Most of us have no problem coming up with perfectly valid
reasons for not taking action. Our excuses may temporarily make us feel better,
yet they do not bring any value to life. Excuses do not pay the bills, they do
not solve problems, they just allow us to justify not taking action.
We will look at a long list of excuses, of reasons not to
take action, and turn them on their head. For every excuse, a compelling answer
is offered to counteract it. The result is a list of powerful reasons for
taking action now.
1. What would other people think?
Are you afraid of looking foolish for some reason? Why? You
know what you need to do, and you’re committed to doing it. Don’t worry about
looking foolish. What will really make you look foolish is if you just sit
around making excuses. An honest effort is nothing to be ashamed of. What other
people think is their problem, not yours. Let them think what they will. It
doesn’t matter. Do what needs to be done. Get on with it.
2. It’s uncomfortable
Sure it is uncomfortable to take action. But what is so
great about comfort? Are you committed to comfort or to accomplishment? A cow
grazing in a pasture is comfortable. You are capable of much more. You have
possibilities to be explored, and to explore them you’ll need to get your hands
dirty. But a little discomfort right now is much less painful than the regret
you’ll eventually feel if you don’t ever take action. Discomfort can eventually
be overcome, but regret will never go away. Get up out of your comfort zone and
start making a difference.
3. I’ll never be as good as ____
The only person you should compare yourself against is
yourself. Your obligation is to do your very best. Don’t worry about how that
compares to someone else. Just do it. Everyone is unique. Everyone has their own
special contribution to make. You’ll only discover yours by taking action. If you decide in advance that you’ll never be
as good as so-and-so, then you forgo the opportunity to find your own unique
skills. Winners refuse to even acknowledge the competition, by blazing new
trails. Comparing yourself to others will only bring you down. Set off in your
own unique direction. Get into action
make it happen.
4. It’s too complicated
Often a new task can appear complicated because you’re not
familiar with it. Once you dive in, once you get a little experience, you’ll
get the hang of it. Think of all the things you’ve learned in your life. You’re
good at learning, and the best way to learn is to start taking action. Whatever
you see as too complicated, there’s something about it that you can
understand. Use that as your starting
point. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes.
That’s how you learn. There’s no reason to be ashamed about not knowing something.
Everyone had to learn it at some point in time. Now is your time to learn. Dive
right in, take on the challenge, take action, learn, grow and you’ll accomplish
things you never thought possible.
5. It will take too long
Then you better get started as soon as possible. It will
take even longer if you sit around bemoaning the fact that it will take too
long. Great accomplishments take time and effort. And the most fulfilling part
of any accomplishment is not in finishing it, but in doing it. The journey is
the reward, so be thankful that you’ll be rewarded over a long period of
time. If the end result suddenly
appeared out of thin air, with no effort on your part, of what value would it
be? If it will take a long time, then it will be valuable and worthwhile. So by
all means get started as soon as possible. Start making it happen and enjoy the
long, fulfilling journey.
6. No one will care whether I do it or not
That’s not true. You will care, and you are someone. The
world is not anxious to hand success to you on a silver platter. If no one
cares about you, it is probably because you don’t care enough about anyone else
(or yourself for that matter) to do what it takes to make a life of
accomplishment for yourself. If you start taking focused, directed action
toward your goals, you can be sure that people will start to take notice. The world is indeed indifferent to those who
sit around and make excuses. If that’s
all you do, you’re right—no one will care. But if you stand up, step forward
and take action, you’ll be amazed at how many people are waiting to cheer you
on. What are you waiting for? Get busy and you’ll get noticed.
Check back soon for Excuse Buster #7
Pete Zdanis - www.petezdanis.com
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Thank you Pete for taking the time to write these.
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