Stop Making Excuses and Accomplish Your Goals

The key to being successful in life is to have a “Can Do” attitude. You have to believe that you have the ability to accomplish your goals. And that requires you to stop making excuses for why you can’t achieve your goals.

Realize that if you have a dream that you want to accomplish, then you are in a battle. That battle is between the part of you that desperately wants to do something great — and the part of you that is scared of failure. The part of you that is scared of failure is going to come up with a million excuses for why you can’t accomplish your goal.

The problem with excuses is that they sound very reasonable. Let’s take a simple example, like crossing the street. I could come up with a bunch of very rational excuses for not crossing the street. “I’m pretty busy with work. I should stay at my computer until I’m done.” “Some folks drive recklessly – I could get hit by a car!” “Hmm. The forecast calls for rain, so it may be better to wait to cross the street.”

I could go on, but you see my point. It is easy to make up excuses for why you shouldn’t do something. So, when you make excuses, don’t fool yourself into thinking, “Well, I’m just being reasonable.” The reality is that you are making up excuses to not pursue your dreams because you are scared of failure.

Below are ways to stop making excuses and accomplish your goals. Follow these approaches, and see yourself accomplish even your wildest dreams.

Stop Telling Yourself “I Don’t Have Enough Time”

The most popular excuse people use for why they can’t accomplish their goals is that they don’t have enough time. Of course, we all feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day. But the truth is that time is not our issue. Our issue is the way that we spend our time.

Let me put it to you this way: If you have the time each day to watch television, surf the Internet, and look at Facebook, then you have the time to accomplish your goals. You simply prefer to spend your time engaging in activities that will never benefit you.

To be fair, there really isn’t anything wrong with spending time on Facebook or Instagram, if you don’t have major aspirations in life. But if you have big goals that you want to accomplish, then time spent on social media is time wasted.

So, before you use the “I don’t have enough time to accomplish my goals” excuse, take a hard look at how you spend your time. What are you doing with those precious hours that aren’t devoted to work, housework or parenting? Stop making excuses and use those hours to pursue your goals. (To read about how to develop your focus and self-discipline, click here.)

Stop Making the Excuse That You Aren’t Enough

Let me let you in on a little secret. The most successful people in the world aren’t “the best” in their field. They simply are the people who were willing to work the hardest to get what they want.

For example, most of our presidents weren’t the smartest people in their college classes. Nor were they morally perfect individuals. Instead, what they had was ambition and work ethic. And those qualities enabled them to rise to the top position in politics.

The problem is that people will discourage you from pursuing your dreams by telling you that you aren’t enough. And you can agree with them and use that excuse of not being “good enough” to sit on the couch, eat chips and not pursue your dreams… Or you can ignore those people and achieve your full potential.

So, don’t use the excuse that you aren’t “enough” to stop you from achieving your dreams. You are enough. The only question you have to ask yourself is this: Do I want this goal enough to give it my all?

Stop Telling Yourself That Now Isn’t the “Right Time” to Pursue Your Dreams

The best day to pursue your dreams is TODAY. Admittedly, it’s easy to come up with a million excuses for why now isn’t the right time. The problem is that if you don’t pursue your dreams now, you’ll never do it.

For example, I am someone who loves books and libraries. And in the back of my mind, I always hoped to get my MLS (Master of Library Science) and work in a library. Well, there came a time a number of years ago when I had an opportunity to get the degree. And then I started coming up with the excuses. “My daughter is small and needs so much of my attention.” “The program is so expensive. Maybe now isn’t a great time to do this financially.” My excuses went on and on…

And the excuses were nonsense. My daughter did not need my undivided attention 24/7. And at the time, there was money available for tuition. Unfortunately, that money ended up being spent on nonsense that wasn’t as valuable as a professional degree.

You, of course, can guess the outcome. I never got the degree.

The point is that there is never a “right time” to pursue your dreams. The stars aren’t going to align, and a voice isn’t going to come from the heavens saying, “Helen, now is the time to make your dreams come true!”

Instead, you have to stop making excuses, and just go for it today.

Stop Making the Excuse That You Don’t Have Enough Money to Pursue Your Goals

Few things in life come for free. If your goal is to go to college, open a business or travel the world, those things cost money. And sometimes they cost a lot of money.

As a result, many folks will make the excuse that they can’t pursue their goals because they don’t have enough money. Don’t let that be you. Instead, be financially creative when it comes to pursuing your goals.

For example, my goal in high school was to go to college. But I faced the obstacle that so many American young people face – my parents couldn’t afford to send me to a college in the United States. So, I did the next best thing. I went to a university in a foreign country where the tuition was nominal, and I got a college degree.

The point is that there are many routes you can take to get to your goal. If one route doesn’t work, figure out another one! But don’t accept defeat just because you don’t have money.

If you have a goal that you want to accomplish, stop making excuses as to why you can’t do it. Those excuses are merely obstacles that you need to get over or around. Instead, believe in yourself and your ability to tackle any goal. (To read about the 5 keys to believing in yourself, click here.)