Imagine if water looked at rocks, and said to itself: There’s no way I’m going to be able to carve through that rock. It’s rock, and I’m only water. It’s hard and dense. It breaks things. If water continued to argue its’ limitations, it might say, I’m weak, I’m formless, I give way too easily, and if it had, then sadly, we’d never have the Grand Canyon, or any other rugged coastline.
When it comes to pursuing goals, all of us excel at defining the reasons why we can’t do something. We make impassioned pleas for our inabilities. At parties, in meetings, we attempt to hide it in jest or deliver it with the seriousness of a funeral, but we know the boundaries exist as soon as we echo the statement, “Oh, I could never do that because…” And right then, we lay out an invisible line.
I know because whenever I whisper of the line, folks indicate they do not have the tools or the time or energy to cross it. How they don’t feel supported enough to cross the line. How they could never ever cross this line as it’s never been done before. We all have those days when think we are not strong enough, rich enough, wise enough, or have enough time to pursue the Grand Canyon. But we are. We are, and always have been, as capable as water is!
Argue for Your Limitations
But unlike water, we can fall prey to our limitations. These reasons, A.K.A. “Excuses,” are relentless. They infiltrate, and then settle into our minds, get cozy and warm; and before we realize it, the Excuses are in command. They talk down to us non-stop. They set the tone and direction. They authorize the approvals and justify the rejections. Sure, you can do this… but definitely not that. They dictate to us how to live our lives.
But now, it’s time to stop the fight, and just let them parade around and argue for themselves. Go ahead and write out your whole list of reasons (of why you cannot pursue a particular goal) in excruciating detail.
Define all your limitations for once! Let your Excuses have a party on paper and let them elaborate ad nauseam for their challenges. Don’t even try to conquer or silence them, but instead list them out. One by one. Don’t leave anything out.
Now, leave the enemy on your desk. Do nothing. Leave it for at least 24 hours.
The Next Day
Now imagine waking up and having amnesia. You remember nothing. Nothing of the past, and nothing of the limitations that have held you back all these years from pursuing your dreams. No baggage, of memories, remains to weigh you down because you remember nothing.
Your mind is a blank slate, open and acutely aware for the first time. The non-stop chatter in the background is gone. When you arise in the morning, luckily you find this list on your desk. You assume you wrote it for yourself. With no other guidance to follow, you assume it’s your list of Things To Do.
Now, this list of excuses is useful to you. It has some innate power in diminishing your limitations while offering you an approach. It’s a veritable roadmap. When we get stuck in our mental mire, the brain appreciates a lifeline to get out of that funk. This list is your ticket. Because you want to feel efficient in your life, you take all the negatives and turn them on their head. Where it says, “Don’t have enough time,” you interpret as a directive to find the time.
Pick the easiest item on your list and start to work on it. Then pick another and do the same. Now, instead of all the reasons why you couldn’t do something, explore angles and scenarios like they are brand new. Perceive the entire list of limitations like an unencumbered stranger would.
It will take perseverance, patience, and effort, but once you decide to do something, momentum can carry the rest. You have the fortitude. The resolve. You have the dexterity, the agility, and enough understanding to realize where you need measured effort or can ride the current of the flow.
You can do it. After all, you’re just like water.