I was “volun-told” to open a meeting at work with a reflection yesterday. If you have met me before, you know that having any part in leading any sort of meeting is my least favorite thing to do. Things I would rather do include, but are certainly not limited to: taking a transcontinental flight with a sick toddler, wearing a midriff top to school pick-up, allowing my kids to make glitter slime (see photo above), giving up Gilmore Girls, getting a Brazilian wax, and having my front tooth removed…again. You get the idea.
But while I dislike public speaking, I do love the poem I shared in the meeting. Maybe it’s because it reminds me of my husband – the best way to get him to accomplish something is to tell him he can’t possibly do it. Beyond that, the simple poem contains a great message for kids and adults alike, at back-to-school time or any time, really. So this is what I shared, although my colleagues got a slightly edited version of the story:
I was watching a quasi-educational TV show with my kids this week, before school cuts into their couch-potato time. I couldn’t tell you the name of the show, but I know it was better than yet another episode of Bunk’d.
Actually, I was only half-watching, while also half-emptying-the-dishwasher and half-playing-on-my-phone (Okay, so that’s 1.5 things – fractions are not my forte!), until a segment caught my attention.
The show hosts performed an experiment in which they asked a selection of people on the street if they thought they would be able to count the number of photos in a 50-page magazine … in under 10 seconds. Some folks said yes, but most said no.
After surveying the folks, the show hosts then had them actually attempt to count the photos. The twist was that page 2 of the magazine contained a blurb that read in big, bold letters: “STOP COUNTING! THERE ARE 48 PHOTOS!”
Now, the folks who believed they could accomplish the task saw the blurb, and those who thought the task couldn’t be done didn’t notice it. This really struck me. Self-fulfilling prophecy reared its head to demonstrate to the kids that whether folks thought they could or thought they couldn’t, they were right. Not only that, but the experiment demonstrated that the world is apt to provide boosts or unexpected gifts to those who go after big goals. Of course, the world is just as apt to knock those same goal-getters flat on their ass the next day, but that’s no reason not to try.
In any event, the experiment made me reflect on the power of mindset, which caused me to remember a poem I admire, so I wanted to share that poem with you.
It Couldn’t Be Done, by Edgar Guest
Somebody said that it couldn’t be done,
But he with a chuckle replied
That “maybe it couldn’t,” but he would be one
Who wouldn’t say so till he’d tried.
So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin
On his face. If he worried he hid it.
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn’t be done, and he did it.
Somebody scoffed: “Oh, you’ll never do that;
At least no one ever has done it”;
But he took off his coat and he took off his hat,
And the first thing we knew he’d begun it.
With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,
Without any doubting or quiddit,
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn’t be done, and he did it.
There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,
There are thousands to prophesy failure;
There are thousands to point out to you one by one,
The dangers that wait to assail you.
But just buckle in with a bit of a grin,
Just take off your coat and go to it;
Just start in to sing as you tackle the thing
That “cannot be done,” and you’ll do it.
When your kiddos head back to school next week, remind them to be kind, remind them to be themselves, and also remind them that their potential is only limited by their beliefs. And that goes for you, too. 🙂
LOVE it! Again~~thanks.