Are your excuses holding you back? Now is a good time to demolish them.

Quite often, when we doubt ourselves or our ability in life, we do not fully appreciate the level of grit that we have within us, while there are some who light a fire that burns and shines, and it is a fire that cannot be blown out, regardless of the obstacles that come their way.

My journey has been varied but exciting, challenging but consistent, demanding yet fulfilling, though often dangerous too. I created my path and confidently walked it when most others took a different direction. You should never be afraid of doing the same, but you must seek the opportunities while always learning and growing along the way as you strive to be a better version of yourself.

Like anything worthwhile in life, it just comes down to getting it done no matter what. You either want it badly enough or have made enough excuses up as to why you can’t get it done. You might be overweight and wish to have a slimmer physique, but you constantly make excuses for yourself when it comes to finding the time to make improvements, and there’ll be plenty of excuses because you’re acknowledging your deficiency but failing to act upon the need to make the adjustments necessary.

That’s just one example of potentially many, but if you want it bad enough, you’ll find a way, and if you don’t, then you’ll find an excuse, and that’s the absolute truth of it because we can often rely on excuses to remain exactly where we are in life. If you aren’t prepared to move away from your excuses and do something positive, then don’t complain or dwell on whatever it is that you might feel down about.

Maybe you’re the type of person who does need that push and encouragement from someone, but I’d lean away from seeking it from your partner, family, or friends. The reason being is that they will always love and care for you and will want you to do what is best for you which is commendable, but when it comes to you pushing yourself beyond your limits and they see that you may be struggling with that, they will most likely quit their encouragement just as quick as you might give up on whatever it is you’re trying to achieve.

My advice is for you to invest in yourself — studying, learning, adapting new methods and personal processes, even investing in a program from a company who can help you to achieve your goals. Wouldn’t it be an amazing feeling if you finish this book and say to yourself “I’m done with excuses forever” and they just disappear? Well, that’s probably not as realistic as we’d like it to be, because your excuses never actually disappear.

It’s all about what you do with your excuses, it’s about your mindset, your actions, and your self-discipline. Some people have become so used to the excuses they make that it would be a huge shift for them to stop making or even relying on them, but it can be done, you just have to learn to stop making them and start attacking whatever it is you want to do or achieve in life.

Rather than thinking through each of the excuses you’ve made or make, excuses that are ultimately holding you back, try giving yourself a reality check and look at the things that you’re unhappy with. Stop putting things off in your life and just do the damn things, regardless of whether it’s difficult. Harsh? You bet it is, because I know you can do it, you just have to make it happen and keep pushing ahead through a ‘forward thinking, forward progress’ mindset.

Excuses keep us safe. Excuses keep us out of taking responsibility, but this is your life, and you only have one, so make the most of it, live it well, and feel good about yourself while you’re living it. What’s your alternative if you don’t? I’ll tell you what it is, and it’s a feeling of being unfulfilled, of sadness, of depression, of regret, of living in a dream world and not actually pursuing your dreams in real time. It may indeed be a struggle at times, but you have control, and you must enable that control to be favorable for you and your journey, but know you are not alone in battling with your excuses, because so many others around the world are doing the same thing.

There are options for you that ensure you don’t need to go in alone though; you just need to make that commitment to yourself and then roll up your sleeves. You need to surround yourself with people who will challenge you, but you must make it known to them that you want to be challenged. If you’re trying to lose weight, don’t be afraid or ashamed to let your friends, family, and co-workers know. They’ll want you to succeed if they truly care about you, and if they see that you’re working hard to improve yourself, then they’ll support you.

So, what is the best way to demolish your excuses? Well, you may or may not like my answer, but it’s one that has worked for me and that is for you to become obsessed about the things that you want in life. “I don’t have the time,” “it tastes so good”, “I can’t work out”, or “I’m not good enough”, are perceptions of reality. They are not the truth, but rather just the reasons we tell ourselves why we do or don’t pursue something. They are phrases and excuses that have been thought of or said over a long period of time, possibly years or even your whole life. You can make all the excuses in the world about why you can’t do the things you supposedly deem “important”, but no excuse exists that can or will get you what you want.

We all face pitfalls and challenges both personally and professionally, but we must keep moving forward, that’s how we grow and progress but if we become reliant on excuses then they hold us back in our development. Now might just be the best time for you to hold yourself accountable for the excuses you make, and start to demolish them one by one. You'll start to feel good in doing so, and that inner feeling of satisfaction is going to want to bring more of into your life.

___________________________________________________________________________________ Read more in my book 'The Fortitude Warrior' at https://www.glenburton.com/the-fortitude-warrior

Copyright 2023 by Glen Burton. All Rights Reserved.

About the Author: Glen Burton, Founder and CEO at SIXDARK, served for 10-years in an elite British Army unit and has over 23-years Executive Protection experience as an operator, consultant, and advisor, to distinguished families, Fortune 100 Executives, and members of International Royalty, with whom he has managed and led protective operations in over 130-countries. He is the author of 'The Fortitude Warrior', an impactful keynote speaker, and is a Certified Professional Coach.