The "IF" Word

">I'll Do cause I believe
I recall as a child being mildly scolded after comingThe strength I need to make the change
home from Kindergarten and telling my mother allIs deep inside of me
about the new word I had learned - the "F" word.I'll Walk where I have crawled
Spray painted across some garage door on the wayI'll Run til I can fly
to school, I guess I thought it sounded like a neatMy wings will fill with winds of change
addition to my vocabulary. Not!The moment I decide
Now, as an adult, there's a word that doesn't quiteThe power of decision
have the same phonetic ring, but sticks out as muchIs the greatest force on earth
as the aforementioned expletive whenever I hear it. It'sOpening the hidden doors
the "IF" word!To all the universe
As human beings, almost all of us have been raised inThe second you discover
the genre of past generations replete with all theThe strength that stirs in you
innocent but self-limiting behavior. And there's no betterYou'll feel your dream within your grasp
word to exemplify these stunting characteristics thanBecause you said - I'll Do
"IF". "IF" only I had done this. "IF" things were justI Will because I can
different now. What the real "F" word is to theI'll Do cause I believe
vocabulary, "IF" is to the spirit!The strength I need to make the change
The mere subconscious mention of this word, andIs deep inside of me
phrases such as "I wish" puts us into that conscienceI'll Walk where I have crawled
state-of-mind where we believe we are powerless.I'll Run til I can fly
Powerless to change what we in fact have theMy wings will fill with winds of change
power to change. Once we believe it, we actThe moment I decide
accordingly and then of course, we becomeThe promise of tomorrow
powerless.Is the vow I make today
Many of you who have read me in the past know thatNew horizons will appear
I don't preach the rhetorical "anything is possible"The moment that I say...
gospel, because only truly reachable things are. I try toI Will because I can
bring a realistic plate to the table. However, I do believeI'll Do cause I believe
and firmly, that our minds and our spirits are infinitelyThe strength I need to make the change
stronger than most of us believe. Taken in the reverseIs deep inside of me
and to the extreme, we can be our own worstI'll Walk where I have crawled
enemies!I'll Run til I can fly
Why? Again, because we have been immersed in theMy wings will fill with winds of change
misguidance of our ancestry. Patterns of learnedThe moment I decide
behavior permeate both our aware and unaware(c)1995 Lauric Songs BMI
beings and sabotage our very existence. Growth isPlease bear in mind that this is a song lyric and as
almost impossible when we believe we can't, or,such does not allow for the extended expression of
believe not to believe.say, an article, however, what is written here is in direct
A few years ago I was involved in the writing andcontrast to thinking, or worse, saying and acting out,
production of a CD of motivational and inspirationalthe "If" word. Or, "I'll try" instead of "I'll do".
music. Called "On My Way", it walked the listenerNot one to heartily subscribe to much of the mental
through many dimensions of personal growth andexercise stuff found in books and on the lecture circuit
"good stuff" for career success. One song that was(after all, we are only human and hate exercise of any
not recorded for the project, was entitled "I Will" and itdescription), my advice is very simple. Whenever you
would be most appropriate for me to share the lyriccatch yourself thinking, or saying the "IF" word - STOP
with you here:IT! Erase that mental blackboard image and rewrite it
I WILLwith an affirmative. Say, for example, "I WILL do this
Sometimes the hardest thingthe next time I am in the same position". Make your
Is simply to decidethinking about that particular situation a valuable and
To make the choice to change your lifepositive lesson leaned.
To change it from insideAs a matter of fact, the biggest favor you can ever
The journey's uneventfuldo for yourself is to change every negative thought
With waters calm and stillinto a proactive one. After all, we are what we think!
Never clear destinationsHey, and every time that you hear the real "F" word,
Until you say - I Willthink of the "IF" word and the fact that it's been
I Will because I canremoved from that garage door.