A Model T "Yes I can do 150mph" Henry

“Whether you think you can or you can’t; you’re right.”

So said Henry Ford, who in between building his River Rouge plant and selling the iconic Model T Henry, found time to trot out useful one liners, that have been preserved for posterity. No prizes though for guessing whether he thought if he could or could not.

This is one of my favourite quotes because it reminds me that to be successful we need to listen to what we’re saying in our head, as it’s likely to be self-limiting. However, as an additional dimension to this I’ve realised that sometimes saying ‘I can’t do this’ is as useful and as necessary as saying ‘I can.’

What Can’t You Do?

In the headlong rush to get on with our lives it’s easy to write off a ‘can’t do’ as a negative and a limitation, but my recent writing experience has made me realise that in fact we need to balance the cans with the can’ts in order to be successful and to stay healthy. For example, I can write fast when I need to, but I can’t write and drive at the same time, so completing the additional chapters needed to finish my book has meant making sensible decisions about what was a practical use of my working day (and evening and late night). Henry Ford’s quote forced me to think about what I could do and what the consequences would be, which meant taking an axe to my diary, chopping a swathe through my appointments and rescheduling clients until later on in February. I could write my book, but only if I created the space for myself to do so and although this meant making some tough choices, at least I was making them proactively and getting control over the situation. It also meant not blogging for a bit, but I’m back now!

I thought that ‘I can finish my manuscript’ and also that ‘I can’t do that and meet all my other commitments at the same time’. And I was right, so thank you Henry for making me think about both sides of the equation in a positive and proactive way.

It’s an interesting point to consider folks:

What can’t you do, in order to free up the space for something that you can do?

Do let me know how you get on balancing things out to keep motivated and healthy.

Tagged as:   quote · thinking · tip
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Ahoy shipmates! There's pirate gold for helping others!

As I might have mentioned already, I’m currently writing a book about Job Hunting. I need to deliver the manuscript at the end of the month and I still have a small mountain of typing and editing to climb. Yesterday I was intending to rush to the office in order to spend the day completing a chapter about interview skills, when the telephone rang.

A friend’s son needed urgent help and could I write his CV with him? The answer was; yes. I had what he needed and he needed support and encouragement, to help him get back to work.

So, instead of writing my book we spent the afternoon compiling his CV, running through interview questions and generally brushing up his skills. He was very grateful and I felt good too. Not only had I helped someone in need, our conversation had also given me an idea for the chapter I am currenty writing.

A win-win for both of us and it did remind me that we when help people we often get something unexpected in return.

So, if you have some specific knowledge, or a key skill, that could help someone; enjoy sharing it and enjoy the rewards this will bring. Happy helping!

Job Hunting Support

Apart from delivering development workshops and executive coaching, Primary People also works with people to help them learn job hunting skills. Knowing about the 90/90 rule, networking conversations, STAR interview answers, rapport building skills and how to run a campaign can help people to get ahead of the competition. If you know someone who would benefit from support then please ask them to contact me.

Tagged as:   helping · Job Hunting · tip
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