Unlock Your Potential: Two Simple Tricks to Transform Your Future

Have you ever wondered why some people seem to thrive in challenging situations while others struggle?

We might think the people who succeed are smarter, luckier, or have more help, while those who experience difficulty don’t have the same advantages. But what about the people who clearly do not have the advantages, but who succeed anyway? What are they doing that many people don’t know about?

How to Overcome Self-Doubt When Job Hunting

People who succeed against the odds know two keys to success. When you learn them too, nothing will stop you from reaching your goals. The first key is taking a phrase out of your vocabulary. If you never say it again, your life will improve dramatically! The second key is a three-letter word which you can use to help you in any challenging situation.

These two keys are simple, but they are so powerful you can’t succeed without them. The more you use them, the more you will overcome your limitations and transform your life.

The reason these two simple strategies work so well is they create new thought habits. They stop you from looking at all the things that could go wrong and help you to see everything that could work out for you.

Whether you think you can, or

you think you can't--you're right.

Henry Ford

Let's start with the first key: eliminating I can’t from your vocabulary.

It’s a phrase that is so common we use it without thinking about it. But often it’s not what we mean. We say, “I can't” when we are afraid of failing, when we doubt ourselves, or when we want to avoid uncomfortable situations, or don’t want to explain our reason for saying ‘no’. It’s natural to have these feelings, but they keep us in our comfort zone and don’t allow us to break through our limiting beliefs.

New things don’t happen in the comfort zone, and saying, “I can’t” sends the message that we are helpless. This is not a message we need to hear, especially from ourselves! In most situations, we are can.

It’s rare that someone is truly unable to do something. Usually, we don’t know how to, or don’t believe we can, do something. So, here are some more truthful and empowering alternatives to I can’t.

When you don’t believe you can:                   “I don’t know where to start.”

When you don’t know how to:                       “I need to learn how to do that.”

When you have another commitment:           “Thanks, but I have another commitment.”

When you don’t want to:                                “That doesn’t fit into my schedule at this time.”

Being more truthful can sometimes be challenging when you are dealing with other people, but you don’t have to explain. If you know people who might ask questions, you can simply say, “It doesn’t work for me.”

The yet mindset

Now that we've addressed what not to say, let's look at a powerful word you can add to your vocabulary: Yet.

This little word helps control the negative voice in your head and can change how you feel. Pay attention as you read these statements.

I don’t know how to do that.

I don’t know how to do that yet.

I’m not strong enough.

I’m not strong enough yet.

I don’t have enough money.

I don’t have enough money yet.

The word yet is magical. The magic happens by shifting your focus from the present circumstance to a future one. Let’s say you don’t have a job. You could say, “I don’t have a job,” and it would be true. But focusing on the currently reality, doesn’t change the current reality.

If you say, “I don’t have a job yet,” it’s equally true, and it shifts your thinking to a future when you do have a job. It also raises questions like, “What should I be doing differently,” or “Who might be able to help me.” Next you might think about what step you could take to begin to answer these questions. Once you have an action plan, you have accepted that a future (different from your present) is possible.

Adding yet to your negative self-talk, changes your attitude from not possible to possible. When you believe something is not possible, you don’t look for the ways it might be possible. But if you believe it could be possible, you start asking questions about how it could be possible.

Now let’s talk about beliefs. Understanding how beliefs work can help us form new ones.

Believing is Seeing

The common expression is “Seeing is believing,” but neuroscience now tells us this is wrong. In reality, believing is seeing. How can this be so?

In simple terms, the brain organizes information and experiences into patterns. It’s how we make sense of the world. These patterns become the foundation of our beliefs (often in the subconscious) influencing thoughts, emotions, and actions. Beliefs are also shaped by external influences like culture, family, and media.

There is no way we can consciously process all the information we are exposed to, so a part of the brain called the Reticular Activating System (RAS) acts as a filter. One of the things the RAS does is send us information that confirms what we believe. Basically, when you think about something, the brain allows you to notice more related information by filtering out unrelated information.

For example, if you are in a difficult situation, you might spend a lot of time thinking about it and feeling stressed about it. Your RAS will allow in the information that confirms the difficulty of your situation. But soon as you doubt, your RAS can begin to send you some new information. Adding yet to negative statements, is a science-backed technique to change negative thinking patterns by directly influencing your brain’s filtering system. Asking questions is another way to give your RAS something else to do.

Instead of saying something like, “I can’t find a job,” you can say, “I haven’t found a job yet.” You could also ask a question like, “What do I need to learn to find a great job?”

Instead of assuming the problem will always exist, begin to ask how the future could be different, and your Reticular Activating System will begin to send you new information.

You can shift your life by shifting your beliefs. By eliminating the phrase 'I can’t' and using the magic of 'yet,' you build a new success habit by allow yourself to see possibilities instead of limitations. Start implementing these simple personal development strategies today and watch as your mindset grows, showing you new opportunities for success.

For more information on Growth Mindset you can watch Carol Dweck’s TED talk, read her book called Mindset: the new psychology of success, or watch an interview like this one.

Interested in learning more about mindset? Check out this blog post.