The "No Buts" Zone

Whenever I hear the word "but," in my mind's eye I see a stop sign. "But" signals to me that someone is about to come up with all of the reason they cannot "do stuff."

"And," on the otherhand seems to open the mind to the possible approaches, methods and practices that can lead to success.

"But" is what I call an energy blocker. "And," I find, facilitates the flow of energy -- keeping us moving toward our goals.

Here's an example of how a "but" vs an "and" comment may work with a personal training client once he's set a goal for weekly exercise.

Operating in the "Buts" Zone":
Me: "So, I understand you are going to the gym five days this week." (restating client's previous commitment)
Client: "Yes, but if I have to work late the gym will be closed before I can get there, so we can forget those days."

Operating in the "No Buts" Zone:
Me: "So, I understand you are going to the gym five days this week."
Client: "Yes, and if I have to work late I'll go for a walk after dinner instead of watching television."

Note: "Yes, but" generally means "no."

Try it for just a day, every time you feel a "but" coming on, take a pause, take a breath and change it to an "and." See what happens!

Snowman Training Notes: Computer was down yesterday, so a quick update: Yesterday's training was a 14-mile hill climb endurance day. It was as humid as it could be without raining -- AND, we considered the training advantage of working to stay hydrated and motivated-- what a bonus. Today is a one-hour aerobic day. I'm heading back to the summit trainer to log this hour. It will be tough, AND I'm already looking forward to it!

Thought for the day: Whether you think you can or you think you can't, either way you will be right." ~Henry Ford