Can and Can't

There is no power in thinking you can.

If you can believe it, you can achieve it---utter bullshit.

I think I can, I think I can---NO---you can’t, not just because you thought you could.

(Famous pedophiles voice)---♫♫♫---I believe I can fly---♫♫---I believe I can touch the sky---♫♫♫---I think about it every night and day---♪♪---Spread my wings and fly away---♪♪♪---(fadeout pee-king’s voice). We don’t have wings, and no amount of belief will help you grow wings. It’s a metaphor, true, but enough with dreaming without fulfilling reality. Believing you can is not enough.

There is REAL POWER in thinking you can’t. The instant you think you can’t you are done. The second that thought of what you can’t do enters your psyche your mind limits its capacity to surmise options and find ways to overcome obstacles. The power of I can’t is overwhelming.

+U.S. Navy instruction requires service members to complete a bi-annual physical fitness assessment (PFA). Successfully completing the PFA is not an issue for me, especially this PFA (so I thought), considering I’ve been exercising regularly over the last year---running, walking, sprinting, elliptical machine (10 resistance), treadmill (zero incline), and strength training (weightlifting and core exercises). The PFA requires service members to complete push-ups, sit-ups, and run 1.5 miles. PFA grades are based on age groups, e.g. 30-34 is a group. There are options for the run event, the service member can complete the event outside, or in a gym facility using the treadmill, *bike, or *elliptical. I prefer outside and I trained outside to achieve a goal time I set for myself. Circumstances beyond my control prevented me from completing the run outside. It doesn’t matter why, things happen, plans are altered---that’s life.

Problem: I hadn’t trained for the treadmill. Problem 2: the treadmill requires the run be completed on incline level 1. Shame on me---a military man---for not being prepared---knowing is half the battle---some Joe I am---fail.

“Hey shipmate, this thing’s on 1 incline. That’s not right.” As the Command Fitness Leader explained the requirements, touch the sides-fail, hop off-fail, touch the handle bars-fail, level 1 incline is correct and if you lower it-fail. “I can’t” slowly crept into my thoughts and I was done. Never mind that I’m in great shape. Never mind that I average 3 miles per cardio session. Never mind that I trained for the outside event, which the incline is supposed to emulate. I mentally checked out before I started because I thought I couldn’t. I finished faster than the minimum required for my age, but I could’ve done better and maybe met my goal, which I did not---fail. End result, I labored through the run instead of powering through.

Now apply that to our lives. Instead of powering through, some default to I can’t. We must stop selling ourselves short; we must stop laboring through. 

No amount of positive thinking would have helped me through the 1.5 miles at incline level 1, I was prepared because I exercise regularly, but I sold myself short by thinking I couldn’t.  

Remove can’t from your vocabulary, and understand that blindly believing in the power of positive thinking is barren.

Do think “I can,” in doing so you remain open to infinite possibilities. Thinking I can gives you limitless potential to accomplish. Thinking I can unleashes your mind to be creative and seek solutions. Couple hard work, planning, and dedication with an I can attitude and you will remain capable of accomplishing anything within the realm of reality. You won’t always be successful, but, by thinking “I can”, planning, putting forth your best effort, and committing yourself you will be amazed to see what you do achieve and what other opportunities are presented along the way.

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* Individuals using the bike or elliptical options are to burn the maximum amount of calories possible in 12 minutes. The calories are then converted into an equivalent run time based on the individuals’ weight.