Have you ever been put off by someone who uses the phrases:

I don't do that!

I can't do that!

I won't do that!

All, of these exclamations sound negative, right?

If you monitor your communications with other people, as well as tune into that small voice that's always commenting from inside your brain, I'll bet these statements pop up with surprising frequency.

Every one is insistent, categorical, and a generalization. Moreover, and most important, every one is negative and it springs from what might be called, "impossibility thinking.”

If you think I'm overstating the significance of these phrases, let's put them into context.

Let's say you're calling your bank for customer service, and after making a request of the representative she flatly responds:

"We don't do that!” or "We can't do that!” or "We won't do that!”

What is your knee jerk reaction?

You're likely to think, "Oh, yes you can!”

And you're probably stinging from what you think is a flat-out rejection of your request and a showing of incredible insensitivity on the part of the representative.

So, the next time you catch yourself uttering one of these phrases aloud or silently, hold it right there.

Ask yourself if you're over-generalizing and if there just might be a way to do the impossible!