If there’s one habit that cripples more dreams than anything else, it’s making excuses. Life rarely goes according to plan, but responding with excuses only turns a bad situation into worse.
There’s a big difference between giving an explanation, and making an excuse. Excuses harbor guilt and shame — a protective veneer for avoiding a deeper issue. They rationalize bad behaviors, and set the table for a mediocre life.
Here are 12 steps to permanently remove excuses from your life:
1. Awareness leads to change
How often do you make excuses? For seven days, be on high alert for any attempts at rationalizing bad behavior. Write them down in your journal. Write out the incident that sparked off your excuse.
2. Remove the criticism
Excuses are produced from negative self-talk. When there’s looming judgment, you’ll scramble for justification. Removing criticism also removes the need to make excuses.
It doesn’t mean indifference toward your faults, but detaching yourself from the shame.
3. Shift to solutions
As you get better at catching your excuse-making, begin to shift your mindset from rationalizing to creating solutions.
Instead of saying you were too busy to meet the deadline, tell yourself you need to get up earlier and schedule your day better.
4. The straight-shooter
This is the friend nobody wants, but everyone needs. The one who’ll call you out on your faults. Give the green light to someone in your circle to nudge you whenever excuses are attempted.
For extra motivation, let them penalize you; put something on the line for every excuse you make.
This content is only available to subscribers
Subscribe now and have access to all our stories, enjoy exclusive content and stay up to date with constant updates.
Unlock contentAlready have an account? Sign In
