This is a saying that I’ve heard many times over the past couple of years. I have been spending a lot of time in intensive learning with many of my mentors, one of them being Tony Robbins. I have followed Tony since the late 90’s and his work really speaks to me. I’ve read all of his books, and have now taken pretty much every live and recorded course that he teaches.
He tells the story of being invited into a mastermind group in his mid to late 30’s called the Scorpions. The cost to be a part of one of their masterminds was $35,000 (which would be more than twice that in today’s dollars) plus the cost of fuel for the private plane for their 14 or so days together. This was back when he was making a fraction of what he is earning now, and going through some major financial challenges at the time.
On one side he knew that being in proximity with these other 12 business men could be hugely impactful on his career. Many of them were Billionaires and most of them had achieved the type of success that he was seeking. On the other side he continued to question the amount of time away from his already packed schedule as well as the total dollar figure to go on the trip required to be a part of the elite group that only had one spot open.
After thinking it through at a deeper emotional level and being called out by the member of the group who had invited him on the trip, he made the leap of faith and has never looked back when facing tough decisions moving forward. This is because he came up with a new montra when faced with the Scorpion’s decision – “If I can’t, I must.” Or as a wise man named Einstein said, “You can’t solve a problem with the same mind that created it.”
It really is a universal truth – usually the things we resist, don’t make time for, dislike, don’t budget funds for, don’t give energy to are the exact things that we need to be doing. We have made up some B.S. limiting story in our heads that we can’t do something. We then put it off and then there are 2, 3, 4, 5, more things that we also need to do, but we put them off too then it becomes a deep hole that requires a super human effort to dig ourselves out of.
Then our accountability drops and we don’t own our activity or outcomes for the day. I have to tell you that story needs to stop if you want to get ahead in life, reach your goals and live life on your terms.
What stories do you need to drop? What activities should you be doing on a daily basis? What conversations or emotions do you need to express to others?
Deep down in our hearts we know that we need to do these things, but then our 2 Million year old survival brains kick in and get in the way of our actions. As a society, we spend way too much time in our heads trying to analyze situations instead of going with what our hearts say.
I know this wisdom of “If I can’t I must” has helped me and my family make decisions that seemed challenging at the time, and even more challenging to execute on but have proven to be brilliant ones when looking back. I encourage you to continue to take daily action towards your hugely outrageous goals and when faced with an opportunity that you don’t think you can follow through on please be sure to question that limiting thought. Where is it coming from? Is it coming from a previous experience that has influenced your current perception? Is it coming from a place of scarcity and overwhelm? Is it coming from a place of lack of knowledge and understanding?
Make sure you fully think decisions through before shutting the door on opportunities, especially if it is a pattern for you to not follow through on great opportunities that don’t come along every day. Don’t let some of the HOW’s or mechanics keep that glass ceiling over your head when you should be blasting through that ceiling to achieve all you are capable of to have the life you want.
Our minds and hearts truly are already amazing. Make sure you are working them out and exercising them regularly with great filters. If I can’t I must is a great filter to use during those moments for leaders when deep down they know they need to step up and get things done!
What is your new MUST that you will break through this month or better yet this week that you have been saying “I can’t” to for way too long?
