When we want to do something, we are often quick to come up with reasons why we can’t.
 
You want to delegate more.
 
You want to give someone feedback on their performance.
 
You want to lead that exciting project.
 
You want to find work that’s more fulfilling than what you are doing right now.
 
And then you tell yourself…
 
I don’t have time.
 
I don’t know how.
 
I’m not qualified enough.
 
It’s too hard and too late.
 
All reasons why you can’t possibly do what you wanted to do.
 
Or so it seems…
 
Because what if those aren’t the truth?
 
What if those are just excuses?
 
Disguised as unsurmountable roadblocks.
 
That look and feel very real.
 
Very reasonable.
 
Very logical.
 
Very justifiable.
 
But that are – in truth – NOT the unsurmountable roadblocks they pretend to be.
 
So how can you actually tell you are using such a roadblock as an excuse?
 
By the amount of action you are taking to deal with that roadblock.
 
By the amount of action you are taking to solve for a solution.
 
No action?
 
You’re dealing with an excuse.
 
A one-off action, or an half-hearted attempt?
 
You’re serving yourself an excuse.
 
Taking plenty of actions?
 
Doing All. The. Things?
 
Being ALL IN, iteration after iteration, relentlessly coming at it from any angle you can possibly imagine?
 
THAT’s excuses kicked to the curb.
 
THAT’s you making your goal happen – and then some.
 
You creating the time.
 
You figuring it out.
 
You discovering you were already qualified enough, or boosting your skills + expertise in exactly the right places.
 
You making it happen.
 
Proving that it was not too late.
 
An excuse is something you tell yourself – and leave there.
 
Unchallenged.
 
Not acted upon.
 
So that you can hide in the safety of the status quo.
 
Avoiding the discomfort of your worries, doubts and fears.
 
Avoiding the discomfort of any future disappointment, failure, criticism or pushback.
 
Soothing yourself by telling yourself you really would LOVE to make a change, but unfortunately can’t.
 
Forgetting your own agency.
 
Underestimating your capability to do hard things, to feel the fear and do it anyway.
 
Underestimating your capability to overcome the disappointment, survive the failure, deal with the criticism.
 
And having yourself miss out on the satisfaction of
 
…  seeing your team thrive (because you stopped being the hardworking + well-intended I-do-it-all-myself bottleneck).
 
…  having great work relationships – productive, respectful and pleasant (instead of sources of frustration).
 
…  doing work that makes you jump out of bed in morning (instead of dreading to get to work + hiding behind an upbeat smile).
 
leading + showing what you are truly capable of (instead of standing on the sidelines, seeing other people get opportunities that – deep down – you KNOW you can pull off too).
 
Listen to what your mind comes up with.
 
And don’t leave it there.
 
But challenge it.
 
Act on it.
 
And you’ll blow your mind with the results you’re creating.
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