The Most Valuable Filipino Proverb

Tagalog Version (Click Here)

Ok, this might not be “the most valuable”, but if there’s one Filipino proverb that I love, it’s this: “Kapag gusto, maraming paraan; kapag ayaw, maraming dahilan.” If you want something, you’ll find many ways to achieve it. If you don’t really want it, you’ll find many excuses. That lesson is the first step to possibility thinking, and learning to apply it is key to achieving more in life. Keep reading to learn why.

The Most Valuable Filipino Proverb

1. It helps you set goals.

Ben Stein once said, “the indispensable first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: decide what you want.” It’s common sense, but not a lot of people understand it.

Think of it this way. What do you want to have 10, 20, or 30 years from now? Do you want to get promoted to a high position? Earn a nice salary? Have a big house? Start a family? Have your children graduate from top universities? Start a business?

Have you ever thought about the specifics, when you’ll want them done, and HOW? How much money do you want to earn? What position do you want? Branch manager? Executive? How many rooms do you want your house to have? What kind of family life do you want? Where do you want to send your children to school and have you planned for their commute and tuition fees? What kind of business do you want to start? When do you want to accomplish all of this?

Having a lot of hopes and dreams is nice and all, but unless you set them as your goals they’ll be nothing more than pipe dreams. Unless you set the specifics and a deadline, you probably won’t get anything done as you’ll be too busy absentmindedly doing the daily grind.

2. It teaches you possibility thinking.

Once you decide what you want (and when you want it), the first part of the proverb comes into play. If you want something, there are many ways to achieve it. Some dreams always seem impossible to do… until it’s done.

What do you do when faced with a goal or a problem that seems impossible to solve?

Robert H. Schuller, pastor and author of the book Tough Times Never Last, But Tough People Do!, said that you should try the “playing the possibility thinking game”. Get a piece of paper, think of the goal or the problem you want to solve, and think of at least 10 ways to get it done.

For example, ask yourself “how do I get a million dollars?” Let’s list a few ways:

1. Work and save money and invest it until you eventually reach a million.
2. Start and run a business during weekends and work on it until you earn a million.
3. Learn how to buy and sell real estate until you earn a million.
4. Take a sales job part time and sell until you earn a million in commissions.
5. Take a second job to help you earn until you reach a million.
6. Learn how to trade stocks, forex, and other investments until you eventually earn a million.
7. Buy and sell collectible items and antiques until you earn a million.
8. Work on freelance projects until you earn a million.
9. Earn money by  teaching others a skill you have (e.g. teach art classes, teach <your job> classes, teach <your hobby> classes, etc.).
10. Have someone donate a million dollars to you.

Once you’ve thought of some ideas, try them one by one.

Those aren’t the only ways to earn a million dollars of course, and if you really think about it, you’ll find some ways to achieve it that’s perfect for your current situation. You can use this possibility thinking game for just about any goal or problem, so why not do it? Remember that if you really want something, you’ll find ways to earn it.

3. It shuts down excuses.

Alright, here’s the big issue and this is where a lot of people fail. Remember your exact goals in number one? What are the chances that you’ll remember all of them tomorrow? Will you even remember them next week, or will you just put them at the back of your mind and forget about them in three days?

Will you succeed at doing something if you forget about it? Of course not.

If you’re really committed to something, if you have what Napoleon Hill calls “a burning desire” for it, then it’ll be a major focus of your mind and you’ll keep searching for ways to achieve it and you’ll likely keep trying until you succeed.

If you don’t really want something, if you’re not 100% committed to it, if it’s just some afterthought or a “nice to have”, you likely won’t give your best. You’ll just find excuses. Just about anything worth having will require a lot of hard work, and you won’t achieve anything worthwhile unless you’re willing to give the time and effort required.

Write down your goals and dreams on a piece of paper and review them at least three times every day. Upon waking up in the morning, once in the afternoon, and once more before going to bed.

If you want to succeed at something or achieve something, never forget the proverb here. If you want something, you’ll find many ways to achieve it. If you don’t really want it, you’ll find many reasons to avoid it. Let this proverb encourage you to keep searching for solutions until you eventually succeed in whatever you want to do.

Kapag gusto, maraming paraan; kapag ayaw, maraming dahilan.

If you want something, you’ll find many ways to achieve it. If you don’t really want it, you’ll find many excuses.

—Filipino Proverb

That is all for now. I hope you enjoyed this article! If you want to learn more, go ahead and check out our other articles here on this link!