Success is sweeter when it’s unexpected. Tell me I can’t, and I’ll show you the impossible made real.
There’s something about being told, “you can’t” that just hits different, isn’t there? For some, it’s discouraging—like a weight pulling them down. But for others, it’s the spark that ignites a fire within. In Tell Me I Can’t, Jen Du Plessis talks about this exact feeling, about using that doubt as fuel to make the impossible possible.
When someone tells you, “you can’t,” it’s tempting to believe them, especially if the odds seem stacked against you. But that’s where the magic happens. You get to make a choice: do you accept that as truth, or do you take it as a challenge to push harder and prove that anything is possible? For Jen, and for so many of us who’ve been counted out, the choice is simple—we prove them wrong.
And here’s the thing—success is never easy. It’s messy. It’s full of long nights, quiet sacrifices, and moments of doubt. But when you achieve it, especially when no one expects you to, there’s no feeling quite like it. Jen captures this perfectly in her book. She talks about how those small, unexpected wins become personal victories. When people don’t see it coming, that success feels even sweeter, like you’ve quietly snuck in and claimed something that was meant for you all along.
When people say “you can’t,” they’re not just doubting your ability—they’re trying to put limits on what you can achieve. But in Tell Me I Can’t, Jen reminds us that those limits don’t have to define us. What matters most is how we respond. It’s not about proving them wrong for their sake, but about proving yourself right. It’s about recognizing your own worth, your own potential, and knowing that you’re capable of so much more than others might think.
The journey to success, especially when it’s unexpected, teaches you so much about yourself. It builds resilience, sharpens your focus, and creates a confidence that no one can take from you. That’s why success, when no one else sees it coming, is so rewarding. It wasn’t handed to you—you earned it through your hard work, determination, and refusal to give up.
So next time someone tells you “you can’t,” take it as a challenge. As Jen Du Plessis reminds us in Tell Me I Can’t, the impossible is only impossible until you make it real. Success doesn’t have to come when the world expects it—it’s often even sweeter when it doesn’t.
