If I could permanently ban one word from general usage, it might be “try.”
Not because trying is bad — it isn’t. But the way I grew up hearing it, “try” started to mean “attempt… and if it doesn’t work, oh well.” It can turn into a soft landing. A way to give yourself permission to stop early.
I grew up around a lot of try this, try that, and I think it meant well — but sometimes what people really needed to hear was:
Do your best. Give your absolute best.
One feels like just enough energy.
The other feels like all the energy you can give today.
Maybe I’m wrong. But to me, “try” can become a vibe of half-commitment — and I’m trying to build a life where my effort is the one thing I don’t negotiate.
Reader question: What word do you think people hide behind — and what would you replace it with?
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