Words matter!

There is not a statement truer that so many seem to forget so often. There are many words and phrases we should use more often in our lives. Words and phrase that improve our lives and the lives of others around us like – Love, Hope, Thank you, etc. However, there is one word that might surprise you, we should completely remove from our vocabulary. What is it?

TRY…
This is one of my favorite quotes of all time. I’m sure you’ll recognize it from the movie Star Wars.
“Do or do not. There is no try.”
Yoda
That pretty much says it all, doesn’t it? It dawned on me one day, how much I said or would think the word “try”. “I’ll try to be there. Try and get that thing done. I’m trying, I’m trying,” and so on and so on. So, I decided to make a conscious decision to replace the word “try.” (Now this is important – Make no mistake, to do this or any change in your life, you must make a conscious decision to commit!) So, once I decided to remove that word, I needed to decide its replacement. This phrase jumped into my head and more importantly my heart, and I’ve used it ever since.

“I’m going to do my best”

Think of it this way, you ask someone to come over to your house and if they say “I’ll try,” that tells you they might or might not be there. Or for that matter, they might or might not even care about coming over. But, if they say “I’ll do my best, ” that gives the impression they’re making a real effort to be there and they really do care. Even when you’re talking to yourself, the phrase, “I’ll do my best” or “I’m doing my best” is a real motivator. Every morning I write this phrase out on a piece of paper, “Today, I will do my best, to do my best.” Has it made any difference in my life? You bet!

Challenge yourself to make this change. Feel free to write out my phrase or just be more aware of what you’re thinking and saying. Do it for three weeks, just three weeks! Each time you hear yourself beginning to say the word “try,” change it to “do your best.”

Granted, this might seem like a small thing to do. Well, you’re right! In the grand scheme of things, removing one word from your vocabulary and swapping in another phrase is a small change. After all, aren’t small things what all big things are made of?
Words matter!
One small word at a time. One small thought at a time is what we’ve built our lives on and what our future teeters on.

Words matter!
Peace…

Gregg