This 2-Word Phrase Can Change Everything

There are a few versions of this video going around.  Perhaps you’ve seen one.

Interviewer:   “If I gave you $10 million dollars, how would you feel?” or “If I gave you $10 million dollars, would you take it?”

The guests all reply with feelings of gratitude and “of course I’d take it“.

Then the interviewer hits them with the catch, “You can take the money, but you can’t wake up tomorrow.  Do you still want it?”

And everyone responds the same way… “No“.  Conclusion? Waking up tomorrow has more value than $10 million in cash.

While the concept may seem a bit simplistic at first, it has a value worth considering.  And that is, when we no longer get to do or experience something, we value it differently.

HAVE TO vs GET TO

I have to get up early tomorrow.
I have to go to the gym.
I have to go shovel the snow off the driveway.

I have to clean the house.
I have to go to school.
I have to cook dinner.

Saying we HAVE TO do something puts us in a position where we are OUT of control.  These things are happening to us.  It isn’t our choice.  And some of the time, maybe it isn’t our choice.  Perhaps it was a choice that was made for us, or perhaps we made a choice in the past that led to this moment.  Either way, there’s a reality we have to deal with.  Or rather, there’s a reality we GET TO deal with.

Saying we GET TO do something puts us IN control.  We are taking the action.  We are embracing gratitude.  We are accepting that responsibility with a helpful and healthy mindset.

I use this practice when I have to go shovel my driveway, particularly when it’s the wet, heavy stuff.  I think about how I would feel if I was unable to go outside and shovel, and I had to watch someone else do it for me.  Maybe I’m injured or maybe I’m just too old and the risk is too great.  Would I be grateful for that person and their help?  Of course!  Would I rather be out there doing it myself?  Absolutely!

How would I feel if this thing I’m about to do was no longer an option for me?  To be honest, the first thing I feel is sadness because of the loss in this version of reality.  But my next feelings are gratitude, motivation, and appreciation.  The cold doesn’t bother me as much, and I appreciate the full-body workout it provides.  I GET TO shovel the driveway.  I put on some music or a podcast and get to it.

What are the things in your life that a GET TO would serve you better than a HAVE TO?