Have you ever heard someone say “I can’t do it” or “I can’t figure this out”? Perhaps you’ve even said these very phrases yourself.
Aaron Walker speaks about the “can’t mentality” in the first chapter of View From The Top, and advises readers not to get frustrated and quit trying at something before they’ve really given themselves a chance to succeed.
To conquer the feeling of “can’t,” Aaron gives us examples from his own life. He wasn’t born with a privileged background; he started from scratch and used hard work and determination to get to where he is today. He persevered through several situations that would have made others say “I can’t do this” by believing that he could do great things if he continued to put forth effort and wait patiently to achieve his goals.
In the early pages of View From The Top, Aaron comments that “patience is a virtue that few have”. With rapid advances in technology, today’s world has shifted towards a culture of instant gratification, and patience has become a lost art. Sadly, the expectation for instant gratification can cause people to give up quickly when they don’t immediately achieve their desired outcomes. When people feel like they “can’t” do something, it’s likely because they aren’t willing to invest the necessary time and effort to complete it.
Are you putting in the time and effort, or are you just looking for results?
As Aaron says, “If you spend your life waiting for someone else to bring success to you, then you’ll be waiting a long time.” The feeling of entitlement is a trap that prohibits you from putting in the hard work necessary to be successful. No one is going to do the heavy lifting for you. When an obstacle arises, you have to be resourceful and persevere through it.
At age 11, Aaron got the opportunity to mow the lawn at his church for pay. He began the job with enthusiasm, but soon realized that using a push mower to cut that huge yard caused him to tire quickly. Instead of giving up, Aaron continued mowing the lawn and saved his money to buy a riding lawn mower. Once he bought the riding mower, he was able to cut the grass faster and more efficiently. The extra time he saved allowed him to cut even more yards. Eventually, he developed a lawn-mowing route that he did each week, and ended up making much more money than he spent on the purchase of the riding mower. Through his determination to succeed and his patience while saving to buy a better tool for his job, he proved that he could accomplish what he set out to do...and more.
One of the keys to getting over the negative mindset that makes you feel like you can’t do something is to believe that you can, and just start trying. When it comes to starting, Aaron tells his readers, “It doesn’t matter where you start, what is important is that you start.”
When you believe in yourself, you can do amazing things. When Aaron opened his first pawn shop, he didn’t know exactly what it would take, but he believed in himself. He wasn’t afraid to ask questions, and he wasn’t afraid to take chances. He devoted time to researching what he would need to put in, and he worked hard to build a successful business. Even though he didn’t have all the answers, the important thing is that he was willing to start. The word “can’t” never even entered his mind.
Next time you feel like you can’t do something, use Aaron’s mantra “can’t couldn’t do it and could did it all” to motivate yourself. Once you believe you can, you will find a way to conquer the challenges between where you stand today and where you want to be.
The real-life stories woven through the pages of View From The Top prove that someone can come from humble beginnings and persevere through challenges to leave a legacy of success...and the wisdom that Aaron shares about life and business gives every reader the opportunity to replicate his View From The Top.
To learn how you can use these strategies in your own life, pre-order your copy of View From The Top today.
