Try and Will

The journey from TRY to WILL – and how it can impact reaching your goals

What trying really means

We hear it all day every day, working or socialising – people ‘trying’ to get things done or promising to try something new.

I’ll try and get that report done by the weekend.

I’m going to try and go running every other morning.

Ill try and meet you down the pub this weekend.

The fact of the matter is we only use the word try when we expect or assume failure.  Try gives us a way out or an excuse to not do the task.  We also use try when we know full well that we aren’t going to do what we’re suggesting.

Surprise, surprise, it’s the weekend and I had more important things to do than that report, like going out for a drink, and surfing on the internet

It’s been too cold and rainy, so I’ve not been running, and anyway, running’s not the best exercise for me to do…

I don’t think I’ll make it to the pub, (can’t really be bothered), perhaps we can do next week instead?

Try indicates what we are really thinking and in the most part the things we don’t want to admit even to ourselves.

Try creates doubt in your own mind and in others too.  It also suggests that it is unlikely you will succeed or even start.

Replace try with will

So way back when I first started Personal Training and getting into personal development, one of the first things I read about was replacing the word ‘try’ with ‘will’ and the impact that it can have on your life.  It’s not until you start applying it yourself that you can fully understand what a difference it can make in your everyday life.  You start committing fully - you start achieving.  You naturally become more positive and in terms of productivity…my lord…it’ll go through the roof!

Use it for a while and see for yourself if it makes a difference to how you feel and to how people respond to you.

So instead of:

I must try and start running

I’ll try to eat a healthier breakfast

I’ll try and get that blog done by Wednesday

Use I will – and make it specific.

I will begin running Thursday night at 7pm

I will eat a healthier breakfast with more protein in

I will finish that blog by Wednesday and get it on my website

And let me know how you get on – did you do what you set out to do?

But I’m not too sure…

Ok, I get it, you might not be too sure about this. Here’s the thing - it‘s okay to have a go and not be great straight away, the important thing is that you have taken action.  From failure we learn.  We gain great feedback and next time you do whatever you’re doing, you will be better.  Progress, not perfection.  Example…

We use try as a way of protecting ourselves against the bad feelings or thoughts we associate with failure…

I didn’t say I would do it – I just said I’d try!

If you tell yourself that it’s alright to not get everything right every time, and that you don’t have to beat yourself up if you don’t get it right first time – this is especially relevant when talking about changing eating habits - and you’ll feel a lot better saying I will.  Either way you will learn or progress so what are you worried about?

Will is commitment

Ask yourself this. If you’re not going to commit is it really worth it?  If you don’t fully commit, you‘re probably fooling yourself or doing it for someone else. Your heart has got to be in it, or you probably shouldn’t bother. You‘re pretending to yourself that you are going to give something your best shot whereas in actual fact you are going into it prepared to fail and with your excuses ready in advance.

When you commit fully you are arming yourself with a belief that you will succeed – do this and you’re half-way there before you even begin.

If you’re ready to commit, I’m ready to help.  You will do it. There is no try.