I Think I CAN!

January 28, 2013 / Featured Posts / Source: Goals

I think I can (I think I can)As I was reading to my little man this morning, I was reminded of a key aspect that we need to remember on our fitness and nutrition journey, not to mention life in general.  So, what valuable lesson did I learn from a little kid’s book?  Well, the book was The Little Engine that Could…and of course, the moral of the story was that even though the engine was small and had never done something like this before, the engine didn’t let size or inexperience stop it…the little engine made the decision to try and kept saying, “I think I can, I think I can….” and it did!

How often do you give up before you even try because you are afraid you won’t succeed?  I always appreciate being reminded that you have to try in order to succeed.  In fact, here is a quote that I just came across recently, “Those who don’t jump will never fly.” - Leena Ahmad Almashat, Harmony Letters.  It sounds so simple, but unfortunately many people let fears keep them from trying and I’m sure we can all agree that you have to actually DO something in order to achieve anything.  So, the question is…what is holding you back?

Here is where the important lesson comes in…”I think I CAN!”  If you tell yourself you can’t, then you most likely won’t.  However, if you have a positive “CAN” attitude, you will be more likely to succeed.  I remember taking a sports psychology class in college where they talked about the importance of positive visual imagery, where you picture yourself performing a specific action/skill (e.g., high jump) as a rehearsal before your sporting event.  This type of visual imagery has helped many professional athletes to be the best in their sport.  So, if it works for them, why wouldn’t it work for us?  The good news is…it can!

Therefore, if nothing else, one important message that I hope you receive from today’s blog is that your ability largely depends on your mental attitude and not your physical size, strength, or experience.  So, when you are thinking about tackling a new workout program or maybe you just want to start eating better, remember to go in with a positive attitude…because if you don’t jump, you can’t fly! :)