He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else
– Benjamin Franklin
The post for about excuses was already on my writing list, but somewhere it made me reflect on myself. It aroused a guilt within me of being a lazy delayer.
The reason was obvious – I often make excuses. Maybe less than I used to, but I do. I’m a human.
Excuses are always plentiful. You need to pick one which sounds reasonable and say it. It’s a different story whether others will believe you or not. Mostly, they don’t. People know when you’re making excuses.
Who do all the excuses usually harm? The one who makes them.
- Sometimes we mutter “maybe tomorrow,” and delay our duties without thinking that there are only 365 days in a year, which pass in a blink.
- The tasks which are ought to be done by us lie in a corner of our busy schedule.
- We wait till we gain perfection at something or until the ‘right time’ to push away what we fear.
- We explain and convince others about our helplessness, expecting sympathy in return, when we actually know the truth is in our heart.
- When we cannot tackle something, we find something else to do instead of dealing with priorities.
- We find time for all other things, but we say that we cannot manage to set aside some of it for our passions and dreams.
It’s hard to accept the excuses of the past. It’s hard to look at the wasted time.
Excuses from past are bothering. They remind us of our failures.
We blame ourselves for not being responsible, and then regret.
But then, there’s always a right time to fix everything – now.
Now it is the time to stop sobbing and make firm decisions.
Excuses? No, they won’t exist when you kill them with your passion and hope. You become wise after falling flat on your face.
Can you recall the last time you made excuses?
You might have reminded yourself of your duties. Maybe, even talked to yourself but quit your work. Or you might have felt helpless.
But in your heart you know answers to all the question that keep you awake at night.
Why you don’t do, why you procrastinate, and what you should do – you already know all the answers. If you face your imperfections and show some courage, it’ll be easy for you to win over your excuses.
Take tiny steps.
Here are a few steps you can take
- Find excuses to do something instead of avoiding it.
- Be a little bit more responsible and take a stand for yourself.
- Love your work, more than you love the excuses you make up.
- Reflect on your words before talk to someone about your work. Are you justifying your excuses? or are you explaining your helplessness? It’s better to admit your faults and move on than nagging and complaining.
- Do things consistently until you achieve a certain mark. Go on increasing your pace after that.
- Surprise yourself by trying out the things you thought you couldn’t do.
It is time to let the excuses slip away, and get a grip on your work. You are always capable of doing it when you are willing to do it.
Conclusion
Work as hard and act responsibly towards your goals. You don’t need to be great, or perfect, but you need to be willing make little changes. With every excuse you make, you get dragged away from the best that you can get.
If you’ve made excuses in the past, admit it and move on. You are always capable of doing what’s right for you.
Finally, remember that it’s okay to fail. Everyone stumbles. What matter is whether you start again.