“I can’t do it.”

“I’m not good at this.”

 “I’m not ready for this.” 

This is the voice we often hear in our head speaking with such authority.

And we tend to listen. 

Our brain likes to be right, so it then starts searching for evidence to prove why you can’t do something. Or why you aren’t good at something. Or why you are not ready. 

And, like a good brain, it will find the evidence. 

Always. 

Because what you look for you can find. 

But did you know that when you say statements like those ones, you also close the door for your brain to explore new ways of doing things. 

It stays satisfied with the “evidence” that it found right away. It gives up. There’s no hope. Nothing is going to change.

Except if you make one small change to your thoughts.

Just add “yet”.

When you tack on the word “yet” to these oh-so-believable-thoughts, you are opening the door just a little bit. You are providing the brain a bit of hope that maybe, just maybe, something will change. This encourages your brain to keep trying and keep going. 

Dr. Carol Dweck, a professor at Stanford University and author of the book Mindset, introduced the power of tacking on the word “yet” and the power of believing that you can improve. It changes everything,

It’s amazing what power belief has. Don’t underestimate it. 

Next time one of those thoughts creep into your mind, and you feel the door swinging closed to cut you off from exploring possibility, quickly step in and say “Yet”!

Even give yourself permission to yell it out at the top of your lungs: “Yet, yet, yet”.

And don’t forget, we are there to yell it with you.