Opinion: Want growth? Stop making excuses

Most of us can relate to a story like this: Despite trying to reach his goals, Travis always made excuses. He told people he didn’t have enough time, was too busy with other work or did not have the right skills. After some time, Travis realized that if he wanted to succeed, he needed to stop making excuses, take ownership and act on his opportunities.

The fictional story of Travis encourages us to think about our goals for the new year. And it reminds us of the futility of making excuses when we aren’t progressing on our goals.

For too many years, I had a goal to become a professional speaker but did nothing about it – except to make excuses. What’s more, my first book draft sat on my desk for over five years, hindered by various justifications. But it all came to fruition when I stopped justifying my “buts and can’ts” and took productive steps to pursue my goals.

Admitting that we make excuses for not getting something significant done can be liberating. By realizing what’s holding us back or getting honest about where we are wrong, we can ensure it doesn’t happen again – and make the necessary changes that lead to more success.

Here are seven reminders for ending excuses and improving your results this year.

1. Take accountability. Instead of getting defensive, take responsibility for the situation and identify ways to improve it. Analyze what you did wrong and what could have been done differently, so you don’t repeat the same mistakes. Find solace in knowing that even if you fail this time, there are still other paths available and new opportunities waiting around the corner.
2. Understand that you are in control of your destiny. Remember that no matter what happens, you can get through challenging obstacles to your goals. Develop the skills you know are missing. Read articles or books to increase your knowledge, watch subject matter experts on YouTube, and ask mentors for advice. Little by little, you’ll build a solid knowledge base and experience better outcomes.
3. Know what limits you. The excuse “I don’t have time” is one of the biggest limits to our success, but it’s usually more about misplaced priorities than available time. I asked a client during a coaching session to identify activities draining his team’s time and hindering their success. After his team identified and eliminated self-limiting excuses and replaced busy work with dedicated time for top priorities, their results improved quickly.
4. Accept your mistakes and move on. Nobody is flawless. We all make mistakes – but how we learn from our mistakes and move forward counts. Being accountable for your actions or lack thereof is critical to finding more success. If you find yourself giving excuses, ask why and then take responsibility for getting back on track.
5. Set manageable goals. It is essential to set realistic goals. You may get discouraged and make excuses if your ambitions are too lofty. However, if your goals are realistic and achievable, you will be more motivated to act and stick with them.
6. Don’t say you don’t know how. One CEO client never let obstacles or excuses stop her from achieving her goals. When confronted with something she was unfamiliar or lacked experience, she’d say, “I don’t know yet.” By inserting that single word “yet” into the sentence, she creates an opportunity to expand her knowledge to accomplish something new. Having this attitude keeps you from making excuses or putting barriers in your way.
7. Stick to your plan. When you have a plan, you have a roadmap to follow, and you are more likely to stay on track. Don’t give up when you encounter an obstacle to your plan. Finish it.

We can accomplish our goals this year by creating a plan, following it through, admitting our mistakes, learning from them and moving on. First, though, we must stop making excuses that limit our results.  

Consultant, professional speaker and author Mark Holmes is president of Springfield-based Consultant Board Inc. and MarkHolmesGroup.com. He can be reached at mark@markholmesgroup.com.