You make them.
I make them.
We all make excuses and often we’re well aware of it.
Excuses feel good in the short-term but when you take a step back and think about the long-term effects, the end result isn’t all that enticing.
It’s hard to do meaningful work, but you have to really think about what you truly, deeply want.
If you want to move towards a happier and more fulfilling life, you will come across obstacles and it won’t all be a bed of roses.
Making excuses is easy, but taking action is hard. The stars will never align and the conditions will never be perfect, so you might as well get started now.That thing you’ve been putting off, start today. You will be confused, overwhelmed and maybe even a bit scared. But you have to be willing to take that first step.
Even highly successful people are scared all the time. No one is fearless, but the difference is that successful people take action despite their fears.
Here are 5 quick ways to kill your excuses and finally go after your dreams:
- Investigate
Are you making excuses because you really don’t want to do the thing you are putting off, or are you making excuses because it takes hard work? There’s always a fine line you have to walk. When I was in school; I made a lot of excuses, because I really didn’t care for what I was being taught.But if I am putting off something like my writing, I instantly stop and think about the implications. I realize that writing can be hard, but I am doing what I love, so the only option I have is to keep moving forward.
- Rest
Sometimes excuses are signals from your body, mind and soul that a break is needed. I’m an overachiever, so I tend to overwork myself, a lot, which means I have to force myself to take breaks from time to time.I’ve gotten a lot better at it, and as I’ve done so, I’ve noticed that rest is essential for peak creativity. Take a look at your excuses and really ask yourself what they are trying to tell you.
- Breathe
It can be uncomfortable to do work that matters. Checking your e-mail, running around and doing busy-work is easy, which is why so many people do it and get nothing meaningful done.Whenever you run into excuses, take a deep breath and think about if the excuse are trying to tell you that you’re heading in the wrong direction, or if you’re just avoiding something important.
- Mindset
We all want to go after our dreams and live a fulfilling life, but it doesn’t happen unless you’re absolutely determined. You have to commit yourself to making it happen.There’s no fairy coming to grant your wishes. You alone have to take action. You have to stop accepting excuses from yourself when it comes to following your passion.
- Goals
What do you really want, and I mean really, really want in life?I’m not talking about having five cars, a big house or living the American dream. I am talking about what kind of work do you want to do, who do you want to spend time with and who do you want to be?When excuses pop up, you can refer to your goals, and know that without blasting through your excuses, you won’t get to them.
- That usually gets me motivated and going.
- can be painful, tough and paralyzing, but no one said it was easy.
If you really want to make a difference and live the life of your dreams, you have to be willing to be uncomfortable from time to time.
Look at excuses as walls that your mind puts up to ask you “are you sure you want to do this?”
In the end, it is up to you. Are you ready to follow your passion or are you okay with the life you’ve got?
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Written on 9/23/2012 by Henri Junttila. Henri writes at Wake Up Cloud, where he helps people turn their passion into a thriving lifestyle business. When you feel ready to take action, get his free special report. | Photo Credit: Sarah |
