The Most Dangerous Word in Your Vocabulary Might Be "Should"

How many times have you said the word should today?

I should work later.

I should have this figured out by now.

I should be a better parent.

I should make everyone happy.

I should be further ahead.

Most of us never stop to question that word. We simply accept it as truth.

But lately, I've been asking myself a different question.

Who taught me that?

Not because I have all the answers.

I don't.

But because I've realized that many of the beliefs guiding my life weren't consciously chosen. They were inherited.

Some came from my family.

Some came from the workplace.

Some came from the expectations I placed on myself.

Over time, those expectations became so familiar that I stopped recognizing them as beliefs. They simply became the way I lived.

I worked harder than I needed to.

I measured my worth by my performance.

I believed that if I accomplished enough, worked long enough, or became indispensable enough, I'd finally feel like I belonged.

Looking back, I can see that achievement and worth are not the same thing.

Achievement says, "I accomplished something."

Worth says, "I matter."

One can never replace the other.

That's one of the reasons I started Hardtack Strategies.

Not because I've figured life out.

But because I finally started asking better questions.

This week, I'd encourage you to pay attention to every time you hear yourself say should.

When you do, pause for a moment and ask:

Who taught me that?

Don't rush to answer.

Just notice.

Sometimes awareness is the beginning of wisdom.

At Hardtack Strategies, we believe meaningful leadership begins with self-awareness. Before we can lead others well, we have to understand the beliefs, assumptions, and expectations that shape the decisions we make every day.

It's why our philosophy is simple:

Stand Tall. Lead Forward. Build to Last.

Stand tall by recognizing that your worth isn't something you have to earn.

Lead forward by making intentional decisions rooted in your values instead of your fears.

Build to last by creating a life, career, and legacy that reflect who you are—not just what you've accomplished.

The work doesn't begin when you have all the answers.

It begins the moment you're willing to ask a better question.