“Try” is an awful word, really.

“I’ll TRY to do better.” “I’ll TRY to make it.” “I’ll TRY to think of a better solution.” “I’ll TRY to get up earlier.” “I’ll TRY to quit smoking, get a new job, finish my to-do list…”

The list goes on and doesn’t stop anytime soon.

Here’s the thing: TRY is just another word for “I can’t.”

Let that sink in for a hot sec.

“Try” is just another word for “I can’t,” because it’s an immediate excuse for when we fail at what we’ve said we’ll “try.”

When we we’re going to try at something, there’s an underlying assumption that we’re not going to succeed. If you truly believed in yourself completing whatever it is you’re “trying” to do, you wouldn’t say “Well, I’ll try.” You’d say, “No problem…I’ll do it.”

I’ll DO.

This brings us to today’s mantra, which I need you to repeat 3x to yourself right now:

I don’t try. I DO.

Go ahead – repeat it again in front of the mirror while you’re at it. We might not know each other on a deeper level, but I KNOW that you’re a doer – you’ve got passion and skills and knowledge and heart, and you’re going amazing places in life. You’re also *doing* amazing things. Amidst hard times, challenges, struggles that you KNOW were so real, and people doubting you along the way (including yourself, since doubting yourself is like the common cold – we all have that at some point), you still DID. That’s the key here. So many things are going to pop up in your way. So many obstacles are going to try blocking your path to awesome. They’re already trying to break you down, so if you just muster out a “try” in return, that’s very unladyboss-like of you.

Girlfriend, why do you doubt yourself? Why do you discredit your own abilities? Or on the flip side, why don’t you just own up and commit already???

If you preface everything with “I’ll try!“, you’re giving yourself an out. Maybe you’re overcommitting yourself – a problem if you don’t want to be a.) way overly stressed and stretched too thin and/or b.) seen as that flake amongst friends and peers who always needs to back out or change plans. Maybe you’re trying to cover your own behind for the ol’ “under-promise and over-deliver” tactic.

Maybe you doubt if you can actually do it or not. But you sure as heck don’t know for sure unless you actually DO it. Reminisce with this: What are you waiting for?

I heard someone say recently, “You don’t ‘try’ in business. You’re either doing a business or you’re not.” When you think about it – about what it really means to do something like launch a business – this statement couldn’t be more true. To smartly launch something and set yourself up for success, there is no ROOM for “try.” Heck, if there’s not even room to sleep or eat on a normal schedule half the time, ain’t nobody got time for the T-word. Something as big as your own business is not a new food to test or pair of shoes to try on, so get in or get out! DO or don’t do.

Stop lying to yourself and others by “trying.” You are worthier than that. Nix the “try” and just DO everything that you are capable of doing. Change “I’ll try my best” to “I’ll DO my best,” because you’re on life’s stage and this whole thing is a performance. When the spotlight is on you, there is no try – you just DO, and whatever happens happens, and the show must go on, and you still take a bow at the end and get flowers and life keeps going beautifully.

Don’t try. Just DO. (Does “What are you gonna do about it?” ring a bell?)

And tweet:

What have you been “trying” lately that you’re just going to DO?

Let’s talk about it in the comments below.