Don’t Be a Little B*tch

Have you looked at the excuses you are using, or will likely use, to avoid making any of your success or dreams come true? Everyone makes excuses. Most people actually have favorites that they employ over and over. I am certain that yours are starting to emerge now—so rather than ignore them, let’s just go ahead and confront the little monsters so that they don’t distract you later.

An “excuse” is a justification for doing—or not doing—something. I think the dictionary implies that it’s a “reason.” However, in reality, an excuse usually turns out to be something other than the real reason that motivates your actions (or lack thereof). For example, let’s say that your excuse for being late to work is due to traffic. Well, that’s not truly the reason you don’t make it to work on time. The reason you were late is because you left your home without enough time to allow for traffic. Excuses are never the reason for why you did or didn’t do something. They’re just a revision of the facts that you make up in order to help yourself feel better about what happened (or didn’t).

Making excuses won’t change your situation; only getting to the real reason behind it can do this. Excuses are for people who refuse to take responsibility for their life and how it turns out. Slaves and victims make excuses—and will forever be destined to having leftovers and others’ scraps.

The first thing to know about excuses is that they never improve your situation.

The second thing to know about excuses is which ones you use on a regular basis.

Does any of the following sound familiar?

• I don’t have the money
• I have kids
• I don’t have kids
• I am married
• I’m not married
• I have to find balance in my life
• I am overworked
• I am bored
• Too many people work here
• We don’t have enough people
• My manager sucks
• My manager won’t leave me alone
• Our prices are too high
• Our prices are too low
• I am tired
• I need a vacation
• I’m sick
• My mom is sick
• Traffic is terrible
• The competition is too hard

…This list could go on forever.

Bored yet? I know I am! I had to really reach deep to just come up with some of those. How many of these have you used? Go back and copy down every statement you’ve ever heard come out of your mouth. Now ask yourself, will any of these excuses improve your situation or condition? I doubt it. 

So why, then, do so many people make them so often? Does it even matter? An excuse is just an alteration of reality; nothing about it will move you to a better situation. The fact that “the customer doesn’t have money” will not help you close your deal. The fact that you “only have bad luck” is not going to improve the conditions of your life or change your luck. In fact, if you keep telling yourself that long enough, you’ll start to expect it—thereby ensuring that things will continue to be bad.

No excuse exists that can or will make you successful. If you make success an option, then it won’t be an option for you—simple. Engaging in self-pity and excuse making are signs that someone has an extremely minimal degree of responsibility. Look at these two statements: 1) “He didn’t buy from me because the bank wouldn’t make the loan,” and 2) “He didn’t buy from me because I was unable to secure proper financial for a potential customer.” The first statement assumes no responsibility for the event while the other does—and identifies a solution. Once you adopt a more advanced sense of responsibility—and refuse to make any more excuses—then you can go out and search for a solution. And as an added bonus, you will avoid such situations in the future.

If you are going to approach success as your duty, obligation and responsibility—then you must commit to never use excuses for anything! You cannot allow yourself, your team, your family, or anyone in your organization to use another excuse as a reason why something didn’t come to fruition. As the old saying goes, “If it is to be, it is up to me!” 

What excuses will you stop making today? 

Be great, 

Grant Cardone

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