Never say, "I Should."

The phrase: "I should" makes you less likely to do that thing you "should" do.

“Should” creates resistance. Inherent in the word is the implication that you don't want to do what needs doing. "I should get to work," is attached to an unspoken, "but I'd rather watch Netflix." You're acknowledging the right thing to do while simultaneously building a little wall in front of it. It's subtle, but suddenly it takes a bit more willpower to get going.

“Should” implies that you don’t HAVE to do something. You recognize it’s important, but it’s optional—at least for the time being.

“Should” muddies the connection between the thing right in front of you and the bigger picture. It leaves things vague enough for you to ignore tasks and procrastinate without outright saying “I don’t care about this goal.”

To avoid the pitfalls of “should:” explore context, get specific, and use “must” instead.

Walk backwards from your bigger goals to figure out why something is important, and why it must be done now.

So: instead of “I should write today,” it’s: “If I want to finish this story by the end of 2020, I MUST write 500 words per day for the next fifty days. I don’t have time to write 1,000 tomorrow, so I MUST get today’s in.”

Shall we go deeper?

“Should” is a tool used by our critic/ego/snake to prevent us from doing the things that matter most. It seems innocuous—which makes it dangerous. That part of our mind that holds us back is deft at using subtle techniques for gaining an edge. If we can’t see what it’s doing, we won’t know why we’re stuck, and we won’t know how to get moving.

Words are powerful. Don’t ignore their power to sway your internal battles. Be deliberate in how you speak to yourself.