Excuses Are Like Opinions...we all got 'em!

Excuses are like opinions...we all got 'em!

"I just don't have the time."    
"I don't have any money."
"I can't do that."

How many times have you heard 'em?  Better yet, how many times have you used 'em?  Everytime we throw out an excuse, we block a blessing!  Seriously!


Think about the last time you gave someone an excuse.  Was it when a close friend invited you to join her for brunch and your response was you didn't have a way to get there?  Or your supervisor asked you to do something out of the ordinary and you told him that you don't know how to do it? How about when you told your special someone that you don't feel like going to the movies?

Sure, on the surface, your responses were reasonable to you.  However, you shut that person down and closed the door to opportunities.  By doing so, you lost the option to enjoy time with your friend, to learn somethng new and to spend quality time with someone who is special to you. 

Don't get me wrong, I'm not preaching to you.  I'm admonishing myself!  That's right, because I used variations of those excuses recently, and as a result, I missed out on some things special. 

You see, what we don't realize is this:  when we make excuses, we not only block our own blessings, we tell others that the opportunities they are offering are just not worthy.  Think about the times you offered someone something and they turned you down cold.  They offered no alternatives, just excuses.  Were your feelings hurt?  Did you walk away saying I will never ask them to do anything again?

Last night, I started listening to "How to Get Over Excuses" by Dani Johnson, this phenomenal woman who overcame adversity to become a inspirational speaker who has helped countless people succeed in life.  In this recording, Dani shared her own testimony and several others as examples of how excuses stop us from achieving our goals, whether we realize it or not.  Mind you, what she shared is nothing new...even she says that.  But when I started to think about the excuses I make, I've come to realize that by making excuses, I stay stuck in my own box and I don't grow.

Now there is a difference between legitiamate reasons and excuses.  You turn down an opportunity to go jogging because your leg is broken.  That's reasonable.  On the other hand, an excuse is "I can't jog".  Okay, here is your opportunity to learn how to jog!

Think about successful people and those who rose from adversity.  How do you think they got to be where they are in life?  They certainly did not use excuses to achieve their goals.  Barack Obama could have used his race as an excuse not to run for the highest office in the United States - and it would have seemed legitimate for him to do so, since no other Black man was elected President of the United States of America.  Mary Harris Jones - AKA "Mother Jones" - could have wallowed in self pity after losing her family to Yellow Fever and lost her home and business due to fire.  Instead she fought for social justice for working families.

If it is your goal to build stronger relationships with those you love, advance in your career or business, live a fulfilling life, excuses will hinder you.  Excuses = fear and fear is based in lack of faith.  To overcome your own excuses, start each day thinking about your personal, professional, spiritual goals and consider them when opportunities present themselves.  I borrowed this tip from Les Brown, a great motivator.

Start today and everyday by declaring it "No Excuses Day"!  And see how your life will turn around.