Get rid of the excuses so you can execute!
I know we have all heard the term “no excuses”, but we want to take this a little bit further by getting smarter and developing a plan to overcome when the excuses come our way. Having a plan will not only help us to execute better but it will also help us to build our confidence as we follow through consistently.
Here are five ways to go for it:
1) Make a plan for your top excuses.
You know the excuses that always come up and try to stop us from getting things done. One popular excuse is “ this is too hard”. Whenever something seems too hard, remind yourself of all the hard things you’ve done in the past. Then, after this ‘hard thing’ is accomplished you can give yourself a reward. Use this method to create a plan for the excuses that come up time and time again.
2) Tackle the root of the problem.
Two of the ways to figure out the root cause of the problem is to either talk to someone or journal. Find a trusted person or professional who you can talk to about the problem. Make sure that this person is willing to listen and ask the right questions to help you get as deep as possible. Another thing that you can do is write in a journal and ask yourself some tough questions. Questions such as, Why am I doing this? What am I afraid of? Is this filling a void? Am I doing this every time certain things happen? What can I do instead of this the next time?
3) Have an accountability partner who is supportive.
Having an accountability partner is a great plan to tackle the excuses. It’s good tol have someone who will encourage you to push through, even when you may not feel the most confident in yourself.
4) Set a date for when you are going to do it and follow through.
Many times the excuses will win when we don’t have a planned date. Many times we tell ourselves that we don’t have time. However, when you think you don’t have time, schedule it on the calendar or write it down so that you can make the time to get it done.
5) Follow through with your plans and goals, even if you don’t feel prepared.
Can you think of a few times when you didn’t follow through and immediately regretted it? I’ve had a lot of those times. However, we need to work on following through even when we are not 100% ready. This doesn’t mean that you should not be prepared, it just means to do it even if everything is not perfectly in place and as planned the next time.
What are some of the ways you deal with excuses when they come up?