Dr Carol Dweck is a psychologist and is the author of Mindset. She introduced the concept of “yet”.
Often times you think of achieving a goal that is way bigger than our current reality, and the first thought is that it’s impossible.
When you think of something as impossible, then your brain will look for reasons why it is impossible because of the thought that it is impossible, not because it is actually impossible.
Your brain’s job is to find the proof that matches what you think and believe.
- For a tough problem, you tell yourself, “I can’t solve it.”
- For a big goal, you tell yourself, “I can’t achieve it.”
- For a business idea, you tell yourself, “I don’t know how to do it.”
The reason why you tell this to yourself is because you don’t know what’s ahead yet, and that doesn’t mean you will never know. It’s just that you don’t yet, but in the future you will figure it out. So here’s what you should tell yourself:
- Instead of “I can’t solve it” -> “I can’t solve it yet”
- Instead of “I can’t achieve it” -> “I can’t achieve it yet”
- Instead of “I don’t know how to do it” -> “I don’t know how to do it yet.”
“Yet” tells your brain that right now we don’t know, but in the future there is a way out, and we will figure it out. This way your brain will look for solutions instead of looking for proof of why it can’t be done.
That’s the power of ‘yet’. How you reframe plays a crucial role in what you will achieve in the future.
No one is born with all the wisdom.
No one is born with all the solutions.
No one is born an expert in any skill.
You make mistakes, find solutions and learn along the way. Initially we don’t have all the answers, but that doesn’t mean that answers don’t exist. You don’t know it yet, but when you move forward, answers will appear.
As said by Rumi, As you start to walk on the way, the way appears.”