Commitment vs.Trying - Is Trying Lying?

Today I heard the saying "Trying is lying!"

It made me reflect back to earlier this year when I was lying in my hospital bed with two broken legs, a broken hip and a broken pelvis, injuries I had sustained in a motorcycle accident. After the surgeons had put my body back together, I was moved to a rehabilitation hospital, where I spent the next 4 ½ months learning how to walk again. This was an amazing facility designed to assist patients (many worse off than me), in adjusting to their new limitations. The goal was to assist us in finding strategies that were designed to help us continue to live a life worth living, despite these challenges.

Since I had sustained extensive orthopedic injuries, I required intensive physiotherapy.

Each morning, patients were expected to get dressed and wear their street clothes to physiotherapy, even though most of them would spend the remainder of their day in bed. It was part of the psychology to help us realize that we were not "sick:" but learning how to function again and look after ourselves.

The first time I went to physio, my physiotherapist Derek, asked me to move my leg. Now if you know me, (or are coached by me) you will know that a common theme I espouse is that of "I can't}". "I can't" and its cousin "I give up!" are two phrases that are not allowed in my vocabulary, and if I have any influence over you, it's not allowed in yours' either?smile!.

I looked down at my leg and counted myself lucky as I looked around the room at the other patients. They all seemed to be using a mixture of medieval looking contraptions that contorted their bodies in a way that I was sure was designed to increase pain and agony. I just had to move my leg.

I told my leg to move in the direction that Derek had just asked but it stayed put. "Wait a minute", I said to myself and I tried again, but it just wouldn't move. I tried concentrating harder, and even spoke the words aloud, but it still wouldn't change position. Frustrated now, I glared at this appendage that was betraying me, and found myself alternating between cajoling and cussing- all internal conversations of course. No amount of asking was making my leg budge! Derek my physiotherapist came by and with his hands on his hips and a smirk on his face said "come on Frankie, MOVE IT!" "You can do it!" Visibly upset now with tears of anger and discouragement streaming down my face, I cried out, "I'm trying", CAN'T YOU SEE THAT? "Well actually no, I can't" he said gently, "because I don't see your leg moving."

It was then that I had an epiphany, Trying is not good enough. Trying is actually NOT Doing! It is still "I can't" or "I won't". Another realization came to me as well, and that was I had a commitment, but it wasn't to what I thought.

I was committed to NOT moving my leg. For whatever reason, perhaps it was fear of pain, or maybe of finding out that I may never be able to move it, I just didn't want to do it. I am sure the "why" of it matter doesn't matter as much as asking the Powerful Question, "So what are you going to do about it?"

When I came to terms with that revelation, I knew I had a decision to make right then and there. Either I could continue to pretend to "try" and not move my leg, or I could be a Doer.

We have already established that I am not a quitter, I don't believe in I can't and I knew I hadn't survived the night of my accident to fail in my recovery, so there was only one option left, and that was to DO!! But what about that commitment, what was I to do with that?

That commitment was NOT serving me. I knew that, because I WANTED to walk again and making my leg to move, was the first step to that goal. So I took a deep breath, told myself one more time "you can do it" and looked down at my leg and said "move damn it".

Well son of a gun, didn't it just move a couple of inches! I was ecstatic!

Now to be honest, it didn't move far, but it did move. This was enough to prove to me it could be done.

Not only did I know that my leg was going to work again, I also knew what a powerful being lived inside me! This is not only true of me, but it is also true of you!

Each of us has the power to overcome the things we are committed to whether it be fear of flying or poor body image. No matter how long you have been living you're your commitment, you can change the terms anytime you want.

I invite you to look inside at some of the commitments that have not been serving you, and see if you are ready to change your perspective on any of them.

Now that you understand the difference between trying and doing, literally in the blink of an eye, you will be able to recognize your commitments and know how to change them. Just imagine the freedom of being able to DO anything you want.

The next time you hear yourself say I am trying, remember, to tell yourself you are lying!

If you want to stay committed to something then commit to being the best you can be! Thomas Merton said, "The biggest human temptation is to settle for too little."

An exercise to bring this point home is to sit in a chair and drop a pencil on the floor. Now then I want you to TRY to pick the pencil up. Did you pick the pencil up? You Did? Well then put it back because you weren't trying. Try again. Now I want you to TRY to pick the pencil up. Did you pick it up? NO? Then you weren't trying. You see you can either be committed to picking the pencil up and do, or be committed to leaving the pencil on the floor and not do, but you can't TRY to pick the pencil up!

Frankie Picasso, CPC LMT , is an Executive Business and Vision Coach and a Motivational Speaker, who loves to help people find their passion, path and purpose in Life. She has worked with both public and private sector organizations in the area of organizational wellness, alternative dispute resolution, sales and marketing, customer service and quality planning.The name of her company is Conversation with My Shoes and to find out more about her coaching, her speaking engagements , and her community involvement, please visit her website at http://www.conversationwithmyshoes.com

---

Speed Reading Technique

Four Brilliant Tips to Speed Read Faster than EverMany people,... Read More

Top 4 Reasons Women Ride The ?Emotional Roller-Coaster?

1. Women have learned and are in the habit of... Read More

Have You Said Thank You Today?

'When it comes to life the critical thing is whether... Read More

Starting Over

I worked hard for the past 17 years. I felt... Read More

Ending Procrastination

Perseverance is about as important to achievement as gasoline is... Read More

Is Fear Killing Your Dreams?

"You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in... Read More

The Rate of Change

There have been many discussions and grumblings in the Western... Read More

Can Pain Be A Motivator?

Carol was a new client. She had been looking for... Read More

Action vs. Self Delusion

Knowledge fueled by emotion equals action. Action is the ingredient... Read More

Unleash Your Unlimited Power

Your Non-Conscious Mind is 98% of your full power. Your... Read More

Perseverance As A Virtue

"Through perseverance many people win success out of what seemed... Read More

Why You Dont Ned Motivation

As a life coach, I often hear people say they... Read More

Get Negativity Out Of Your Life!

They say that the way to have a positive attitude... Read More

The Dawn On The Nile Valley Has Secrets To Tell! (3)

Me and Mao Tse-Tung!My first political experience was with Mao... Read More

Do You have a Dream?

Do you find yourself sitting at work longing to be... Read More

Harnessing the Power of the Unknown: Move from Repeating the Past to Re-inventing the Future

The Unknown - it is scary territory for many, something... Read More

Motivation By Kicking Butt

Some people respond to being yelled at and even sworn... Read More

Facing Our Fears

'You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in... Read More

Motivation: Small Changes, Big Results

When I was 8 years old, my parents let me... Read More

The Benefits of Keeping A Journal

Keeping a journal has many advantages and benefits. Whether you... Read More

Motivation By An Audience

Sooner or later, if you keep working hard in a... Read More

Resolution Revolution: 3 Tips For Creating Real Change in the New Year

'Tis the season once again for parties, champagne, noisemakers...and of... Read More

Elements of Change

The key to achieving more than you currently are, no... Read More

Ideas Abound - But Youve Got to Take Action

Whether you are aware of it or not, we are... Read More

The Dream I Nearly Gave Up

Hello again to you my loyal readers. My very first... Read More

Motivation By Daily Applause

One of our most powerful psychological needs is the craving... Read More

The ONE Question Winners ALWAYS Ask?.

Over the past several years I have experienced my fair... Read More

Self Confidence: How To Build Your Confidence In Three Simple Steps

To Feel Confident ? A C TA new, more exciting... Read More

7 Steps to a New Life Overseas

Research shows that at any one time more than half... Read More

Is Failure the End of Everything?

"The important thing is to learn a lesson every time... Read More

Have A Crack!

For everyone the New Year is now in full swing.... Read More

Tips for Mastering Visualization Techniques

Visualization is creating a mental picture of something. Visualization is... Read More

Learn to Do What Winners Do But Others Will Not

If you want to be a winner you have to... Read More