Of all the four letter words we’re taught not to say, I added one that I consider the worst offender… Can’t. Nothing can frustrate success more than a bad attitude, and believing you can’t do something virtually guarantees that you won’t. That’s why I say “Can’t is a Four Letter Word.” In “From Woodstock to Eternity,” Dustin Morgan’s sister forces him to confront the notion that he can do more with his life than he thinks he can. In fact, he can do things he never thought of before, and why? Because he never thought he could. Can’t is the enemy of did, and the ally of didn’t… or never tried in the first place.
Dustin pictured himself in the cockpit of a 727 airliner and thought, “I have never allowed myself to think this far, to consider it a possibility, to dare to dream.” His sister assured him that he could do anything he set his mind to do. She also assured him that Jesus was not just a baby in a manger or a body on a cross. He is alive and active in our daily decisions and helps to bring them to pass. Dustin wondered, “Will God do that for me?”
Having a dream motivates you to achieve it, and without a dream, there is no will to carry on. As Proverbs says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” This is not a unique concept. In the aviation instruction realm, it is called motivation. Every lesson must have an introduction, and that includes attention, motivation and an overview. If you want to learn what is in the lesson, it must gain your attention. The motivation, or your “vision” inspires you to do the work required to learn the lesson.
So, here are some key points in reaching your full potential
Listen to wise counselors
Sometimes we need to hear from another perspective. We get trapped in
our own little bubble and can’t see a bigger picture.
Allow yourself to dream
It’s OK to have grandiose ideas or to believe you can do great things. Some may call it ego or pride, but if you put it in Jesus’ hands, you will approach the endeavor humbly and earnestly. The tragedy for any of us is to fall into complacency and never use the gifts God has given us.
Don’t say “Can’t!”
Once you envision a goal, never tell yourself you can’t do it! Allow your dream to give you the motivation to work. study, be patient, and persevere.
In my ground school class, I had students from their 40’s and 50’s on their second and third careers to become an airline pilot.
Never sell yourself short. Remember,