After another exhausting week, I find myself sitting here pondering, no, reflecting on the past six weeks. Weighing heavy on my mind is the challenge of closing out 2012 and wanting passionately to get off to a fast start in 2013.
I wonder, is this my year?
Will it be a year to remember or just a none-stop, all-out assault on my sanity?
A year filled with promise or just excuses?
We are 28 days into the New Year and if you are like me, (and half of the population) you started off 2013 with a least one resolution, a promise, or a pledge. Well if you aren’t where you thought you would be, don’t feel alone. Of the folks that make such commitments, 75% last one week and according to Franklin Covey, one third will be broken by the end of January. (So much for grandiose plans)
What’s the number one thing that gets in the way? The excuse. Ah, the excuse; that unconscious defense mechanism we use to rationalize and justify are inability to accomplish what we set out to do. Sure we all face times when we don’t want to do something and yes, excuses offer the path of least resistance. Unfortunately, excuses lead you down a path of failure and mediocrity. The trick is to know when you’re not doing something because it’s the right move, and when, in fact, you’re just making excuses. Do these sound familiar?
I’m too busy: Using the excuse that you’re too busy won’t get you any sympathy from anyone, and it won’t get you what you really want. Hey, we’re all busy and, here’s a new flash, it isn’t something that’s exclusive to only you. The bottom line is that if something is important to us, we make time for it. We all have the same amount of time in each day. It’s a matter of prioritizing what’s important and managing the 24 hours you have each day.
I’m too tired: (My personal favorite, classic yet very fashionable) Like “I’m too busy”, you won’t get much sympathy from others. Let’s face it we’re all tired a lot of the time. Using the excuse that you’re too tired to get things accomplished is just that – an excuse. People who are determined to get things done will get them done regardless of whether they’re tired or not. Hello, how you feel is in your hands. Take control of your own energy (for god sakes head to Starbucks) and make sure you’re not too tired to make your dreams realities!
I don’t feel good: Ok, it is after all cold and flu season, and with all the crap that’s going around I’ll cut you some slack here. The problem is that a lot of people use this excuse because they simply don’t feel like putting forth the effort required to get certain things done. Generally, how you feel, like being too tired, is almost always in your control. Make sure you’re taking care of yourself, and don’t let how you feel physically get in the way of what you want and need to accomplish.
Yes, I confess, I have used each of these all too frequently. What about you?
Wisdom from the Zim-Master, 
Quit shirking responsibility and looking for the easy way out. Challenge yourself to eliminate extraneous excuses and find ways to improve. “ I’m too . (fill in the blank) “, “I don’t . .”,”I can’t”and hundreds of other reasons are nothing more than excuses for not taking action. Recognizing excuses for what they are is the first step in leaving them behind. Beyond that, it’s all up to you.
It’s time to break the habit of making excuses.
MOVING FORWARD . . . NO EXCUSES!
Thoughts?
Categories: Motivation
Bruce Zimmerman . . . 
Leave a Reply