Why don’t we do what we know we should do?

Just about everyone I know can recite, in a flash, all the reasons they are not doing the things that they want to be doing. They can identify these reasons better then they could pick out their family in a line up!

I bet you are one of these people too.  However, you probably think you are unique.  Sorry to burst your bubble, but mostly likely I can predict what your reasons are for NOT doing things you want to do.

Do you recognize any of these?

“I keep getting side tracked.  I really do want ________ but other things keep coming up that are more important.“

“I just need to know a little bit more about ________. I need to do a little more research. Once I have ALL the information I need I will be able to get down to work!”

“I visualize it all the time.  Isn’t it just supposed to happen?”

“Oops. I think I’ve headed in the wrong direction. I better turn around and do that OTHER thing. I’ve probably chosen the wrong thing to focus my attention on right now.”

“If it weren’t for my husband/wife/kids/parents/boss/pets/sister-in-law/the government/neighbors,etc, etc, etc, I could get _________ done.  They are always throwing me a curve ball!”

“I will get to it tomorrow.  When the weather changes.  After the holidays.  After football season.  When Mercury is no longer in retrograde.  When PIGS FLY!”

Have any of these excuses ever come out of your mouth?  If so, ask yourself, were they legitimate or were they manufactured excuses?

Legitimate means…well legitimate or valid.  Things that can not be avoided and thus hamper you from doing what you need to do.  Manufactured means..you make them up or perhaps you MILK a legitimate excuse (I’m so guilty of this one!)

Here is where you have to be honest with yourself.

You have to determine if the reasons that you keep giving yourself for not doing both what you need and want to do are justifiable or whether they are rationalizations. Easier said than done.

But I have a hunch.  I bet most of us know when we are treading over into the Making Excuses arena.

Here’s the skinny…if you are repeating over and over some form of excuse listed above about not doing the thing or things you need to do and what you want is STILL NOT HAPPENING…then you are on Hell’s Hamster Wheel.

You are going round and round in circles, getting exhausted and frustrated and disgusted with yourself and not accomplishing a thing.

Hell’s Hamster Wheel! YIKES.

So here’s your homework.

1. Make plans to be at my live event on May 19^th in Asheville for another of my now-famous businesswoman’s luncheons. This time’s theme is “Knock out Your Excuses”. I will go deeper on this topic and help get of that infernal wheel.

2.  Begin to notice, as non-judgmentally as possible, what excuses you have for not taking the action you want/need to be taking. Write them down. Try not to decide if they are legitimate or rationalization. Just keep a record.

3.  Sign up to receive my newsletter and or blog so you can Keep reading my newsletters because I will have more info on how to Break Out of Old Mindsets about excuses.

Stop spinning around and around and around.  It’s time to get off the Hamster Wheel.  Woo-Hoo!

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