When You Think You Can't, Ask: How Can You?

June 3

When You Think You Can't, Ask "How Can You?". Sometimes we dream of owning something that we can't afford. A brand new car. A two-story house with swimming pool, etc... Or you would love to take your family to a vacation outside the country but you can't afford.

The same way, there are some things that we want to do but we "can't". The question is, does "can't" mean never?

Hello, once again my dear readcash family. How are you all doing? I hope you are all doing great.

Have you ever have a dream so big that you can't seem to get it? For example, for several years now, I have been dreaming of owning and drive a Honda CRV. After several years of dreaming to have that car... I'm still dreaming it because I still can't afford it. I checked the Honda website, the 2022 model costs around $28,500. Thats about PHP 1.4 Million.

A couple months ago I started to think I won't be able to afford it anytime soon. So I started looking at the adorable and more affordable alternative. Suzuki's Espreso, which costs only around PHP 500,000 (about $10,000.)

Then again, I thought to myself...

"Is it the right move? Should I lower my goal because I can't seem to hit my original goal?"

Looking Back.

I came from a middle-class family. Both of my parents worked in different government institutions.My mother was a bookkeeper for a government school that is now a state university. My father was a doctor in a government hospital. He planned to start his own private clinic after he retires, unfortunately he passed away a fwe years before his retirement age.

In the Philippines, it's not uncommon for parents to say "We can't afford that." or "We don't have enough money." when their kids wanted to buy something expensive. I guess that phrase stuck in my head. I guess the phrase will get imprinted in our subconscious if we keep on hearing it agan and again.

Lesson From Henry Ford and the V8 Engine.

I remember reading a book on how Henry Ford and his select team of engineers created the V8 engine. 8-Cyclinder engines already existed at that time. But they were huge and expensive. Ford wanted an 8-cyclinder engine fitted on a smaller car. At first, his engineers would report that it was impossible. It was said that Henry Ford would insist to do it anyway. A few months later, the engineers would report the same to Ford, "It is impossible." and Ford would reply the same. True enough, after two years, they came up with the V8 engine that would fit a smaller car and more affordable than Chevrollete's 6-cylinder engine.

(Read: https://www.thehenryford.org/explore/blog/ford-s-game-changing-v-8-engine)

Imagine if after the engineers reported several times that it can't be done and Ford gave up the idea. Perhaps the V8 engine would never had been created. However, Ford keep on insisting that it can be done. And they did.

Instead of Giving Up Find Another Way

Instead of giving up a dream or a goal because it seemed impossible, find another way how to achieve your dreams. The light bulb was a failed experiment that Thomas Edison picked up and continued working on. After failing thousands of times, he insisted that he can do it. So he did.

For several years, I failed to achieve my dreams. But it's because I can never achieve them, I was not just persistent enough and I haven't found the right way yet.

I can't afford to buy the Honda CRV right now, but I know I can find a way how very soon.

In Closing.

If you think you can't... ask yourself how you can. Never give up on your dreams. There will always be a way.

Thanks for reading.

P.S.

Never say "We can't afford it", "We don't have money", or "We are poor" to your children. That will soon stick to their subconscious. Instead, ask them "What are you willing to do to have that it?"

Image Credit:

Lead Image source: Honda.com with modifications\