I love living in Nashville because it’s a town of creators. More particularly, I love to live around all of these songwriters: people who dedicate their lives to the meaning and significance of not just words, but the right words. It was Mark Twain who said that the difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning, and the lightning bug.
Words matter. They create worlds. What we say matters; negatively and positively. So if you want to create the world of your dreams, and live the life for which you were created, here are five words you should use every single day, with great boldness and bravado.
- Every single day you should say, “yes.” Knowing what your mission on earth is, having a vision of that mission and specific goals that will get you there, helps you know exactly what you can say “yes” to with a shout. All those things that contribute and move you on toward that goal are good things. You focus on those things and pour your energy into them with a great big “yes.” No hesitation, no worries, no doubts. You simply go with everything you’ve got for your big yeses.
- Every single day you should say, “no.” There are so many things competing for our attention and affection, we have to learn to say, “no.” Sometimes it is the most liberating thing to say. It keeps us from getting entangled in a thousand different good things and allows us to focus our attention on the best things. It keeps us from disappointing those who we’ve said “yes” to but we really meant, “no.”
- Every single day you should say, “please.” Civility, kindness, politeness: these things seem to be on the back burner these days. But they are still important. Please, thank you, kindness, and recognition of those around you every single day will help keep you humble and create goodwill.
- Every single day you should ask, “what?” What should I do at this moment? What’s the best use of this day, my time, my energy and efforts? What can I do to make this better? What can I do to solve the problem? Anything that you can’t define are things that may have your concern, but shouldn’t hold your attention.
- Every single day you should ask, “how?” How do I fix this? How do I get it done? How do I achieve my goals? How do I launch that new business or web site? How do I write the book? How do I create the products that will help people be free from the bondage of their past, their doubts, and their mistakes? How can I help? How can I be a blessing? I’ve learned that any great, compelling “why?” and “what?” will ultimately find its “how?”
Think about the words you are using. These words created the world in which you now find yourself, and will continue to create the world you live in. So, every day say, “yes, no, please, what, and how.”