“Your belief determines your action and your action determines your results, but first you have to believe.” – Mark Victor Hansen
Excuses and limiting beliefs are the big reason why people do not achieve their goals and dreams. If we want to become happier and more successful, the first thing we need to do is bust all those excuses that are keeping us stuck at the same place where we have been for years, like:
“I’m not ready, because…”
“I do not have enough _________ to achieve_______”
“I do not have the time…”
We have to start before we are ready. So let’s start with making time. Then earn and save extra money, then push our self-imposed limits to make our dreams come true..!
I’ve been speaking English for the last seven years. Every single day! Not to mention how many books I’ve read, but writing in English felt scary, as I had all those self-limiting thoughts coming up:
“English is not my native language…”
“I will not be able to express myself in the way I can in Bosnian (my native language)…”
“I will make a ton of spelling mistakes…”
I wanted to write in English but never made a decision to start writing. I didn’t feel being ready (one of the major excuses that keep us “hanging”), until I became a life coach. And then I knew it was no longer an option, but a necessity since I wanted to work with international clients. That was the time when I started writing in English before it felt like “the right time” to start. That brave decision led me to start my own blog. I’ve started publishing my articles written in English. Then my work got featured on Tiny Buddha, TUT.com, The Huffington Post India, HavingTime and others. If I kept waiting for the “the perfect moment”, I would have postponed going after my dreams until this day.
Have you thought about all the excuses that keep people away from being successful? There are also great ways how you can bust them for good.
How to Break Excuses That Keep You Away From Success
1. I Can’t Do It
You can never know if can’t achieve something if you never tried. There is also no guarantee that if you try you will come out as a winner. Though, when you try, you create a possibility to turn your dreams into reality! Same goes the other way around. If you keep thinking that you can’t start your own business, get a promotion and earn more money… or something else, you will make sure to do nothing to make it happen. And thus you won’t even create a possibility of achieving it.
2. I Don’t Have Time
As the old saying goes “If you want something badly enough, you will find time. If not, you will find an excuse!”
We all have 24 hours, so it is never about not having time, it is about setting the priorities. Think about meeting “the one” you’ve been dreaming about your entire life. You wouldn’t wait for a “someday” and delay until you “find the perfect time” to go on a date with him/her. You would find the time! And yet starting exercising, learning new skills and starting a business – there is often not enough time!
Start with breaking up with “busyness” and managing your time better. To achieve a goal, you will find time. And if you don’t make it a priority, then admit to yourself that it doesn’t really mean so much to you.
3. Not Enough Resources / Money
So many successful people did not have “the money” when they were just starting out. They started small and built up their professional success and wealth one step at the time. If you don’t have “enough” money, start with the resources available to you right now, instead of waiting for “someday”.
If you want to be a writer or publish a book, you can start by writing an e-book and selling (or even self-publishing) it on Amazon.com. Or create your blog or/and offer freelance writing services. Same goes to other goals that you have. Be resourceful, get creative, use free resources available… Improvise when necessary.
For example, you can exchange services with someone. Ask your friends to help you out, use internet and social networks to promote your business for free. You could work pro-bono to get the client testimonials. Become more creative about the possible solutions. Start doing what you’ve been dreaming of whilst making a commitment to yourself that you will start saving money to invest in a goal that you want to achieve.
4. Am Not Ready For…
The secret to getting the things done is to start before you are ready.
It’s good to prepare yourself and feel confident about pursuing a certain goal. Though, if it’s taking too much time and makes you procrastinate, then it could be a sign of fear or limiting beliefs that are keeping you stuck. As Marie Forleo would say: “Clarity comes from engagement, not from thought”. It’s not about putting things on paper and thinking about them.
Once you start pursuing your goal, that’s the time you’ll get clarity about what and how you should do… which steps to take and how to get it done. By doing so, you’ll realize how you feel about it. You’ll get feedback from people, and you’ll learn important lessons along the way. So, start now even if you don’t feel ready!
5. Am Not Good Enough
If you are not good enough at something the only way that you can actually become good at it is to start practicing! You are an intelligent person that can evolve, change and improve over time. If you do something every single day or at least every week to improve at that particular thing that you aren’t good at, this time, next year you will be better at it! If you aren’t good enough at something, that doesn’t mean you can’t become better at it over time. So, start practicing!
You should always have in mind that you might be just one excuse away from living your dreams!