Is "Can't" Holding You Back?

Dear Uncommon Leaders, 

How has your mindset been shaping your week?

This week, challenge yourself to look beyond the word “can't.” Sometimes, the first step toward something uncommon is simply deciding that you MUST find a way.

Have a great week, Leaders!

This Week's Question: 

How often does the word “can't” prevent you from pursuing a goal or getting through a challenge?

This Week's Challenge: 

I recently read an inspiring article about Eva Steinwald, a 64-year-old woman who climbed Mount Everest and is now pursuing the Seven Summits—climbing the highest mountain on each of the seven continents.

After losing her husband of 26 years, Eva set out on a journey to rediscover herself. That journey eventually led her to some of the world's most challenging mountains.

Along the way, she experienced setbacks, failures, and moments when her mind told her she couldn't go any further.

During one particularly difficult climb, she developed a simple but powerful mantra:

CAN'T. MUST. DID.

When her mind screamed “CAN'T,” she responded with “MUST.”

And that commitment eventually led to “DID.”

Wow! I don't know about you, but that hit me.

How often does a weak “can't” derail our progress?

Maybe it sounds something like this:

“I'd love to pursue that goal, but I can't because I'm too old, too busy, too inexperienced, or just not capable.”

What if we challenged that thinking?

What if we replaced “can't” with a commitment to figure out how?

Your challenge this week:

Identify one area where “can't” has been holding you back.

Maybe it's running a marathon, paying off debt, making a career change, or tackling something you've been putting off.

Turn that CAN'T into a MUST.

Then start doing the work that will eventually lead to DID.

Of course, not every goal is possible or worth pursuing. But let's make sure we're not allowing fear, doubt, or limiting beliefs to make that decision for us.

I'd love to hear some of your DID stories!

Have a great week.

We MUST go be Uncommon!

This Week's Quote to Ponder: 

“CAN'T is a belief that can hold you back. MUST is the decision to commit and do the work. DID is the life shaped by that decision.”

- Eva Steinwald, People, October 11, 2026

You can learn more about Eva's remarkable journey in this People magazine article.

Until next week,

LET'S GO BE UNCOMMON!

W. Kevin Harrison

Founder and Executive Coach

Uncommon Influence