Success is a tale of obstacles overcome, and for every obstacle overcome, an excuse not used. ~Robert Brault
The quality of your life is reliant on your ability to take ownership of it. To decide that your life is your own; no one to blame or accuse and no excuses. Excuse means, “to make allowances for; judge leniently, to serve as an apology or explanation for; vindicate or justify.” There are reasons for certain things not happening or not working, but excuses are the back breaker of numerous goals and dreams and serve only to reinforce your current state. Where there is a recurrent excuse, there is a solution. The adverb, too, often accompanies all excuses and aims to reinforce their validity and incredible power. Problem is that at every stage, in every way, in every situation you could choose to find an excuse. Here is a list of excuses that I have used, quite successfully I might add! They worked perfectly as I found something outside of myself to ACCUSE. Here it goes: “Too tired, too old, too uneducated, too poor, too busy, and too overwhelmed.” I am sure you can add to the list: “I have an unsupportive spouse, my kids have to come first, I work too much, I've got a bad back, I'm not an outgoing person, I don't have enough time, I am a single parent, I don't know where to begin, It's just too hard, If only I had the right training, I'll start tomorrow..."
A reason can provide information, showing what needs to be addressed, what approach to take and what solutions could be utilized. The difference between a reason and an excuse is in the solution. Excuses justify and alleviate the necessity to try; to continue to adapt and most of all to take responsibility. Excuses allow you to accuse someone or "something" outside of yourself. Reasons are seen as opportunities to adapt and reformulate and as Sandy Newbigging said, “In life, people either get results or reasons.” You are not lazy; you are unclear, you are not bad; you are afraid, you are not incapable; you are ill-prepared. A reason propels you forward with a new road map or plan: Retrain, get support, stop the behavior and so on. Excuses are a learned behavior and a habitual response, stemming from passivity to your life. They are both the result of and the creator of a victim mentality. When you take back your life, when you are on purpose, you become aware of the information in the reasons, refuting the excuses - accusing no one and nothing.
“Excuses are the tools with which persons with no purpose in view build for themselves great monuments of nothing.”
~Steven Grayhm
Today Ask Yourself:
1. What is my favorite excuse?2. How does using this excuse, excuse me from pursuing a dream or goal?
3. What would change if I stopped accusing and instead took full responsibility?
I would be happy in supporting you to find the reasons and messages in your life. Please visit my website for more information, http://www.onpurposelifecoach.com/
1 comment:
Powerful blog. I had never looked at an excuse as a way of accusing someone or something for my life. That was an ah ha moment for me and one I will not easily forget. The excuses I use are varied, to old, not enough money, not enough time, gave it up for everyone else. I think it is time I came down from the cross (I'm running out of nails) and take responsibilty for my life. Deep down I know it's fear that holds me back. How do I work through this?
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