Might, Can & Will: Three Words for Building Momentum

The students eagerly handed in their two lists.

They had spent hours working on them, filling the first with all the things they might do to bring their vision to life and the second with all the things they knew they could do.

Whereas the first list was filled with seemingly lofty yet worthy goals for the way their life might be, the second was far more realistic, filled instead with an honest assessment of their current capabilities.

The students held their breath in anticipation as the teacher picked up the second list first—and were stunned when they watched her tear it into pieces and throw it away without even looking at it!

The blatant disregard for their effort was a shock! But they quickly understood the lesson: the second list was merely a crutch filled with excuses for not seeking what really matters most to them.

Without saying a word, the teacher then picked up the first list, yet once again, without even looking at it, tore it to pieces and threw it away.

This time the lesson was not as forthcoming and the students simply stared in disbelief wondering what the point was of writing these two lists.

It all became clear, however, when the teacher finally spoke:

“What you want to do and what you can do no longer matter. All that truly matters is what you will do.”

Building Momentum

This vignette[1] highlights how regardless of your desires and regardless of your abilities, nothing will happen until you make the commitment to use your capacity as a force for good to bring forth the progress you seek to create.

In other words, it doesn’t matter what you want to do and it doesn’t matter what you can do; all that truly matters to you, your community, and the people you serve, is what you actually do with these desires and abilities.

In my work as a positivity coach and facilitator, there are three key words I use to encourage clients to build momentum as a force for good: Might, Can, and Will.

What follows is a brief explanation for what these words mean and why they’re important:

1. Might (aka Vision)

Might is an inspiring[2] word, engaging you to reflect on the things you might do to bring about a vision for how things might be. This word sparks momentum because it’s not bound by the limitations of past success and is instead free to envision new possibilities for what you might do moving forward—regardless of what you think you’re currently capable of.

2. Can (aka Ability)

Can is a motivating[3] word, empowering you with an honest assessment of your current abilities—including knowledge, skills, resources, support, and opportunities. This word fuels momentum because it focuses on the real and tangible things you know you can do, motivating you with reasonable confidence that if you act, you will achieve a desirable result.

After all, what you can do is what brought you to where you are today—and considering everything you’ve done up until this moment you are exactly where you should be. That’s an encouraging thought! However, the same things that brought you here will not be the same things that bring you to where you might be, because in order to have what you have never had you must be willing to do what you have never done.

3. Will (aka Commitment)

Will is an affirming[4] word, encouraging your commitment for using your capacity through constructive action to bring about your vision for how things might be. This word builds momentum because it rewards action rather than an endless loop of hemming and hawing disguised as reflecting and deciding. Reflecting and deciding both have a valuable place in the process, but they become useless when that’s all you do.

At the same time, it’s also important to keep commitments in perspective with a focus on the process rather than on a singular outcome. There are no guarantees things will work out exactly as planned, but if you commit to the process with an open mind then what it will offer is an enhanced capacity for moving further down the path with clarity, confidence, courage, and joy.

Reflection

1. What might you do?
2. What can you do?
3. What will you do?

Final Thoughts

Regardless of your vision and abilities, nothing will happen unless you make the commitment to follow through. And while people follow through with commitments every day, these commitments are not always constructive—and can perhaps be best described as destructive habits, limiting beliefs, or stagnant skills.

If you or the people you lead find yourselves staring for too long at the lists of what you might and can do, then perhaps today is the day for you to tear up those lists and make a new list of what you will actually commit and follow through with, encouraged to use your capacity as a force for good in bringing forth the future you wish to create.

Want More?

Jonas Cain, M.Ed. is a storyteller, magician, musician, and facilitator of fascination. Through his company, Hashtag Positivity, he engages, empowers, and encourages individuals, teams, and communities to experience abiding joy—at work, at home, and wherever life takes you. Connect with Jonas today to discuss your challenges, goals, and obstacles: jonas@hashtagpositivity.com

[1] This vignette is a variation of a story the author Scott Blum tells in his story of “The Two Lists.” The story is about an experience with his real-life mentor, Robert, who taught him: “What you SHOULD or COULD do with your life no longer matters. The only thing that matters, from this day forward, is what you MUST do.”  His teacher then revealed a third list with “a single word floating in the middle of the white page: Love.”

[2] Without inspiration, vision remains out of reach.

[3] Without motivation, progress is held back.

[4] Without affirmation, the will to carry on becomes diminished.