Stopping Excuses to Achieve Your Goals
Excuses are what we tell ourselves or others to absolve someone (not excluding one’s self) of fault. Essentially, they are a protective mechanism to relinquish responsibility. Sometimes excuses are perfectly valid and they help us not feel as bad for not completing certain tasks. Other times we allow our excuses to rule our lives and we never try to push past them, it is then that they can be dangerous. If you have the resolve you can beat your excuses.
First challenge your excuses. Is it valid and reasonable? Could you actually find the time or energy to do the task you want? Take an honest look at how you are spending your time. You may be surprised by how much time you’re not allocating properly. Truly analyze that if you are “too busy” to do something. Is that really true? Even allocating a few moments to a task will eventually yield results in the long run.
Sometimes the reason we don’t complete tasks is that it seems overwhelming and we may not know where to start. In moments like these, it is important to remember the wealth of resources you have at your disposal. You can look online and see what others have done in similar situations.
Change your mindset. How you think about a task will greatly influence your ability and energy. Get pumped about the task you are trying to perform, even if it is something you would rather not do. Don’t think about what others may think of you or how you will be perceived. This is your journey, not theirs.
Recognize the small victories. There will be times where you may not make as much progress as you may have liked to. It can be easy to become discouraged, but it is key to not allow those feelings to set in. If you know that you can do better than strive to improve moving forward.