Brian Johnson
Episode 51: Should to Could
“I believe that should is one of the most damaging words in our language. Every time we use should, we are, in effect, saying “wrong.” Either we are wrong or we were wrong or we are going to be wrong. I don’t think we need more wrongs in our life. We need to have more freedom of choice. I would like to take the word should and remove it from the vocabulary forever. I’d replace it with the word could. Could gives us a choice, and we are never wrong.” ~ Louise L. Hay from You Can Heal Your Life
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Transcript
Should --> Could
“I believe that should is one of the most damaging words in our language. Every time we use should, we are, in effect, saying “wrong.” Either we are wrong or we were wrong or we are going to be wrong. I don’t think we need more wrongs in our life. We need to have more freedom of choice. I would like to take the word should and remove it from the vocabulary forever. I’d replace it with the word could. Could gives us a choice, and we are never wrong.” ~ Louise L. Hay from You Can Heal Your Life
This is one of the all-time greatest Big Ideas. Seriously.
Should, should, should, should.
Tony Robbins (see Notes) says, “Quit shoulding all over yourself!!!” :)
So, uh, are you shoulding all over yourself?!?
Well, stop! You’re stinking up the place. :)
Seriously, though. Try playing a game with yourself. See if you can start to notice every time you use the word “should.” And then swap it out for “could” and feel the difference between the two. Should’s a downer. ALWAYS. Could, as Louise says, offers choice. In that freedom to choose is our power.
Louise offers this exercise in the book. Complete 5 sentences that start with “I SHOULD.”
I SHOULD ________________________________________________________ .
I SHOULD ________________________________________________________ .
I SHOULD ________________________________________________________ .
I SHOULD ________________________________________________________ .
I SHOULD ________________________________________________________ .
Alright. Now, read each one and ask, “Why?” Now, take those five sentences and start ‘em with “If I really wanted to I could _________
__________________________________________________________________________.”
Big shift in energy, eh? You’re basically shifting from a disempowered, critical “should” to an empowered, expansive “could.” That’s a shift we want to make often. :)
This is one of the 1,000+ Big Ideas we share in our 6-page PDF and 20-minute MP3 PhilosophersNotes on 100 of the greatest self-development books. Get 100 Notes for only 47 bucks!
