When you say “I should“, you likely mean “I probably won’t“.
“I should go to the gym”
“I should stop smoking”
“I should quit reading blogs at work and get on with getting the job done”
So try this:
For one week, replace “I should” with “I will”.
BANG! Watch the results roll in.
“Should” = weak. “Will” = strong.
***
SHOULDN’T is another nasty little word that propagates stagnation and reinforces the status-quo.
Sometimes it’s appropriate (you shouldn’t kill him, you shouldn’t steal all that money, you shouldn’t feed your kids dog-food”)
Most of the time, however, it’s an update on the Victorian tendency to pander to conformity:
“It’s just not done! (Gasp!)”
Some examples:
- You shouldn’t wear stripes with checks
- You shouldn’t turn up to a party without a bottle of wine
- You shouldn’t walk on the grass
- You shouldn’t serve gravy without a gravy boat
- You shouldn’t wear jeans to church
- You shouldn’t speak unless you’re spoken to
- You shouldn’t question authority
I CALL BULLSHIT!
So, next time you’re faced with a “shouldn’t”, ask yourself two questions:
- WHY shouldn’t I?
- And what’s the worst case scenario if I do?
The worst-case might be better than the current case. You’ll find that your life becomes a little easier if you start to jump the fences of social convention.
FREE YOURSELF FROM THE CHAINS SISTER!
… and remember, if you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you always got.
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Couldn’t agree more. We have this conversation around our house a lot. “Should” and “shouldn’t” typically come out of our perception of what others think, not who we truly are.
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