What’s the Cost of Should?

Do you let ‘Should’ boss you around, and why is it time to shut it down?

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How often do you think, “I should have done that,” or “I shouldn’t have let that happen?” “I should have exercised yesterday,” “I should have been more productive,” “I could have been more careful,” etc.

Here’s the harsh truth: those “should” thoughts? Those are thieves. They steal your joy. They chain you into a guilt trap. But most of the time, you beat yourself up because of your inner critic working overtime. It keeps haunting you with never-ending “should haves” and “could haves." Often, things were never entirely in your control.

Why are you letting the little “should or could” take over your life?

What is the Cost of “Should”?

Whenever you think, “I could have done the job right,” you add a blanket of guilt that is not deserved. Guilt for a past you can’t change. Maybe you acted your best based on the best information available.

We act like we “should,” which motivates us to improve. But let’s face it — it’s not. Self-blame and self-criticism seem to help us become more productive, but the opposite is true. Self-blame and self-criticism create an endless cycle that traps us and slows our progress.