Transformation

I Can and I Will: The Mantra That Changed My Business and My Life

Alain Mbe
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“Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t – you’re right.”
— Henry Ford

That quote hit me hard the first time I read it. But over time, I internalised it and rewrote it in a way that made it personal — something I could carry into every business challenge, every ambition, and every storm I had to weather. Just four words:

I can and I will.

That’s it. That’s my mantra. I say it to myself more times than I can count. When I wake up tired. When I’m pitching something new. When a plan doesn’t go as expected. When I stare down doubt, delay, or disruption. And especially when I decide to chase a goal so big it scares me.

And the funny thing? It works.

Not because it’s magical. But because it reminds me of something deeper than logic, strategy, or even confidence — it reminds me that my belief shapes my behaviour. And in business, as in life, your belief is the engine that drives everything.

Business Is Not Just About Profit and Loss

People think business is about numbers. But those of us building something real know the truth: business is personal. Business is psychological. Business is emotional.

And sometimes, business is spiritual.

You get knocked down. You doubt yourself. You compare yourself. You run into roadblocks you didn’t expect and costs you didn’t budget for. And yet, you carry on.

Why?

Because something in you still says:
I can and I will.

And that voice, even when it’s whispering, can change everything.

The Most Important Real Estate Is the Space Between Your Ears

I’ve come to believe that the most critical decisions in business are not made on paper or spreadsheets. They’re made in your mind.

When you believe you can do something — even if you don’t yet know how — you behave differently. You try. You persist. You ask for help. You take the meeting. You study. You adapt. You fail forward.

But if you believe you can’t? You don’t even try.

Henry Ford was right: “Either way, you’re right.”

So here’s the switch:

Don’t ask if it’s possible. Start with: “If I believed I could, what would I do?”

Your brain will search for the answer.

And when it finds it, repeat after me:

👉 I can and I will.

From Mantra to Muscle

Let me be clear — “I can and I will” is not empty hype. It’s not a slogan for your screensaver. It’s a discipline. It’s something you practice like reps at the gym.

The more you say it — especially when your hands are shaking or your plans are falling apart — the more you build an internal compass that doesn’t spin out in chaos.

Here’s when this mantra has saved me:

  • When a deal collapsed and I had to start again.
  • When I had zero clarity but had to lead others with vision.
  • When I was afraid to ask for the sale.
  • When I was chasing a bold idea and people didn’t get it (yet).
  • When I had to stretch beyond what I’d done before.

“I can and I will” has become my emotional anchor. It reclaims my agency. It reminds me that failure is not final and that courage isn’t the absence of fear — it’s movement in spite of it.

Bigger Goals Require a Bigger Belief

The higher your ambitions, the more resistance you’ll face — from others, yes, but mostly from within.

The higher your vision, the more you’ll hear that inner critic whispering:

  • “Who are you to do this?”
  • “What if you fail?”
  • “What will people say?”

That’s when your response matters most. That’s when you look that voice in the eye and say:

👉 I can and I will.

Because the truth is, no one is coming to give you permission. No one will hand you your legacy. The bridge between where you are and where you want to be is built from daily choices — made in faith, not fear.

Speak It Until You Believe It

If you’ve made it this far, I want to leave you with something simple, something powerful, something you can say out loud right now.

Take a breath. Straighten your spine. And repeat after me:

👉 I can and I will.

👉 I can and I will.

👉 I CAN and I WILL.

Feel that shift? That’s not motivation. That’s activation.

You don’t need perfect timing. You don’t need more degrees, more followers, or more validation. You need belief. Backed by action. Rooted in a decision.

Because the truth is, you’ve already made it through so much. You’ve overcome more than you give yourself credit for. And you’ve barely scratched the surface of what you’re capable of.

So the next time life pushes back — in business, in relationships, in your own heart — push back with this:

💬 I can and I will.

And then go try your best and prove yourself right!