What do you think when you ask someone if they will do something and they say ‘I’ll try?”
As soon as someone tells me that they will “try” to be there, that they will “try” to finish it by Tuesday, that they will “try” do it, finish it, start it, find it, learn it…whatever it….I pretty much know at that exact moment that it is highly unlikely that they will. These are two words that I make a point of not saying. And if you ever hear me say them, I want you to call me on it right away, because what I am saying is that if I just so happen to, I will.
Either do it or don’t.
Its a commitment with an escape clause.
The people who get things done in life don’t try…they DO. Saying you will try to do something is like making a commitment with an escape clause. Which in truth is no commitment at all. Do you try to do your best? No, you either do your best or you don’t. Sometimes our best is not good enough…but most of the time, if we commit to doing our best and we work at something until we develop the skill and overcome the hurdles and we have the patience to endure the growth and learning curve, we will make whatever we are attempting become a reality.
Sylvester Stallone didn’t try to make Rocky a reality.
He had a goal and he had the resolve to make it happen. No matter how many doors were closed in front of him, he kept going. No matter how many people told him it wouldn’t happen, he kept going. No matter how many people told him he wasn’t good enough, the script wasn’t good enough, he kept going. He didn’t try to make Rocky happen, he had the resolve to work at it until it did….and it did happen.
Saying “I’ll try” is off-loading responsibility. It is saying that if all the stars align just right and everything works out, I’ll do it. The people who make things happen take full responsibility in making it happen. They are the doers. You are a doer.
Be All-in.
One of my favorite quotes from the late Jim Rohn is “you will see me on the top of the mountain waving my flag or you will see me dead on the side.”That’s what commitment is all about. We don’t try, we do. So decide what you are going to do, and do it.
