Think twice before you use the word “can’t” next time. You’ll find it’s very empowering. Sometimes it’s very revealing too. For example, someone who says “I can’t lose weight” might want to reconsider and understand the reality is that they choose not to lose weight. They choose to eat a disproportionate amount of red meats, pasta and cakes, rather than lean proteins, whole grains and leafy greens. In reality, there are very few people who have a medical disorder that literally makes it impossible for them to lose weight by conventional methods.

Are you preventing yourself from being the best you can be and from acquiring new knowledge because you tell yourself, “I can’t afford it”…? One of the most popular reasons people fail is that they don’t invest enough into their arsenal of knowledge. If you’re not reading about your industry each week, keeping abreast of important topics and learning new strategies for success, then you’re not invested in your career. If you’re not invested in your career, you are setting yourself up for mediocrity at best.

You may have heard the old adage “Rich people have big libraries; poor people have big TVs,” but this idea is so true. How much does it cost to download an e-book, go to the library, pick up a few audiobooks or attend a high-profile seminar? As clergyman Austin Phelps once advised, “Wear the old coat and buy the new book.” Investing in your knowledge base pays huge dividends. You must be 100 percent committed to amassing information if you wish to earn the salary you desire.

1. “Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.” –Charles W. Eliot
2. “The man who does not read good books is no better than the man who can’t.” –Mark Twain
3. “There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate’s loot on Treasure Island.”-Walt Disney

Before you are tempted to say you can’t do anything, pick up a book and find out how others have done it. Do a little soul-searching and determine what your hang-ups are, what obstacles lie in your way. You can achieve, but you have to want it bad enough. You have to be willing to make sacrifices to be a success.