Do you use “try” a lot?  Is it your go to word when someone asks you to do something or you face an obstacle all by yourself you aren’t even sure you can overcome?

Best Use of the Word Try!

Sometimes we don’t try to do something…like working out.  We mean to, and we “try” to, but if  you’re me, sometimes you might get to bed at night and it dawns on you…oh yeah, I didn’t work out.  That is the way I “try” to work out.

The definition of “try” is an attempt or effort to do something. We use the word “try” a lot. Our boss asks if we can get something accomplished by the deadline and we say we’ll try; not the answer he or she wants.  They want you to get it done! A friend asks if we’ll make it to a party and again we answer, we’ll try.

So how does this work with you?  Does “try” mean that you’ll put it on the back burner and not really “try”? Does it really mean “no”, but in a soft way so you don’t hurt someone else’s feelings?  What they used to call “lip service”?  Like me, if it is something you tell yourself and no one else, are you ever really going to do it?  Will I stop eating sugar, will I go to bed at a decent hour, will I really ever work out consistently?  Ummmm, maybe!?

Using the word “try” is opting out of something and kind of a cop out. We are either going to DO something or we aren’t.  If you truly mean to do something and you just don’t do it, does this happen a lot in your life?  Do you put things off indefinitely, procrastinating important things in your life?  Important people?

Really look at how the use of the word is impacting your life.  Is it pushing people away because they know they can’t depend on you when you say you’ll try to do something and you never follow through?

The next time you want to use the word “try”, stop yourself.  If you can’t make a commitment, say you aren’t sure if you can make it or do it and stop using the word “try”.  Or make that commitment and then follow through.  Your friends, your boss and your family will start to see you as more reliable and someone they can depend on.