Excuse your Excuses please

“It is better to offer no excuse than a bad one.” ― George Washington

I’m trying to frame my overall point without being preachy, without shaming you, without judgement, because we all have our hang ups. But just for a second, imagine a world where nothing was in your way, you’re not in your own way, where you have no excuses!

You’re too tired, You work late, You’re not sure where to start, you used to do it and want that back, and my favourite “I need to lose a few before I start”

Pick one, you’ve said it or you’re thinking it right now. My trick for breaking out of this thinking is “why are you waiting, the more you delay the closer you are to being dead”. Yeah it’s a bit dark but it snaps me out of it every time, I want to experience as much of my life as I can in the best shape possible. I then use old photos, or recent photos to make this point. I look back to where I was in my 20’s, when I coulda/shoulda been at my best, when I stopped making excuses and started destroying my 30’s!

Let’s break these down a bit “I’m tired” - Well, start moving even just a little bit more then you did the day before and do this continuously and you will see results. “I work late” - use your lunch, find half an hour before hit the shower in the morning, there is enough time in the day! “I’m not sure where to start” - like any journey, one foot in front of the other, it doesn’t matter, like “I’m tired”, just get moving

Let’s skip to that last one “I need to lose a few before I start” - What is this statement? I have heard this almost as much as “I’m tired” which I actually understand. “I need to lose a few before I start” makes no sense to me at all, but I think I’m starting to get it. If I internalize this, I hear “I’m uncomfortable with how I look now and I don’t need the world judging me at my worst”. Fear is a big deterrent, shame as well, don’t let it be an excuse to get what you want. You can be who and whatever you want! I battled with this myself for many reasons in all aspects of life finally someone close to me said these words to me and it altered every thought in my brain.

“If you died tomorrow, would you be happy with the life you’ve lead thus far”

At the time the answer was “NO!” So I started making the changes I need to, FAST!

The first thing that stopped was the excuses, SO STOP!

STOP GETTING IN YOUR OWN WAY! STOP LETTING OTHERS GET IN YOUR WAY!

That’s it, that’s all I got for you!

“What about you is true” - Nathan Gray