“If you think you can do a thing or think you can’t do a thing, you’re right.”
—Henry Ford, American Industrialist
Words are a powerful thing. Just a few sentences can build a person up to be a superhero or break them down to rubble. The words we think, and say, to ourselves can be just as powerful. In short, what we say is what we become… good or bad.
“Have To” vs. “Get To”
The most common phrases that bring us down are “I have to” and “I can’t”. ‘I have to do this homework. I have to run today. I have to get a hit.’ Or my personal favorite, ‘I can’t do it.’ Well, no, most of the time, you can do it, you just don’t want to. On the other hand, you may want it really badly, but the fear of failure creeps in and becomes too hard to ignore. I challenge you this week to try and flip your mindset! Below are a few more ways to shift your thinking from a negative to a positive!
Instead of… “I have failed at something” … try, “I have learned from this and will be better next time because of it.”
Instead of… “Why do I have to do this” … try, “Very few people in my situation will ever be able to do what I get to do.”
Instead of… “Nothing ever goes my way” … try, “I am fortunate to have all that I have, anything else would be icing on the cake!”
Instead of… “Coach doesn’t know what he is talking about” … try, “Let me see if I can take something from what coach has to say.”
Instead of… “I don’t want to strike out in this big situation” …try, “I get an opportunity to win our team a ballgame!”
Anytime you are feeling down, frustrated, or helpless, remember to put yourself in a good place mentally. It’s the universal law of attraction, ladies and gentlemen: you ATTRACT the energy you put out.
“Have to” vs. “Get to” is something we have used on every team I have ever coached on. It may seem silly at first, to correct guys when they say they “have to” do something. Over time it becomes natural and everyone gets in on it. It becomes a cultural thing. Trust me, whether you are on a sports team or at work in an office, it feels a lot better when you are around people that “get to”. `
