Photo by: Kondwani Williams
We all have dreams for our future that we want to come true. Somehow, many of us seem to get stuck and cannot figure out why our planted flowers of prosperity have not yet bloomed.
Limiting beliefs, lies we tell ourselves, and excuses that we tell others are often to blame for our goal chasing false-start. Below, are seven of the biggest excuses preventing us from conquering our goals, which ultimately kills our success. If you are ready for some harsh realities, read on.
Let's knock the most frequently used excuse out of the way, with the hopes that it does not escape your lips again. The phrase, "I do not have the time" can easily be translated to, "This is not all that important to me right now." The reality is that we have the time, each of us, to do the things that matter most.
We find the time to watch mindless television and to goof around on our smart phones/tablet devices. I don't need to see your schedule to tell you that you have the time as you are taking the time to read this blog post - after likely an eternity of browsing on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or web surfing.
Don't get me wrong here, I'm glad that you are reading this post and would love for you to stay until the end. What I need for you to understand, however, is that you are spending time online that could easily be used to conquer the baby steps to get you closer to that huge step that you need to take. So if you are reading this and use the "I don't have time" excuse, please do better.
We have the same time allotted each day as Beyonce, Bill Gates and Oprah Winfrey. Twenty-four is that magic number that we all share. If any of the aforementioned individuals used this excuse when pursuing their goals, we may not know their names today. The only things that we should say that we do not have the time for are negative people and useless excuses.
Often on the road to success, fear and self-doubt creep in. This is a normal reaction when stepping out of your comfort zone and should not be a deterrent, rather a confirmation that you are doing something right. If your goals set do not scare you, then they are not nearly big enough - go back to the drawing board and set the bar higher. You owe yourself this.
Self-doubt and fear are ugly monsters and their favorite meal is your success. Allowing these feelings to stop you is not an option if you want to succeed. Not only are you good enough to accomplish that which you have set your mind out to do, no one else can do it like you. If you have something on your heart, please believe that it is meant for you and no one else. You must feel your fear and do it anyway, this will pave your road to success.
We have to stop telling ourselves the falsehood that we are not good enough, and replace that with the phrase, "I deserve it all." Until we stop playing victim, our dreams wait patiently around the corner praying that the day will come when we begin acknowledging our worth.
We have all heard the old adage, "Don't put off tomorrow, what can be done today." Why push our goals further and further away when we can get to them now? Not soon. Not tomorrow. Now.
If something is important to you, and living the life of your dreams should be, then roll up your sleeves and get to work immediately. No excuses allowed in the Goal Chasers' Club.
Here's the thing, having zilch in your wallet sucks. I get it, but we have two choices here, to complain about it or to wake up and do something about it.
The universe has an amazing way of partnering with us when we are on the road to chasing our dreams. Speaking ill about money problems never improves our finances and drains the energy of everyone around us who is forced to listen. We must make a way, not an excuse, if we wish to succeed. Get a new job. Ask for an increase. Cut Spending. Get on your knees and pray. Begin speaking abundance into your life. Whatever you do, do not complain or make excuses.
Steve Harvey, Daniel Craig (James Bond), Steve Jobs, Dr. Phil, Halle Berry and Tyler Perry have all been homeless. Despite what seemed to be the obvious (lack of money), they remained prisoners of hope and focused not on the lack, but on their potential to achieve. Now if that doesn't inspire you to quit complaining and chase your goals, I don't know what will. Tony Robbins once said, "Life would pay whatever price you ask of it." Are you asking the right questions?
We must ask ourselves if the sacrifice of a little hard work is worth the reward of achieving our wildest dreams. No one ever promised an easy road, and what fun is a road without a few twists and turns anyway?
We have to learn to appreciate the bumps, stumbles and falls for what they are - lessons that help us to grow (if we learn from them) and great stories to share once we overcome them. Saying something is "too hard" is the weakest cop-out. Think for a moment about all of the hard times that you didn't think you would get through; and here you are. You are already a survivor!
It all boils down to just how much we want it. If we have a strong desire to accomplish something, no amount of hard work (and certainly no lame excuses), will stop us from achieving it.
People who believe that goals are not needed and take the "What's meant for me, will be for me" approach to life, without taking necessary action, are fooling themselves. I sincerely hope this is not you. I'm a strong believer in accepting and receiving all that is meant for me, but I am an even bigger advocate for assisting that which is meant for me with conscious action.
If a million dollars was on the other side of town for you, you would quickly get up off of your tush and do whatever it takes to get there, wouldn't you? Achieving your goal may not have a monetary value, maybe you want to lose 100 lbs, the premise remains the same. Take the necessary steps to get there. Goal planning is one of the first steps to achieving any dream.
Don't be a fool - goal plan and take action. Do this and success will soon be yours.
The sad reality is that you will likely encounter many naysayers and Negative Nancies on your road to success, judging your every move - you cannot let this stop you.
Successful people uplift one another, they understand that it's a team effort. People who aren't doing much with their lives and want you to follow suit will attempt to discourage you, don't let them. You are the only person capable of giving up your power, hold it near and dear to your chest and keep on trucking.
Stay focused on your road ahead and soon they will be asking you for tips. Checkmate.
Here's another tip, share this link with friends to ensure they aren't sabotaging their success. After all, goal chasing is a team sport.
If you enjoyed Gaynete's frills-free approach and want to have first dibs on weekly tips to help you to succeed on your road to Goal Chaserdom, do ensure you sign up for her newsletter here to become an official Goal Chaser.
Also be sure to check out her best-selling book Lucky Code for even more tips to jump-start your road to success (and Luckieville).