Which Excuses are Standing in the Way of Your Goals?

Not everyone wants to hear this, but our mindset is typically the biggest obstacle we must overcome to reach our goals and make our dreams come true. When we are doing something new our inner critic becomes loud because we are stepping outside our nice, safe comfort zones, where everything is predictable. Fear takes over and this is why the excuses start to kick in, holding you back from the life you really want. But if you know that when you set your goals, you can overcome it! 

If you’re ready to achieve your goals and get tangible steps for overcoming excuses, keep reading!

Do you have the right goals?

When excuses are preventing success, you really have to take a big step back and ask yourself if you have set the right goals for you.

Many people are working toward goals because someone else in their life feels that those goals are important. Parents, spouses, friends, managers and coworkers may be well-meaning when they are guiding you toward specific goals, but if it doesn’t truly resonate with you, procrastination, excuses and those old bad habits are going to block you from reaching it.

To make sure that the goal you set is truly right for you, ask yourself the following questions:

• Does this goal resonate deeply with me?
• How does the goal make me feel emotionally, mentally and physically?
• Is this goal something I would be truly proud to achieve?
• What will reaching this goal give me that I don’t have now? Why is having that important?
• What am I willing to sacrifice to reach this goal?

I think that last question is a really important one to answer. Greatness in any form requires sacrifice. If you are not willing to make any sacrifices to achieve your goal, then it is definitely not the right goal for you. 

Common excuses for not achieving goals.

While every circumstance is a little different, there is common ground in the excuses preventing success. It’s important to note that the underlying emotion in each is fear of some sort.

>>CLICK HERE to learn more about fear and overcoming it, so you can live the life you want.<<

Here are the top four excuses I commonly hear as obstacles to achieving success and how to get past them:

I don’t have enough time. This is an excuse that so many people use, yet the same people have time to binge watch their favorite shows, surf social media or waste time in a variety of other non-productive ways.   

If you can find just 15 minutes a day to work on your goals, that will give you over 90 hours of dedicated time throughout the year! You can do a lot in a small amount of time when you hone your focus and dedicate yourself to making progress. Any time you put toward achieving your goals is better than no time. 

One thing each of us can do to open more time in our schedules to dedicate to the pursuit of our goals is to consider the things we do that drain our energy or don’t push us toward the things that matter. Delegating or deleting these tasks will give extra time to work toward the goals we set. 

The bottom line here is that if the goal really matters, you will find the time. 

I’m too old. There are many people who have done great things and followed new passions well into their 90s! I’ve personally started new businesses in my late 60s, and I continue to look for great opportunities today. So, in my opinion, “too old” is a state of mind and an excuse standing in your way.

I think what people are actually saying when they say, “I’m too old,” is that they aren’t sure where they add value or that the goal they are considering isn’t really compelling. When we serve and support others by using our talents, skills and knowledge, or we are making progress on things that matter to us, we build a powerful force inside us that pulls us toward our goals, keeping us energized!

If you are saying you are too old for something, it is more likely that the goal isn’t meaningful to you, which is why you are generating the excuses that are holding you back. Find something you really want to do, and age won’t keep you from achieving it. 

I don’t have what it takes. This might surprise you, but when we start out on a new goal, none of us have all the skills, knowledge or abilities to reach the goal. Those are the things that we develop along the way. In reality, no matter what kind of goal you set, all you really need are the basic skills of learning and determination to reach it. 

To build your strategy and figure out what might be standing in the way of reaching your goal, explore the following questions:

• What stops me from having the desired outcome already? List as many things as you can.

• Are these obstacles real or not? 
• Do I need a different approach to get past each obstacle?
• What extra resources do I need to create the outcome I want?
• Would an outside perspective help to outline anything else I’m missing?

These questions will help you stop making excuses and start building a detailed strategy with a step-by-step plan to achieve your goals.

I don’t have enough money. There are some goals that require money but there are many that don’t. For example, you don’t need to pay for a gym membership to get stronger, buy courses to learn a new skill, or invest money to start a new business. All you really need is a little creative planning. 

Instead of ruminating on the ways money is holding you back, ask yourself, “How can I make this happen?” Let your curiosity lead you. Play with it. You have more resources than you realize, even if you are starting from zero. By keeping it light, you might have a lot of fun coming up with ideas to get started on your goals without investing a single cent. 

Many other people have made something from nothing, and you can too! 

One final tip for overcoming excuses, so you can achieve your goals, is to remember this quote from Henry Ford, “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t – you’re right.” Your mind is a truly powerful force. Success, as well as the excuses that stand in your way, all start with your thoughts. If you make the decision that nothing will stop you from reaching your goals—nothing will. 

 

What is it like to work with Master Mentor, Sharon Lechter? This is what Shadoe Gray of ICON Strategies, Inc. had to say to Sharon after completing the Master Mentor Program: 

“I feel like I have finally come into my own. What you have told to me and what I have implemented has changed my life. I can’t thank you enough because here I am living my very best life, and I didn’t have to wait until I retire to realize it.

I am making so much more money…now I feel secure that I am going to be taken care of the rest of my life with the money that I am making with the changes I have made.”

If you would like to learn more about Sharon Lechter’s Master Mentor Program, CLICK HERE.