Eliminate Negative Words - Timidness

Words: "try", "might", "could", "would", "wish", "maybe", "guess"

When one places "I" or "I'll" in front of these words, they became very shaky statements. Every one of them leaves room for one to escape with an excuse. "I'll try, but..." "I could do that for you..." "I might complete it...". Even though these statements aren't overtly negative, they can still be confidence killers and excuse builders. If you tell me that you'll "try", it provides wiggle room for you to fail and for me to be disappointed. What you are achieving when you speak like this is an opportunity for the person you spoke with not to have much faith in you. And the crazy thing is that you desired it! You wanted that person to question your ability because it makes you less responsible to the commitment. If you were sure, you would have said, "I will do it." No qualifier, no clause, "I will do it."

Think about how different your statements would be without these words. Think about how much more accountable you would have to be to the people you address. "I might go." --> "I'll go." "I wish I could finish that assignment." --> "I can finish that assignment." See how different things become? See how much more confidence you portray when you simply take out those timid words?

I know, I know, you want to remain comfortable. You want to be able to back out of the commitment without feeling bad because you never REALLY said that you would do it.

Stop. You are portraying an attitude that guarantees nothing, an attitude that's not reliable, an attitude of a person afraid to be counted on. Be better than that.