If I made a list of all the people I’ve known who say I “can’t” on a regular basis, it would be a long, dreary list indeed.
Why can’t you? Or is it more like I don’t want to?
Maybe it’s I’m afraid to or I’m afraid someone will judge me. Or I’m afraid I can’t, so I’m not going to try.
An old friend liked to say “I can’t” a lot, especially when it came to drawing. “Oh, I can only draw stick figures,” she’d say. Then she’d demonstrate with a few quick lines and a circle for a head. “See?” she’d say and look up, as if for approval.
I’ve known other people who say exactly the same thing about drawing. Lots more who roll their eyes and wave a dismissive hand as they proclaim, Oh, I can’t do that about all sorts of stuff.
Why can’t you?
I sketched the landscape above in just a few minutes on Pencil Madness.
Here’s another one I did earlier.
I’m not “an artist” in any particular sense, and I’m not hugely talented. But sure, I can draw. When I take my time I can create some pretty cool stuff. Why not?
I’m able to draw more than stick figures because I know I can. So it’s not a Rembrandt or a da Vinci. So? I can.
I can do anything. I’ve never studied trigonometry or calculus, but I can do it. I’ve never even tried but I know I can. Why not? I was fine with algebra in middle school. Why not trig now, years later? Give me a book or a teacher and watch me figure it out.
No, I’m not a genius or anything of the sort. I just can.
What about you? Can you? Or can’t you?
Do you tell yourself I can’t? Do you tell the world I can’t?
Do you believe it?
Try believing something different: I can.
Say it: I can. Yes, I can.
Now go do something amazing because I know you can.
What can you do? Let’s talk about it in the comments!