No More Excuses: How to Stop Idling and Start Succeeding

“I’m too busy,” “...exhausted,” “...inexperienced,” “...poor,” or maybe “I’m not smart enough.”

The list of excuses could go on and on.

These are not explanations for why you can’t live out your dreams, goals, destinies, ambitions, or potentials. These are excuses. And they keep you stuck in a loop of helplessness.

​You fear failure or responsibility, so you quit before you even try. A quick internet search reveals people’s top excuses. See if any of the most common ones hit home for you:

Don’t let excuses outweigh your ambitions.

​Read on to learn how to turn your most common excuses around and change them into the fuel that catapults you to success.

Bravery isn’t the absence of fear. Rather, it’s acting in the face of it.

Sure, goals can be scary and hard work. It’s precisely those things that make them so great and worth it, though.

Set bold goals and boldly go after them. Work on them a little at a time or in great big chunks. However you choose to tackle your dreams, just don’t give up, and you’ll see success.

Sure, you’ll make mistakes and face criticism. Those two things pale compared to not living out your calling and purpose. Fear a wasted life more than you fear mistakes and judgment.

​A boat tethered to the dock goes nowhere. Untether yourself and take chances!

John Grisham is said to have written his first best-selling book by waking up early and working on it little by little. Then, he’d go off to his day job as a lawyer. He did that for four years.

When time excuses keep you from starting or finishing something, consider this time visualization activity: Imagine a medium-sized glass vase, different sizes of rocks, and lots of pebbles.

Each rock and pebble stands for your many daily or weekly time commitments. When you put the biggest rocks in first, they seem to fill up your container. Now, imagine what the pebbles do when you pour them in—they settle in nooks and crannies, filling in empty spaces that weren’t apparent when only the big rocks were in there.

​Like the rocks and pebbles, your life likely has space where you can squeeze in tiny, helpful habits that can catapult you to success—those that fuel your body, spirit, and soul. For example:

You get the same 24 hours everyone else gets—every day. What are you going to do with it?

​Chisel away at your goals. No matter how slowly, progress is progress!

You don’t have to be a millionaire to start your million-dollar idea.

Think of all the rags-to-riches stories our rich history has to offer—all the successful icons who pulled themselves up by their bootstraps. Most of the world’s great leaders, thinkers, inventors, and business moguls started poor or middle-class.

​Just like those legends, you can pursue any dream with minimal financial investment. Invest like a savvy tycoon would, doing everything possible to ensure your interests yield positive returns.

You aren’t unlucky or doomed to fail. You are just as capable and worthy of success as the world’s most prosperous, intelligent, or inventive big shots.

​Gaining knowledge can help boost your self-belief. Develop expert knowledge, going all in on a particular subject, or gain broader knowledge by learning many different things. Learn about what brings you joy and ignites your passion.

Once you’ve turned your excuses around, use these quick tips to keep up the momentum.

What are you telling yourself versus what’s true? Catch yourself in a negative thought and break that thought up into what you feel compared to actuality.

​What do you know for sure? What can you do about it?

Quit waiting for the time, circumstances, or plan to be “just right.” Perfect doesn’t exist. Get creative instead of hoping for different circumstances. What can you do right now to make things better?

Find quiet times to meditate on or write down the reason for your passion. What does it feel like to be pursuing a goal? What will it feel like to accomplish that dream?

Stop a scarcity mindset in its tracks. The law of abundance is always at work—acting as if you have an abundance brings you abundance.

​You can be successful; others can be successful, too. The Universe doesn’t take from one to give to another. There is more than one “winner,” and there’s always plenty of success to go around.

You aren’t the sum of your mistakes—those times when your results (or actions) didn’t match your hopes. Mistakes happen. They are learning opportunities and nothing more. They say nothing about you. Each day, hour, or minute can be a new start.

Want to evict excuses from your brain for good? The best way to overcome excuses is to consistently read mindset and success resources.

​Become more positive, access exclusive resources for building self-confidence, internalize expert guidance, and enjoy the love of a supportive community of achievers with a Secrets of Success Mastermind Membership. Strive for your dreams, unlock your potential, and live an impactful life by clicking here to begin your journey now.