Quit Your Excuses: Reach Your Dreams

Quit your excuses. Reach your dreams. Everyone has an excuse for some area of their life. Mine has been, "It's too hard!" 

What excuse are you willing to quit? Are you willing to move beyond yours? 

Are you willing to be a beginner? Are you willing to experience the different and the difficult?

We have more help available to us than ever before. We have access to books, blogs, classes, courses, conferences, retreats, workshops, coaches, therapists, speakers, and support groups. 

Take advantage of them! 

Who you are or where you’ve been doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is each time you get off track, you begin again. Continue to grow. Drop your excuses. Do what you need to do. Today.

Go ahead and fail. The wonderful thing about life is that we can always shift our perception and choose to begin again.  

I can't.

You fear failure.

You lack self-confidence. Build your courage muscles. Take small steps to prove to yourself that you can! Failure is a stepping stone to success. Fail often. 

I was never afraid of failure, for I would sooner fail than not be among the best. ~ John Keats 

I’ll try. 

You lack faith in yourself.

There is a saying in AA, “Trying is lying.” Try to get out of your chair. Just try. You’ll discover that you either get out of your chair or you don’t. There is no trying. Trying is lying. 

To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe. ~ A. France

Not now.

You lack commitment.

You’re a procrastinator. Don’t put off your life. Each day is precious. If not today, when? The only way to get over your fear is to get through it. Begin now.

All who have accomplished great things have had a great aim, have fixed their gaze on a goal which was high, one which sometimes seemed impossible. ~ Orison Swett Mardan

I don’t have the money.

You’re not ready. 

How much do you spend on food, drinks, fancy coffee, gadgets, or clothes? Create a savings plan. Invest the money you save in something that will take you where you want to go. 

We spend money that we do not have, on things we do not need, to impress people who do not care. ~ Will Smith

I’m afraid.

You won’t push yourself. 

Turn your fear into excitement. Did you ever watch the swimmers at the start of an ironman or triathlon? Olympians are afraid. They are fueled by fear and they use it to their advantage.

You block your dream when you allow your fear to grow bigger than your faith. ~ Mary Manin Morrissey

I have a real job.

You’re unwilling to go the extra mile.

How do you spend your free time? Do you waste time by investing it in gaming, watching TV, porn or (fill in the blank)? Create boundaries. Replace a bad habit with a good one or get help for an addiction.

Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes…but no plans. ~ Peter F. Drucker

I don’t have any experience.

You don’t give yourself enough credit.

Everyone has life experience. You only need to apply it to other areas. Enhance what you already know. Take a class. Learn a new language. Watch YouTube videos. Figure it out. Ask for help!

All the world is a laboratory to the inquiring mind. ~ Martin H. Fischer

I’m not an expert.

You’re not disciplined.

You become an expert by doing. According to the 10000 Hours Rule to become an expert at any craft, you need to practice for 10000 hours.

How many hours have you already invested? How many more do you need? If you spend 3 hours a day, you need 10 years and if you spend 6 hours a day on your craft you only need 5 years. Don't give up. Overnight success is a myth.

Nothing ever becomes real till it is experienced. ~ John Keats

My family will think I’m crazy.

You need the approval of others.

Be crazy! Who cares? This is your life. Don’t waste it. You have talent and wisdom. Use it. Chances are your family thinks that you’re crazy anyway.

Lean too much on other people’s approval and it becomes a bed of thorns. ~ Tehyi Hsieh

It’s too hard.

Your not willing to put in the effort.

Of course it is! Get a mentor. Join a support group. Stretch yourself. Decide to succeed no matter what. Act as if your happiness depends on it. Make hard fun. Laugh at your mistakes and enjoy your journey!

If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. ~ Louis D. Brandeis

What' your favorite excuse? Are you ready to move on? Please share!

Comments on this entry are closed.

  • Dan Garner January 22, 2013, 10:54 am

    One again, great post. You’ve pretty much covered it all here Tess, how are you going to top this? I’m sure you will find a way.

    Dan @ ZenPresence

    • Tess January 23, 2013, 5:53 pm

      Thanks so much Dan. You’re support is soooo appreciated.

  • Peggy Nolan January 22, 2013, 6:29 pm

    Fabulous post Tess! I owe you a HUGE apology because I never did do my 10 minute video. No excuses. Nothing I thought I’d have time to do over the holidays got done. I’ve been reorganizing my life so that I can do these things. I feel like a heel for not getting back to you sooner!

    • Tess January 23, 2013, 5:53 pm

      No worries Peggy!

  • Suzie Cheel January 22, 2013, 7:52 pm

    Brilliant Tess, Reading this made me realize how far I have moved on – i recognise almost all those I’ll……. that I have used at one time or the other. I might ad in I am not enough- covered by many of the above and one that stops many…….
    my current one until last week I don’t have budget for it ……. that keeps you out of the game too

    • Tess January 23, 2013, 5:54 pm

      Suzie,
      Last week must have been powerful! So glad to hear you’ve moved on. That rocks!

  • Sandra Pawula January 23, 2013, 11:26 am

    Hi Tess,

    I definitely recognize a few of those excuses as mine! Not have a money and have real work are two that pop up from time to time. But, like Suzie, I see how far I come and how I keep dissolving the obstacles that are in my way. This post is so on target!

    • Tess January 23, 2013, 5:55 pm

      Sandra,
      Count me in as well. Both for having fears and moving through them. Isn’t life grand?

  • Trevor January 23, 2013, 5:29 pm

    This was great! Inspiring and true.

    Nothing is more useless or worthless than a good excuse. Excuses hold us back. Excuses beat us down.

    Excuses accomplish nothing.

    Drop the excuses. Your burden will be much lighter.

    Cheers!

  • Tess January 23, 2013, 5:56 pm

    Trevor,

    I can’t agree with you more. My burden is lighter as well;)

  • Cathy Taughinbaugh January 24, 2013, 7:50 am

    Hi Tess,

    Great reminders! I have found myself using those excuses from time to time. With time, I’ve learned that action is far better than giving into my fears.

  • Galen Pearl January 24, 2013, 2:51 pm

    My big excuse is time, as in not having enough of it. Yet, I have more uncommitted, unscheduled time in my life right now than I’ve had in over 30 years. So really, why is that an excuse?! Oddly, right now my dreams are more about non-action, going inward, being in quasi-retreat. What do I do instead? Keep busy! Yes, I’m doing things I like, but every day feels too filled up. So your post has made me take a good hard look at why I’m blocking myself from doing more of what I really want to be doing right now. Thank you for the kick in the pants! (You’re always good for that–ha!)

  • Victor Schueller January 24, 2013, 3:19 pm

    One of my favorites is a more “passive” excuse — “I don’t know how you find the time to …”

    Nicely done Tess! Thank you! 🙂

  • lori January 26, 2013, 12:10 pm

    Hi Tess. Just a point. In this line under It’s too Hard:

    Your not willing to put in the effort.

    the incorrect form of Your is used. Sorry, I know this is crazy but that type of stuff jumps out at me and I know I’d want someone pointing it out to me if it can be corrected. (Which I’m assuming it can).

    I do enjoy reading your blog and the points you raise are certainly encouraging. Thank you for all that you do.

  • Larry Lewis February 1, 2013, 4:10 pm

    Love this post. In my work as a coach i would hate to have to count up the number of reasons i’ve been given why people ‘can’t do’ or how many times i’ve said i understand that, but what if you could do that, is there anything else that would stop you. Then you see their brain go into over drive looking for another excuse. Yet as you show what is wonderful is once you take away their excuses, and make them see it is a must do, everything about them changes right in front of your eyes. Because the truth is you can .. if you want

  • stephen kirwin February 5, 2013, 7:21 pm

    my excuses come from a place of comfort. i live a good life i have a good paying job and i have a lovely family. i fear upsetting the fine life i have in pursuing some old dreams or life i had when i know there are places in that life, the artist life, that can trap me badly.
    here are the elements, economic and of course artistic failure. these rule over any thoughts i have to move away from my comfort into my passionate self.
    however i do teach lessons to people so i get some artistic release and i do home recording so i can get creative. however i think sometime i am losing myself in a bad attitude of the work i have. i am surrounded by grumpy ol man…the curse of being a serviceman…and would i be better off as a complaining poor actor artist…no not at all. especially since now i owe to my family to be a breadwinnner.
    so i feel trapped by an old vision of a uneconomical artistic life and a economic bland working life.
    i feel unsuccessful in my successes
    what i feel is i have excuses for my dreams that dont seem to intersect.

  • Izzy March 24, 2013, 11:11 pm

    Wow! What an awesome article.

    I have never seen anything like this online – that takes phrases we use, and deciphers the true meaning behind them. I went through it, and applied those phrases to different moments in my life. In nearly all cases they were dead on.

    In particular, I used the excuse of “I don’t have enough money” many times back in the day – and the reality was “I wasn’t ready.” But I never quite put that together until this moment.

    Though, the one that doesn’t quite fit for me is where “I’m not an expert” is connected to a lack of discipline. When I first started my business I was disciplined but I didn’t consider myself an expert because I lacked knowledge. Though, maybe it could be better put, I lacked the confidence in my knowledge. I don’t think it was a discipline issue but rather a confidence thing.

    I love your site!

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