Why "I Can Do It" Always Beats "I Can't Do It"

"You're going to fail your thesis."

That's what the voice in my head kept saying in April 2017 as I stared at my computer screen, stuck and doubting everything.

I was done... cooked… My last resort? Call Mom.

"Hey, Mom, I'm completely stuck with my bachelor's thesis. I've been writing for months and getting nowhere. The deadline is getting closer, and I seriously doubt I can finish this on time. Nothing seems to work. I'm thinking about giving up."

After carefully listening to my mental breakdown, she had one single piece of advice. To stop whatever I was doing and read "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne.

"Read it and you will find a way," she told me with absolute conviction.

Sceptical but desperate, I downloaded the audiobook and listened to it for 2 days straight. Those 48 hours changed my life and became the starting point of my active self-development journey.

Here's what I found out:

When you truly believe something can be done, your mind automatically goes to work finding ways to do it.

So I turned wishful thinking into belief. I started by believing I could write a few sentences and imagining how I'd feel after writing just 2 pages that day. The act of starting created its momentum (as you know from the previous newsletter). I found clarity and focus that had been missing for months.

Six weeks later, I had completed my thesis.

But this wasn't just about saving my thesis. I'd stumbled onto something way bigger. How our brains actually create solutions or create excuses, depending entirely on what we believe.

It's the difference between people who make things happen and people who wonder why things never work out for them.

And once you see this mental pattern, you'll spot it working for or against you in literally every area of your life.

There are two self-fulfilling cycles: the belief cycle and the doubt cycle. Most people ride the doubt cycle, wondering why they're stuck. But NOT in the WeWill+ house! We are riding the belief cycle. Let's dive further in.

The Two Self-Fulfilling Cycles

Your brain follows one of two paths right now, whether you realize it or not.

The Doubt Cycle:

1. You don't believe you can do something

2. Your attention focuses on obstacles

3. You hesitate or take half-hearted actions

4. You get minimal results

5. This reinforces your doubt

6. Repeat, while wondering why nothing works

The Belief Cycle:

1. You believe you can find a way

2. Your attention focuses on possibilities

3. You take decisive action

4. You get at least partial results

5. This reinforces your belief

6. Momentum builds naturally

Look around at your friends and family (I know I used this phrase last week but c'mon, let's make it as relatable as possible).

It's actually really easy to spot these two types of people, isn't it? We all know that person who has a ready made excuse for why something won't work before they've even tried. "The economy is terrible." "There is no way I can save 40% of my income." "There is so much competition there is no way to succeed in that area."

Meanwhile, someone else with fewer advantages is out there crushing it.

The difference isn't resources, intelligence, or luck. It's this simple mental switch.

A Practical Framework: How to Actually Use This

Let's get something straight: most people mix up "believing" with "magical thinking" as if just closing your eyes and wishing hard enough will manifest a brand new Xiaomi car in your driveway.

That's not what we're talking about.

The real choice isn't between:

• Being "realistic" (which really means being negative)

and

• Being delusional and disappointed

The actual choice is between:

• A mindset that activates your problem-solving superpowers

and

• A mindset that shuts them down faster than an Austrian government office at 2 pm on Friday.

I'm not suggesting you believe you can become a billionaire overnight with zero effort. I'm suggesting you believe that if financial freedom matters enough to you, you can find a way, whether that means learning new skills, starting a side business, gradually increasing your savings rate, or finding creative ways to earn more.

This isn't mystical. It's practical.

Belief compounds just like money in an investment account. Each small success provides evidence for your brain to build upon. Before long, you're automatically thinking in terms of solutions rather than problems.

The beauty is that once you start riding the belief cycle in one area of your life, it becomes easier to apply it everywhere else.

So pick one thing you've been telling yourself you can't do. For just one week, experiment with believing you can find a way. Not that it will be easy, just that a path exists and you can discover it.

Then watch how your mind shifts from finding excuses to finding solutions.

That 's it for today! Thank you for reading and especially to everyone who engaged with comments on the last letter, it was pretty sick experience for me. I'd love to hear about your experiences with this topic. Have you seen the belief/doubt cycles playing out in your own life? Drop a comment below and let me know your thoughts!