3 words that are holding you back
By: John Cunningham
Tags: Awareness, Self Improvement, Limiting Beliefs, Personal Growth, Positive Thinking

Avoid these bad words

Photo by Jamie Street on Unsplash

Language choices which create a defeatist view of your situation before you even start are damaging; not just to your ability to succeed, but also to your belief system and motivation. This is especially true when times get tough. As a result, be cautious of the language you use in self-talk. Once you choose words that limit your potential, it’s a slippery slope, often ending in unrealized accomplishments and failed dreams. When you remove these three confining words, which are holding you back, from your vocabulary you will discover creative solutions for your problems and open the doors of opportunity to worlds beyond your consciousness.

3 Bad Words

But

But automatically discredits an idea. It indicates something is not true or possible for you. Using but limits your ability and fuels the belief that you are not good enough. Switching from but to and will enhance your creativity in finding solutions. For example if instead of saying, “I would like to play the piano, but I have no musical ability” you were to state, “I would like to play the piano and if I give myself enough time, I will be able to play a few songs I like.” The impact this change will bring to your practice routine and playing of the piano is astounding.

Later

When you say, “later” you assume the opportunity will be there when you take the time to consider it, if you ever do. There are so many factors that need to align for anything to come to fruition that later pushes all those forces away from you. Once momentum is halted, it is difficult to regenerate its energy. Later comes right before tomorrow, which is followed by never. If you need to put something off, fix a time to take action. At least then, you are moving the opportunity into your sites.

Later is the killer of opportunities. When you act on later you are filling a future time with an action that should take place now. As a result, the time in the future is not available. That is a big opportunity cost for procrastination. You will never know what would have been possible because you will be too busy taking care of things tomorrow which you should have done today.

Can’t

Can’t is the killer of all innovation. It speaks to your own perception with little thought of the limitless possibilities just beyond your scope of knowledge. When you catch yourself saying, “it can’t be done”, change your mindset to “How can it be done?” Only by accepting that a solution is possible will you be able to take the steps to achieve it. Thomas Edison said on failing to produce the lightbulb after thousands of tries, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Keep looking for solutions.

Limiting Beliefs

You deny yourself opportunity when you choose to use but, later and can’t. They perpetuate untrue beliefs about yourself, others and the world around you. Limiting language creates constricted thoughts. These bad words surrender control of your situation and opportunities to what others are willing to provide for you.

Thoughts are things, beliefs make them so, and actions solidify the beliefs. JB Glossinger

To understand this idea more clearly, let us examine how results are generated: Results are generated by actions. The quality of your actions is determined by your mindset, which comes from your beliefs. Beliefs are formed by your thoughts, and usually, thoughts are generated by words. Therefore changing the words you use to describe your thoughts will directly impact the results you will achieve.

Missed Opportunities

When you see an opportunity, grab it. Don’t worry if the timing is not right or you’re not ready for it. The perfect time for you to take action is now. That is why you are seeing the steps in front of you. The same thing applies in your daily life. While in motion, keep moving. Get something else done and knock another item off the to-do list. This frees you up for the unexpected. Opportunity favors the bold, so take a chance now. Don’t wait for later. This chance may never come around again.

Change your words, change your thoughts

These four techniques will help you to move in a more positive direction and reduce the impact of limiting beliefs on your life.

Where focus goes energy flows T. Robbins

Reframe — Change the words you use to describe the thoughts. Practice changing your statements from negative to positive. You can start by using and instead of but, replacing can’t with how can and later with now. Then take decisive action on those thoughts until they become ingrained habits you do with little thought.

Take action — Don’t look for excuses for not doing something which could be a turning point in your life. Take action today. Excuses and reasons are forms of procrastination, holding you back from your real potential. You will never know what you are capable of until you try and fail and try again.

Reflect — What is creating your roadblocks? How can you take your skills, abilities and goals to a higher level? Set some time aside to be alone. Reflect on and analyze where you have been, then consider what you need to do to take the next steps towards where you are going.

Positive affirmation — Use positive affirmations to focus on achievement and strength, not weaknesses and problems. Say I can…, I will…, and I am… to increase your confidence and build a belief that you are capable of achieving whatever you set your mind to. As Brian Tracy, motivational speaker and author of more than 80 books, says, “What you think about you bring about.” Create your own short and vivid affirmations to steer you through troubling times.

Avoiding negative self-talk and switching to positive inner-dialogues will help you to remove doubt from your life and welcome possibilities of achievement. We are too often focused on problems, and these limiting words encourage that. Beyond but, later and can’t create your own list of limiting words and find suitable replacements that expand your possibilities to create positive outcomes. Those will open your mind to solutions and discovery of endless possibilities. It all starts with the way you perceive yourself and your situation. Take what you have and do your best with it.