Russ Lowry urges listeners to remove the word "can't" from their vocabulary, arguing that saying "I can't" shuts down problem-solving and provides an excuse. He cites a 2004 Jeff Bezos memo as inspiration and recommends reframing statements to "I haven't figured it out yet" to keep the brain focused on finding solutions in relationships, work, and budgeting. The piece is a brief motivational life-hack monologue.
We'll call this the four letter word you need to remove from your vocabulary. Back in 2004, I read an article about this. 2004, Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, issued a memo that said he can no longer use the word can't. So many people will say this, I can't do this, we can't do that, there's no way we can do that. It's not possible. And he understood a lot of things that when you, when you say I can't do something, the brain shuts down. You give yourself an excuse out. So we said we have to reframe it as we haven't figured it out yet. So think about that in your life. Because when you say, I can't do this, I can't stay married, I can't handle this job, I can't do this, you're trying to give yourself a way out, you're shutting down. Instead of saying, I need to find a, a way to get along with my spouse better, I need to find a way to get along with my co workers better, I need to find a way to get along with my boss better, I need to find a way to budget better. Instead of saying, I can't live on what I make. So think of can't as a four letter word and strike it from your vocabulary because it's not a good word and it shuts your brain down, it gives you that excuse and it stops you from thinking the next solution. So like I said, reframe that instead of saying can. I haven't figured it out yet. We haven't solved this problem yet of how we will stay married, how we will overcome this issue that keeps your brain thinking for results and for something to happen positively instead of shutting itself down. So another little neurological hack, life hack. Strike the word can't from your vocabulary. I hate that. Do not like that word. My buddy's, My buddy was a hockey coach. That was a four letter word in his. You could say about anything you want besides can't in his hockey thing. So hopefully you learned a little bit from this. Quit saying that word, Rephrase it, reframe it, move forward.
