/">Medium</a>| <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/769584381059214">Facebook</a>| <a href="http://www.amazon.com/author/billabbate">AmazonAuthorPage</a> | <a href="https://original.newsbreak.com/@bill-abbate-562195?s=01">NewsBreak</a> | <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@BillAbbate">Truth</a></p><div id="11dc" class="link-block"> <a href="https://billabbate.medium.com/membership"> <div> <div> <h2>Join Medium with my referral link - Bill Abbate</h2> <div><h3>As a Medium member, a portion of your membership fee goes to writers you read, and you get full access to every story…</h3></div> <div><p>billabbate.medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/0*dqOihc4RJi4_kZcu)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><p id="d88c"><a href="https://readmedium.com/d5b8d684dcbc?source=post_page-----834577ca2b4a----------------------">Bill Abbate</a> Leadership Writer and Editor in <a href="https://medium.com/illumination">ILLUMINATION</a></p><p id="9ea5">Thank you for reading this article! If you enjoyed it, please check out the others below!</p><div id="0178" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/5-steps-to-gain-wisdom-47dcbcb89f2c"> <div> <div> <h2>5 Steps to Gain Wisdom</h2> <div><h3>The timelessness of wisdom</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*uBQrn4Qlq2MuyzIDVrEOuA.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="d371" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/whos-to-blame-3016e98a548a"> <div> <div> <h2>Who’s to Blame?</h2> <div><h3>Playing the blame game</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*febHeSj9gmRNgJaFHsLStQ.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div></article></body>

Inspiration

A Secret Hiding in Plain Sight

Ridding yourself of an unnecessary truth

Image by Fathromi Ramdlon from **Pixabay**

Let’s expose a secret so simple it hides in plain sight! Even though it has been around for centuries, most people still miss it.

Are you intrigued? Read on!

The secret

While I had heard the secret for years, I did not fully realize its power until I returned to school to become a professional coach. Don’t worry — I am not here to pitch coaching services to you. I retired a few years ago and intend to stay that way!

The great thing about this secret is that, regardless of age, when you understand it, your life will change forever.

The secret is in the following words written about a century ago.

“You have powers you never dreamed of. You can do things you never thought you could do.

There are no limitations in what you can do except the limitations of your own mind as to what you cannot do.

Don’t think you cannot. Think you can.” Darwin P. Kingsley (1857–1932)

The funny thing about this quote is that most versions are truncated. For some reason, people end it partway in the third sentence and leave out the fourth sentence altogether! Yet the addition of “as to what you cannot do. Don’t think you cannot. Think you can.” contains the secret! Do you see it?

That final sentence contains the simple secret missed by so many. Another person, a great American industrialist and business magnate, stated the secret plainly in the following:

“Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t — you’re right.” Henry Ford (1863–1947)

Do you see it now?

The secret lies in focusing on what you “can” do, not what you can’t!

Getting rid of an unnecessary truth

When you remove cannot and its contraction can’t from your vocabulary, you eliminate much negativity from your life. We all could use less of that!

Anytime you invoke the phrase “I can’t do that,” you speak an unnecessary truth. It is unnecessary because you always have an option to do something. You do not have to speak those negative words into existence. Or write them, for that matter!

Think about something you have said “I can’t” to at some time in your life. A recent example was when Jane, my wife (who is also a retired coach), and I decided to start our YouTube channels. Independently, we thought, “I can’t do that. I am too old now. We don’t have the equipment or skills” and a hundred other things popped into our heads. More on how we dealt with this in a few paragraphs.

To conquer the can’ts (and cannots) in life, you must become acutely aware of when you or someone else uses the words. In doing so, you will have come far in building a better life!

Focusing on “can”

“Believe you can do it and you are halfway there” Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919)

You radically change how you frame things when you get rid of the cannots and can’ts and redirect your thoughts to what you can do. By ridding yourself of the negative, you can refocus on something positive. Not a bad tradeoff, is it? All of us could use more positivity in our lives!

Do not confuse what I am suggesting with positive thinking of the “name it and claim it,” “blab it and grab it” variety. The following words put this positivity in a better context for what we are discussing:

“Positive thinking doesn’t guarantee results, all it offers is something better than negative thinking.” Seth Godin (1960-present)

Look back at our earlier example of thinking, “I can’t do that. I am too old now….” Because of understanding the secret of getting rid of the can’ts, we moved to what we “can” do. We immediately reframed our thoughts. We went from thinking, “I can’t do that. I am too old now…” to “What can I do?”

I am fortunate that a hobby of mine is photography. Today, every decent digital camera can do first-rate video recordings. My first thought was I can make a great video. Additional cans started to flow as we thought about using our cottage as a studio. We can have someone help with the editing. My wife and I can help so many people in their lives. Many other cans followed.

The shift was effective, and Jane has published over a hundred videos on YouTube and continues publishing weekly. We not only have a lot we can do, but we are well into doing it!

Final thoughts

Now you, too, have the hidden secret of “can”! Take charge of your thoughts and words. Pay attention whenever you hear the words cannot or can’t, and start your journey on a different path. Take the road less traveled, free of the obstacles of cannots and can’ts. Blaze a new trail in your life filled with what you can and will do!

“If you can dream it, you can do it. Your limits are all within yourself.” Brian Tracy (1944-present)

Join Medium with my referral link - Bill Abbate

As a Medium member, a portion of your membership fee goes to writers you read, and you get full access to every story…

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Bill Abbate Leadership Writer and Editor in ILLUMINATION

Thank you for reading this article! If you enjoyed it, please check out the others below!