Pujji like Gucci

If I had a dollar for every time someone told me “I can’t” this year, I’d have made a fortune. If that included “I don’t have time” or “Oh well, I guess that’s how it is”, then I’d be stinking rich.

I guess we all have to make decisions about what we can, can’t and won’t do, and of course those decisions define what we ‘do’. The interesting thing is -when- you decide.

Brand theory, for example, is based on the idea that consumers can decide to buy your stuff before they’re even in the market. Take your preferred taxi for example, most of us have decided long before we need one.

When I saw an interview recently with the writer of the movie ‘Yes man‘ who in his own life realised he was in a rut of saying ‘no’ to everything, I started to think about all this. And here’s the thing: if you’re a person who has (for whatever reason) become an “I can’t” person – and that’s your default – then you stand to miss a tonne of opportunities in life and work.

Here are some of the rubbish examples I’ve heard this year (believe me there are a hundred more – each with a brilliant story):

• I can’t now, I can’t later, I don’t have time, and I can’t tell you when I will.
• I can’t read up on that, I don’t have time, but I would have loved to.
• I can’t see a better way, and I don’t have the time or interest to find one.
• I can’t see him changing any time soon, no point trying, so I’m going to shut my mouth.
• I can’t really be bothered putting in the work, what I’ve got suits ‘me’ fine.
• Can you do it, I can’t, I didn’t stop to learn that earlier with the rest of you.

What’s sad is when you actually can, but you won’t, when you could if you really wanted to. What’s dangerous is when you ‘can’t’ without ever thinking about it, when you’ve given up before you begin. If you can’t do just about anything, how will you develop? How will you not slip back?

One of my new year’s resolutions (a bit soon I know) is to rethink my own can’ts. I’ve landed myself in all sorts of grief over the years for challenging the can’t-doers, for pushing them and offering alternatives, but I think the christmas break is a great time to assess where I myself am on the can’t scale in general. Will you?