I Want To, But I Can't

There are many things that I want, but I cannot do it. It isn’t that I have limits, nor is there anyone or anything that is standing in my way. For some reason that I cannot put my finger on, my mind simply holds me back from doing what I really want.

Surely this has happened to you on more than one occasion. Situations where you want to do something, but for some reason, you cannot. We all know that it is not true that where there is a will, there is a way, but what is happening inside you? What is stopping you from fighting for what you want?

The trap of “I want to but I can’t”

Sometimes we push ourselves into a trap that we are not fully aware of. We want something that we are not going to get, no matter how much we want it. This is because we want to achieve goals that are found outside of our reach. Some examples would be:

• I want to be a great singer, but I do not have a good voice nor the personality for it.
• I want to be a gymnast, but I have absolutely no flexibility.
• I want to be a ballerina, but my coordination…
• I want to dance, but I cannot because I have no talent for it.

There are many things that we want to do, but sometimes we do not have the qualities necessary to achieve them. How can you want to be a great singer if you do not know how to harmonize? Sometimes we dream about realities that are not realistic. This is a trap.

The problem with the trap of “I want to but I can’t” is that we sometimes want to achieve things “by magic.” Without making an effort, you will not reach your goals. Without work, you will not obtain that fortune that you so long for. Nothing comes easy.

The illusion of “I can’t” and the reality of “I don’t want to”

Another circumstance that can come up is that we want to obtain something, but we get frustrated and we do not stop telling ourselves that we cannot do it, when the fact of the matter is we do not want to do it. This may seem contradictory, but if we really do not want to do something, why do we trick ourselves into thinking we cannot do it?

Sometimes this happens because there are people who expect certain results from us. Other times it is simply that we do not have the willpower . Unless you are in the trap of “I want to but I can’t” because you really cannot achieve your dream, everything can be obtained if you want it. But you have to be firm in your decision.

You insist on saying that you cannot finish a task, a degree, a goal, when deep down inside, you really do not want to do it. You are lying to yourself. Or maybe you do not know who you are?

You can do it, but you are afraid

If you have skills and abilities to achieve a dream that you can make a reality, if you really want to do it but it is a struggle, if you find yourself blocked and paralyzed, you are probably afraid. Sometimes achieving our dreams puts a lot of pressure on us and brings out many fears that we did not think we would experience. This is normal.

Imagine that you want to be a great singer, but suddenly you find that you have to face an audience. You wanted to sing, but you never thought about the possibility that you would be observed. It is totally normal for you to feel afraid when you are so focused on improving your skills and achieving what you want that you forget everything that is involved in this. Do not worry, use that fear to push you ahead.

Fear is an essential part of achieving everything that you set out to do. It probably paralyzes you, but you have to be strong, think about your dream, look it in the eyes, and do what you set out to do. You can handle your fears, use them to give yourself the necessary push to overcome challenges.

We have all gone through “I want to, but I can’t,” though we have to know how to identify these situations. First, is it something that I can really do? Second, do I really want it or am I fooling myself? Third, fear will not stop me from achieving what I really want to do.