Monday, February 16, 2009

Can't.

It's a simple word. Can't. A contraction of can and not. Cannot.

How negative is this word? How many times do we use it every day? It's probably one of the most overused words in our lives. Can't.

I can't relax.
I can't manage my time.
I can't get organized.
I can't do what I love because (insert excuse here).
I can't get together for drinks.
I can't
I can't
I can't.

For me, it's particularly destructive - I can't lose weight. Really? Because I can. I have the ability - even if my mind seems resistant. I can't draw. Well, I've never really tried. My preliminary efforts seem to be...horrible, but I've never had instruction. I've never practiced. I've never taken an interest because it seemed a talent I lacked.

But what is talent? I sucked at curling when I started. Bad form, bad calls, bad shots. But I practiced. I worked at it and became better. I put effort into it.

For a long time, I've believed that a natural talent means you'll be good at something. Sure, it helps - look at programming. I've always had a mind for it and often have caught myself thinking in if-then-else statements. But in reality, it bores me. It holds no interest, no challenge.

Yet daily, I fill my head with the word "Can't." IN reality, there are things that are physically impossible for me - I can't fly. I can't lick my elbow (why would I want to? I dunno).

But everything else should just be a possibility. Something to be learned and practiced if interesting, not dismissed out of hand because I don't have natural talent.

Can't. We need to stop saying that word.

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