Do What You Can’t!

Do What You Can’t!

By Allen Merritt © 2018

You can’t do that!

You won’t do it!

You aren’t able to!

Do these phrases remind you of anything? 

What is the first thing you think of when you read them? 

Do they bring back a memory? Do they bring up a sensitive subject? Are you reminded of a time when someone or a situation tried to put limits on you and your abilities, trying to squash your dreams or turn you away from trying to achieve? Or, are you the type who simply shrugs them off?

There are many ways to say it and no matter how it is conveyed the idea of being told “you can’t” brings everything to a stop.

I suppose it generally begins during childhood when we are reminded constantly by our parents that we “can’t”. We hear the word “no” so often it is probably the first word we learn.

For me, the first thing I remember as it relates to these statements dates back to an event during my childhood whereby I had the whole house to myself one afternoon. As the story goes, I was an imaginative and artistically inclined kid. On that particular afternoon I decided to perform a worldwide concert tour all over the house. I grabbed a wooden spoon from the kitchen drawer and headed off to some foreign land. The tour went from one end of the house to the other. I sang in the living room. I sang in the den. I sang on top of the toilet in the bathroom. And let’s not forget the bathtub, which had a built in curtain.

One place was England, another Australia. Then I was in New York City. I jumped up and down on my bed, wiggled and jiggled all around the house and wound up in the kitchen up on top of the counters. I was on stage. I was having such a great time being this mega superstar singer when my mother walked in from the den. She had returned home without my noticing and stood there watching (probably shaking her head left to right).  Long story short, she hit me with, “Son, you can’t carry a tune in a bucket.”

There it was!

The proverbial, “You can’t!”

Now, there often is a reason for this. Our parents are trying to teach and protect us. 

However, over time that negative tidbit dictates as often as not how we approach life and opportunities. I believe everyone needs an occasional reminder that we are stronger than we know.

I read a banner not long ago, “Do What You Can’t!” and found myself inspired to re-visit the subject. 

Parents are not the only ones telling us we can’t do something. Teachers, employers, friends, colleagues and industry professionals all are quick to point out inadequacies without thinking twice. Some even think it’s their duty.

While individually we are not always capable of being in the number one spot, many people are able to do more than given credit for. Some need guidance and motivation. But to come right out and say someone “can’t” without giving them a chance only stifles potentiality.

This is prevalent on competition shows. There’s only one winner, but tons of talent on display. If you listen to some of their stories, you can tell many were told they “couldn’t” for so long it became emotional for them to discover they made it this far.

My interpretation of this “you can’t” ideology focuses on the individual proving to themselves what they can and cannot do. Success is not merely defined by status, but participation. If you love to sing and cannot stop yourself from whistling, humming and singing songs, then you “CAN” do that.  There are many ways to engage and participate from mentoring to teaching to actual performance of the skill. There is more than one way to live out a dream and several ways to achieve what you love to do. There are tons of options these days. The key element here is discovering where we fit into the picture using our skill-sets.

There is a reason some advertisers promote possibilities and it isn’t just to sell a product. It’s to sell us on the idea that we have prospect and potential.

So in order to kick the “can’t” right out of your vocabulary, try playing kick the “can” instead. Tell everyone the “t” is silent and you are trying on a new statement. Give it a whirl!

Yes you can!

Now, to finish the story, after my mother told me I couldn’t sing, I made considerable effort to prove her wrong. I was determined. Oh, I sang. I sang in the high school musical, in community theater and made it an aspect of my performing career. While I may not be the best singer in the world, I “can” sing and it has served me well.

So the next time you hear it, think it or shy away because of the “you can’t do it,” take a moment to reconsider and try anyway.

You just might find out what you are made of and that you actually CAN do it.

Take this with you throughout the week as you explore living life on a positive note.

Cheers!