"Whether You Think You Can Or Think You Can't, You're Right."

In this episode of WORDS MATTER, Deanna Ley, The Catalytic Coach, continues her self-confidence series by diving into the power of belief. Inspired by Henry Ford’s iconic quote—"Whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're right."—this episode explores how our thoughts shape our reality, drive our actions, and ultimately determine our success.

Deanna unpacks the science behind mindset, discussing negativity bias, confirmation bias, and how past experiences have shaped our limiting beliefs. But the good news? Those beliefs can be rewritten. This episode offers practical, actionable steps to shift from an I CAN’T mindset to one of I CAN, setting the foundation for self-confidence that leads to action.

What Listeners Will Learn:

• Why your beliefs shape your reality
• How negativity bias and confirmation bias reinforce self-doubt
• The impact of carrying old limiting beliefs—and how to let them go
• How to actively rewire your brain to believe in your own capabilities
• A powerful I CAN exercise to shift limiting beliefs into possibilities

Memorable Quotes:

• "Whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're right." – Henry Ford
• "Your thoughts shape your reality. If you believe YOU CAN’T, you might not even try. But if you believe YOU CAN, you start looking for ways to make it Possible."
• "Just because you’ve been carrying it doesn’t mean it belongs to you. And just because you’ve collected it doesn’t mean you have to keep it. GET RID OF IT!"
• "Negativity bias keeps us stuck in the I CAN'T mindset because it makes us believe that our failures are bigger, more significant, and more defining than they actually are."
• "Your brain will find proof of whatever you tell it to look for."
• "What we believe is what comes to be."
• "Confidence isn’t built in your head—it’s built in action."
• "Implementation leads to transformation."

This episode inspires listeners to challenge their limiting beliefs, rewire their thought patterns, and take the first step toward proving to themselves that they CAN.

To read more about Deanna's journey and join her thriving community, visit https://deannaley.com.

Your

Transcript

Hey there, hi, and hello! Welcome back to another episode of WORDS MATTER. If you've been following along, you know that we just kicked off a brand-new series on self-confidence—one that has the power to change how you see yourself, how you show up, and how you move through life.

Last week, we laid the foundation. We talked about how confidence isn’t just something you’re born with—it’s something that you build. One choice at a time. One action at a time. One promise kept to yourself at a time.

If you missed that episode, go back and listen because it sets the stage for everything we’re diving into next.

And today, we take that first step— I CAN.

Which brings us to today’s quote:

“Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.”

This quote by Henry Ford has been around a long time, but it holds just as much power today as it did when it was first spoken.

Because at its core, it’s about the beliefs we carry about ourselves—beliefs that either push us forward or keep us stuck.

Your thoughts shape your reality.

If you believe YOU CAN'T do something, you might not even try. And if you don’t try, you don’t build the skills, the habits, or the experience to make it happen. But if you believe YOU CAN, you start looking for ways to make it Possible. You take action, push through challenges, and ultimately, you succeed—not because of luck, but because of belief.

And this is where confidence begins—not in the outcome, but in the belief that you are capable.

Most of us have been carrying the heavy weight of I CAN’T beliefs for years, maybe even decades.

Where do they come from?

For many of us, it starts in childhood. Maybe a teacher, a parent, or a coach made an offhand comment that stuck with you. Maybe you struggled with something early on, and instead of seeing it as a skill to develop, you decided it was just something you weren’t good at.

Or maybe, over time, you’ve become a Junk Collector—gathering every doubt, every criticism, every offhand remark, and storing them away as if they were the truth. You’ve collected old failures, past mistakes, things people said about you that were never yours to carry.

And your brain has turned them into evidence that you aren’t capable.

But here’s the truth… Just because you’ve been carrying it doesn’t mean it belongs to you.
Just because you’ve collected it doesn’t mean you have to keep it.

GET RID OF IT.

Toss it out like the garbage that it is—because that’s all it ever was. JUNK. Weighing you down. Keeping you stuck. Convincing you that you can’t when the truth is...

You CAN.

This is exactly what Negativity Bias is about. We talked about this in the "Comparison Is The Thief Of Joy" episode—how our brains are wired to focus more on the negative than the positive.

If you get ten compliments and one critique, what do you remember? Yep—the critique. If you succeed at something nine times but mess up once, what does your brain lock onto? The one failure.

Negativity Bias keeps us stuck in the I CAN’T mindset because it makes us believe that our failures are bigger, more significant, and more defining than they actually are.

But it’s not just Negativity Bias that keeps us in this cycle—it’s also Confirmation Bias.

Your brain is always looking for proof of what it already believes to be true.

If you believe you’re unorganized, your brain will scan your experiences to find evidence that supports that belief. You’ll remember every time you lost your keys, forgot an appointment, or felt overwhelmed by your to-do list.

But what happens when you flip that belief?

If you start telling yourself, “I CAN be more organized,” your brain will start looking for proof of that instead. You’ll remember the times you made a list, followed through, planned ahead, or stayed on top of things—even in small ways.

Your brain will find proof of whatever you tell it to look for.

This is exactly why today’s second quote fits so powerfully into this conversation:

"Your beliefs become your thoughts.
Your thoughts become your words.
Your words become your actions.
Your actions become your habits.
Your habits become your values.
And your values become your destiny."
—Mahatma Gandhi

Think about that for a second.

Your beliefs—what you say is possible for yourself—become your thoughts.
Those thoughts shape the words you speak—whether internally or out loud.
Those words drive your actions.
Your actions become your habits.
Your habits become your values.
And your values shape your destiny.

If you’ve been struggling with confidence—if you’ve been feeling like success, fulfillment, or happiness are just out of reach—go back to the root.

What do you believe about yourself?

Because if your core belief is I CAN’T, then friend, you’re stuck before you even start.

Every time you hear yourself say I CAN’T, immediately follow it with:

But what if I CAN?

What if you’re actually more capable than you think? What if you’ve been telling yourself a false story all these years?

Instead of imagining all the ways you might fail, imagine all the ways you might succeed.

Close your eyes for a second. No, seriously—unless you’re driving, do it.

Now picture the You who CAN.

See yourself standing taller, walking with confidence, speaking with certainty. See yourself stepping into challenges—not with fear, but with belief. See yourself already having achieved that dream, that goal, that desire.

What does that feel like?
What does that look like?
What does it sound like?

Right now, grab a sheet of paper. Pick one area of your life where you’ve been saying, I CAN’T.

Write it at the top of that page.

Now, let’s shift it. Challenge it. Rewrite it.

What would change in your life today if you truly believed you could?
How would your choices be different?
What opportunities might open up that you’ve been blind to because of your patterns of believing I CAN’T?

Now look at the I CAN’T at the top of your page and cross it out.

That’s right! And over it, in big, bold letters, write: I CAN.

Then list three reasons why it is possible for you—not why it’s easy, just why it’s possible.

And finally, list one small step you can take today to prove it to yourself—and then go do it.

Because confidence isn’t built in your head. It’s built in action.

So don’t wait—take that first step.

"Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right."

So why not choose to be right about what’s possible?

Friends, the words we see and read, the words we hear, and the words we say to ourselves—they all matter.

Your WORDS MATTER, because YOU MATTER.

I’ll see you next week as we move into the next phase of confidence-building—I WILL.

Until then, go prove yourself right—that YOU CAN. Because you’re worth it.

Have a great day.