If I had kept on making excuses, I'd never have started, let alone finished my masters program. I'd never be sitting here on a cool, sunny, April morning writing this book. I have hands that allow me to type these words, note books, journals, books, and pens that allow me to keep growing and learning. I have the time, the energy, and the ideas and drive. If I made excuses, rather than time, there would be nothing but blank pages, lost hopes and dreams, and a void caused by not living to my fullest potential for myself. Perhaps sometimes I have to use my time management skills and carve out time for reading, writing, meditation, but it get's done. Of course I get tired and run out of fuel after a long day or a long week, but I consider these things that may seem trivial, writing, reading, meditation, drawing, important enough to fit in where ever and whenever I can.
Excuses are a way to lessen blame, to justify one's words and/or actions, and to attempt to release the responsibility of whatever the task may be. Excuses are not something that are always, if ever, in our best interest. In fact I can't think of a reason where an excuse would ever benefit me in any aspect of my life.
Ultimately excuses get us no where. The protective aspect- excuses may make you feel safe or in control. In fact that excuse you made may even feel like a good idea, it did after all start as a good intention. However, look at what you are avoiding, missing out on, why not go for it and unleash your fullest potential. What's the worse that could honestly happen? you "fail" the first time, have an amazing learning experience which brings growth and a chance to try again. Try. Fail. Try again. Learn. Grow. Always TRY AGAIN.
Similarly to lying, the more excuses you make the easier it becomes to make them, and to believe them. The excuses become the lies you tell yourself and others. We live in a society full of excuses instead of one full of people taking control and executing the task or goal at hand. Others may make excuses for you. Tell you why it's too hard, scary, expensive, risky, or put any other negative connotation on it. Just a thought, but what if you just listened to the ideas, listen to the words, let them drive you to execute the goal or task rather than deter you and hold you back. This irritates the heck out of me, when others think it's okay to make excuses for us. I mean, sure it might be scary, risky, hard, or whatever other filler word you would like to use here, but honestly, if it's not scary, risky, or hard, then what is it going to teach you? how is it going to help you grow? Allow yourself to look deeper into the excuses you have made, and are continuing to make. I guarantee you will learn a great deal about yourself.
When you make an excuse you are saying no to yourself and the situation before you ever get started. When you choose to give into the excuse, you've already lost. You choose to give up. Stop fearing the unknown! Embrace it. Stop putting the blame on others and take ownership for your part. Mostly, stop comparing yourself to others, and have confidence in yourself. The cure for excuses is execution, you can't do both, so what are you waiting for.
The excuse might sound like:
"I'm too old"
"I'm too young"
"I'm not pretty enough"
"I'm not smart enough"
"I'm busy"
"I'm too short"
"I'm not athletic"
"I don't know how"
"The timing isn't right"
"I have no time"
"I'm too tired"
And you get it, in fact, I bet some of these sounded frighteningly familiar. It's scary at first, sure, but set small, realistic, obtainable goals so the task at hand doesn't seem so daunting. Take responsibility for your words, your actions, your time, and your life. Don't focus on the negative and pesky intrusive thoughts that are telling you that "You can't" or "You aren't worth it, you won't make it, you can't possibly do this." Those thoughts, they are part of fear. The only way to break through the barrier is to execute with no excuses. You can do anything you set your mind to. Stop fearing the future and the unknown, rather live in the moment and follow your dreams. Be stronger than your strongest excuse. Dream a little bigger, push a little harder, hold yourself accountable, and accomplish great things. You can have results or excused, not both.