If you know anything about me at all you will know my strong belief around how the language you use, to both yourself and others, influences and directs your life.

Recently I’ve been listening to different programs ranging from meditation to mobility for exercise and over and over again am jarred by a particular three letter word…

If you’ve read my book, watched my free videos or done my online course you will know EXACTLY what I am talking about. That word is…

TRY!

As Yoda wisely states “Do or do not, there is no try”

When you say you will try, or someone asks you to try, you immediately have a get out clause, an excuse for not achieving.

I suggest to my clients they eliminate this word from their vocabulary. Simple right?

As soon as they think about doing this they immediately notice how often they use the word. So what do you replace it with?

Here are a few suggestions I give:

Replace it with ‘I’ll do my best’ Test the difference between this and ‘try’.

When you tell yourself and others you will do your best, that is exactly what you will do. It won’t be a half-hearted ‘attempt’ (another word for try) You will do your very best to achieve what is asked of you. And let’s face it, your best is all you can do, and all you can do is enough!

The other option I use is to replace try with ‘focus on’. Again, test it out. Feel the difference between “Try to touch your toes” and “Focus on touching your toes”

The first one sets you up for failure (that’s another word that needs addressing), the second gives you a focus, it gives you a slider, a measure of where you now. It fills in the grey between the black and white of touching your toes and not.

You focus on your toes and do the best you can. You won’t feel the all or nothing of ‘trying’. And the next time you focus on that movement you may get a little further.

“Focussing on” gives room for progression, improvement.

If you need more help check out my free video series here www.skiwithconfidence.com/home