Try - How That One Simple Word Can Disempower You

I am sure you have heard someone say: Well, I tried.

To TRY is a cop-out. It's an escape hatch. Try is one word that I would like you to remove from your vocabulary, unless you are talking about a legal trial.

When we promise to do something by saying that we'll try, we're setting ourselves up for failure. Listen to news reports or the speeches of politicians. They are rife with that word. Here are some examples that I found in the news in just ten minutes. Remove the word try and see how much more powerful and meaningful each sentences is.

• We try to provide you with useful information to help you
• Understaffed paramedics try to pressure council.
• Family hires detective to try to clear son's name.
• When you try to use a Windows Vista-based computer behind a firewall device...
• Government agencies are trying to get prepared for future disasters.
• The authorities are trying to move people to a safer place.
• We are trying to assess the damage.

Be prepared to put your reputation on the line. Instead of using that word, say: "I'll do my best…" Can you feel the difference?

Do or do not; there is no try.
- Yoda to Luke in Star Wars

You cannot try to do things.
You simply must do things.
- Author Ray Bradbury