Feeling stuck? Overwhelmed by a big problem? Not sure what to do? A quick game of “10 Can” might be all you need to get out of your rut.
The best part? You can play it anywhere as long as you’ve got a few minutes, a piece of paper, and something to write with.
Before You Start: What You Need To Play “10 Can”
- (1) Piece of paper — any size is fine. Heck, use a napkin if you want.
- (1) Writing utensil of your choice — pen, pencil, crayola crayon are all good.
- (10) Minutes to focus.
- (1) Person — but you can definitely do this with a spouse, friend, or even a group of coworkers.
The Goal of 10 Can:
10 Can is designed to get you to stop thinking about a problem — aka “I can’t” — and to quickly identify things in your life that you CAN do.
It’s an awesome game to play any time you’re:
- Feeling stuck on something.
- Trying to solve a problem.
- Feeling bored or in a rut.
The Rules: How to play 10 Can
- Grab a pen and paper — your phone is fine, but there’s some extra magic that comes with the physicality of writing.
- At the top of the page, write down your problem or situation in one sentence.
- Then, make a list of 10 things you can do, each starting with “I can…”
- Finally, review each item and see what comes to mind. Are there patterns? Are you making harmful assumptions? Ask, why did I write this down? Or, why not? Are you starting to see a whole list of actions you can take?
How does this help me get out of a rut?
When you get bogged down by problems or a feeling of helplessness — aka “I can’t” — you can forget that progress is fueled by lots of little actions. So, 10 Can is designed to get you thinking about actions — aka what can you do?
Because in any situation, there are always things you can do. And by writing them down over and over, you force yourself to practice thinking in terms of “I can” (action, progress, happy) vs. “I can’t” (apathy, inaction, sad).
Of course, simply writing things down might not fix anything. But, your “10 Cans” will help you identify places to start, where you have more options than you thought, or what you need to ask for help with — all of which can be the kickstart you need to get moving.
When Should You Play 10 Can?
10 Can is an awesome game to play any time you’re feeling stuck on something. Here are a few situations to get your brain going:
- If you’re stuck on a problem — write out what you can do around the problem.
- If you’re stuck in general — write out what you’ve learned to do in your life.
- If you’re looking for something to do — write what you can do right now.
An Example Game of “10 Can”: Your Job Sucks
Let’s say your job is crushing you, but you don’t think you can quit. First, write your problem statement…
“I can’t figure out how to quit my job and I don’t have the bandwidth to look for a new one.”
Now, what can you do? Write down your “10 Cans”…
1) I can look at new job titles.
2) I can write down a list of things I don’t like about my job.
3) I can walk.
4) I can go for a walk in the middle of the day.
5) I can quit my job.
6) I can write down a list of things I like about my job.
7) I can make a list of expenses I have.
8) I can save money so I can feel more comfortable quitting.
9) I can stop complaining about my job and feel grateful.
10) I can look for ways to change my current job.
Some are super simple, like looking at job titles — what do you want to do? Some challenge your assumptions — why can’t you quit? Money? Fear? What if you made those problems go away? Now what?
And some can just be stuff to be grateful for — it never hurts to have a little perspective.
Of course, your list will be unique to you, but if you focus on “I can…” I guarantee it will be filled with ideas for you to take action.
And in my experience, “I can” is the best way to feel excited, confident, and in control.
Summary
- When you’re stuck or overwhelmed you feel sad because you don’t know what to do.
- Taking action — sometimes any action — is a great way to feel happier and more in control.
- 10 Can is a great game to help you remember or discover things you can do instead of focusing on “I can’t”.
- To play 10 Can, you only need a pen, paper, and 10 minutes.
ACTION STEP: Play a game of “10 Cans” right now! Pick anything that’s stuck in your brain. It can be big, “I hate my job. What do I do?” Or, silly, “I’m bored with my living room. I want to make it better.” Or, tasty, “I don’t know what to do for lunch today.”
The point is to practice thinking in terms of “I can.” You’ll find that the more you play the game, the better you’ll get — and the more natural it’ll feel to think this way.
Good luck! Happy practicing. And remember…
Don’t quit. Make it easy.
