“I heard Matthew McConaughey speak recently. He was discussing a lesson he learnt from his father. It is one that he is determined to pass on to his own children. When McConaughey was a kid, his father asked him to do something, and he tinkered with it for about three minutes and then said to his father, “I can’t do it.” “
Yet,” his father said. “You can’t do it yet.” From that day on, Matthew McConaughey’s father would not allow him to use the word “can’t” or would listen passively if he said, “I can’t do it.”
“Yet,” is one word that changes everything. It is one word that transforms attitude. How? By taking us beyond the constraints of the now and revealing the possibilities of the future.
I thought it was a great lesson. What is it that you are telling yourself you can’t do? Is it true? Because we lie to ourselves all the time and it’s not healthy. Maybe you just can’t do it yet.
The other thing that struck me is that McConaughey said he is determined to pass this lesson on to his own children. Determined. Great word. Love that word. What lesson are you determined to pass on to your children? But first, and for those of us who don’t have children, what are you determined to do? Maybe it’s been a while since you were really determined to do something. Maybe it’s time to rediscover your ability to be determined.”