Like so many of my other articles, I take inspiration from YouTube sensation, Casey Neistat. While you may not be a frequent YouTube fanatic, you may have seen him in the most recent Samsung commercial entitled “Do What You Can’t.” While this commercial is focused on YouTube stars that have accomplished more than they had ever anticipated, this message is relevant at so many deeper levels.
How many times have you been told that you can’t? And how many times have you proven people wrong because that motivation of those words is just enough to push you to do exactly what they’re saying you can’t?
Take my major for example. Architecture. While I consider this one of the best choices I have ever made in my life personally, it is one that has been doubted a countless amount of times. “Are you sure you’re ready for architecture school?” “Do you think you’ll really be able to handle all nighters every week?” “You won’t make any money.” “Good luck getting a job out of college.” While all of these thoughts have undoubtedly crossed my mind at some point, they were never big enough red flags for me that stopped me from perusing this dream of mine. That’s right- this dream is mine. And that’s why I’m doing what I can’t.
Unfortunately in life there will always be people telling you “you can’t,” that you must compromise, or even settle. Although you may be tempted to listen to them, these people should act as your biggest motivators to never settle. Do not listen to them. While we will all be faced with so many of these types of people, there will also be those who tell you to never settle, and these are the people that you must keep close, as they are the ones who will make your life worthwhile.
If we spend every day doing a little more of what we can’t, we are fighting the system. We are fighting the system that has been setup to take us down, but we are millennials and we never settle. Work hard for what you want, and for what you’ve been told that you cannot do. There is no greater feeling than perusing a dream, especially when the road to achieving it may have been rocky and steep.
You will be told again and again that “you can’t,” but the truth is, you can do anything you set your mind to. Let’s prove them wrong.
"Then... the rest is history."
