Can People and Can’t People

“Can” people believe that there is a way to do things that “can’t” people believe can’t be done.

It’s easy to lose customers and opportunities because you believe that you can’t do something that they need done. But the person who will eventually win that customer’s business will be the person who believes that they can do what you believe to be impossible.

“Can” people are resourceful. They fearlessly generate new ideas. “Can” people sell those ideas inside their company. They find collaborators to help strengthen their ideas. Then they work to iterate, trying things to see what they can make work. They believe they are innovating.

“Can’t” people cut them off from ideas by believing that there isn’t a way to do something different, something better. It’s this belief that confines them in an unresourceful state. Instead of finding collaborators, they find commiserators. Instead of working on the idea, they work finding evidence to confirm that what needs to be done is impossible.

The key to creating and winning new opportunities is to create value by solving some problem or challenge your dream client is experiencing or helping them take advantage of some new opportunity. The key to retaining those clients is to create new value for them, never allowing yourself to rest or your laurels and never leaving the new challenges unmet.

It’s better to be a “can” person than a “can’t” person. It is a lot more difficult, but it’s also a lot more fun and more meaningful work.