“When you do your best, angels can do no better.”: – Norman Vincent Peale
Introduction
Our belief in our abilities can shape our lives. When we tell ourselves, “I can do it,” we unlock the power of our minds to overcome challenges. This article explores how self-belief, combined with actionable strategies, can help us achieve our goals.
Story: Shark Bait (Source: Internet: Written by Marc Chernoff)
A marine biologist experimented with a shark and bait fish. Initially, the shark attacked and ate the fish. Then, the biologist introduced a clear fibreglass barrier. Though the shark tried repeatedly to attack the fish, it kept hitting the barrier and eventually gave up. Even when the barrier was removed, the shark didn’t attempt to attack again—it believed the obstacle was still there.
The Moral: Past failures create mental barriers that stop us from trying again, even when the real obstacles no longer exist.
Why Do We Stop Believing?
We are surrounded by people who often tell us why we cannot do it. They will give different reasons, justifications and examples to prove why they think so.
Like If you want to quit smoking, you will find many strong reasons why you cannot quit smoking. And even if you could, it will be for a brief period, and you will acquire it again. In a light vein it is said that even if you want to leave, cigarettes will not leave you!
The interesting thing is that in majority of the cases such people are right in their prediction as whatever they say happens. Like if you are always late, your colleagues may tell you jokingly that you can never be on time and inspite of your best efforts, when it happens again and again, you tell yourself that you cannot improve!
Or you want to improve your stage fright and work on it to raise your confidence. But when you are on stage and you start fumbling or your knees start shaking, people around you may say that it is not your cup of tea. You leave it and try something else. You take them seriously and tell yourself that it is not made for you!
Similarly, there can be numerous cases around us wherein we are being told why we cannot do it.
The Power of “I CAN”
Now there are only two options. The first one is easy wherein we can accept what people are saying and we stop trying it. The second option is a bit challenging but worth trying wherein we can keep on telling ourselves that we CAN do it. Maybe we may face many hurdles in the beginning like doubting our capabilities, questioning our stand that we can do it or whether is it worth trying so many times.
In a recent cricket test series with New Zealand in India (October-November 2024), India lost all the 3 matches badly. Immediately after that India went to Australia (a much better and stronger team) and won the first test match emphatically.
How it is possible that a team which lost all the 3 test matches on their home turf (turning pitches) could win on a fast-paced pitch (strength of the home team)? The attitude that we CAN do it can make all the difference inspite of the humiliating defeats.
Our mind is extremely powerful. Whatever we say to ourselves becomes the truth. When we tell ourselves that we can do it, our subconscious mind starts working to achieve what are eagerly working for.
We have all the abilities within us. We just need to focus on what we want, and things start flowing in that direction. It does not mean that we need not have to learn new things, we need not have to work hard, or we need not have to face failures. We will go through all the cycles but eventually, we will be able to overcome the belief that I CAN NOT do it. Once we start trusting in our abilities, we will find various ways to achieve what we are seeking. The studies on Jewish mythology, the Golem effect and the Pygmalion effect (Greek Mythology) also talk about the power of mind and how it impacts the outcome.
In Valmiki Ramayan, when Mata Sita was abducted by Ravana and lord Ram wanted to know her whereabouts, he asked Hanuman to fly over the ocean and go to Lanka. Hanuman was not sure whether he could fly over such a long distance as he was told in his childhood that he did not possess special power (when he was flying to catch the sun thinking it was a ball!). But when he was reminded about his abilities, suddenly his body began to grow bigger and bigger. As it reached its peak he stood up, pushed himself up, and took off for Lanka.
Many a time in our childhood, we face some rejection, negative comment or a situation which propels us to think that we cannot do it. It could be that we went to the stage and could not speak, we failed a competitive examination, or someone cheated us. We take these incidents so seriously that they become the foundation stone for all future decisions. We may fail once but that becomes the guiding torch for all future decisions!
Here again, we have two choices. The first one is to live our entire lives based on past failures. The second option could be to tell yourself not once but MANY times in a day that we CAN do it. The more we say what we want in our lives, it gets engrained in our subconscious minds. It helps us to make all the right decisions so that we can do and achieve what we are capable of and even beyond.
Some of the structured approaches include the following
- Seeking Mentorship: Learn from experienced individuals who can guide and encourage you.
- Building Skills: Consistent practice and learning help you gain confidence in your abilities.
Setting Realistic Goals: Break down big goals into smaller, achievable steps to maintain motivation.- Positive Self-Talk: Replace negative thoughts with affirmations like “I can do this.”
Conclusion
Failures and setbacks are part of life, but they don’t define our future. By trusting our abilities and combining self-belief with actionable strategies, we can overcome barriers and achieve our dreams. Remember, the journey starts with the simple yet powerful thought: “I CAN.”