I couldn’t possibly
I’ve been here. And I bet you’ve been here, too.
A thought pops in – a wonderful idea. An idea that if it came to be, would be exciting, fulfilling, and energizing. And then the voice kicks in that says “no, you couldn’t possibly.” And the light and energy of that idea goes out. Just like that.
And if it happens often enough, the wonderful ideas stop popping up as frequently because why bother even considering them if they will just be shut down anyway?
When this happens, it’s like putting a cap on your potential. On possibility and change. This idea “no, you couldn’t possibly” is a restriction, driven by fear. Fear of what others might think or how they might view you, fear of the unknown, fear of failing and it not working out.
And yet, I can tell you with full certainty that every time I can push through this fear and actually do the thing I thought I couldn’t possibly do, that it is always worth it.
Because we are much more resilient than we acknowledge. We are much more capable than we let ourselves believe. And going for it – even though it’s hard – always feels better in the end than the pain of self-limitation.
Once we start carving a new way, it gets easier and easier. I’ll give you an example.
The first time I had to lead a training course in my old job, I was in turmoil. In my mind, it was so clear that I couldn’t possibly be the person at the front of the room, supporting a group, and being responsible for a whole slew of logistics. I just couldn’t possibly do it!!!
There was a part of me excited by this chance and a whole other part of me that was terrified. I had to push past who I thought I was and BE the person who led that course.
I did. And it was hard and stressful and I second guessed myself continuously.
But I got through it, with support from colleagues and a whole lot of grit. And the next time it got easier. And easier. And more enjoyable. And now I can hop on and host a group workshop with considerable ease. Do I still get nervous? Yes. But it doesn’t paralyze me anymore. And having pushed through my resistance, I learned an important lesson:
I can do the things that feel impossible. Eventually, I can become someone who does those things with ease.
So my invitation to you is this. Next time an idea pops in and you find yourself shutting it down, take a pause. Enjoy the idea. Don’t stuff it away. Ask yourself: if I believed this were possible, what would I try?
[PREVIEW OF THE FUTURE: here’s the exciting twist. Eventually the script flips. Eventually we go from “how could I? I couldn’t possibly” to “how could I possibly not?”]
Can you imagine?
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Interested in some support holding that possibility and making it real? Book a sample coaching call with me. And if you find yourself intrigued by this idea but saying “I couldn’t possibly hire a coach,” I invite you to reread the blog 🙂