Home » Ice Chips » Ice Chip #404
  • Ice Chip #404

    Would-a, Could-a, Should-a……

    How many times have you thought of good things coming in a set of three?.

    In the BETTER Word Choice world of Remember the Ice, the first two words in the first line are welcome participants in the process of creating a more empowering message.

    Would: (expressing the conditional mood) indicating the consequence of an imagined event or situation. “I would like to go to the game with you.” Simple request with an anticipatory experience in mind – one that will be enjoyed.

    Could: (past of can) used to indicate possibility.

    Remember:

    As the engine climbed the hill, the mantra was “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can….then cresting – it became: I knew I could, I knew I could, I knew I could.

    The word, would suggests an outcome that will be enjoyed while could, brings us closer to achieving possibilities and celebrating them.

    The last word in the first sentence is, in our opinion, one of the most destructive, debilitating, judgmental and useless words in the lexicographical landscape.

    Should: (the past tense of shall) used as an auxiliary verb to indicate that an action is considered by the speaker to be obligatory.

    Think about the last time you were motivated in a positive way, had a big smile on your face and looked forward to hearing your Mom or Dad, best friend, lover, teacher, boss, tell you: “you should’ve known better.”

    The analysis from the Remember the Ice corner is this: you have NEVER had a magnanimous grateful feeling of joy after being told you “should have” done anything. Being told you have options; “that you could do this or could do that” allows you to have a choice.

    So, as you go into the new year, one that might be wrought with Shoulding all over the place; raise your awareness of this dastardly word and focus on getting rid of it. Sharpen your skill on focusing on what you would like to do, would like to encourage others to do and think about what you could – and CAN – accomplish.

    Empowering Regards,

    Bob

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.