Never Give Or Take Excuses

Almost everyone I know has been caught giving excuses. On the other hand I remember giving excuses right from the time I went to school as a kid. Earlier this week I was going through some articles that talked about the life of Florence Nightingale and I came across a gem of a quote attributed to her:

I attribute my success to this: I never gave or took any excuse - Florence Nightingale

I was impressed by this quote because it is so simplistic yet so meaningful. If you want to attribute your success in a single sentence to what you do, it is this. If you stay away from giving excuses and never ever take excuses for anything that you ask someone to do.

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First here is the dictionary definition of an excuse:

Seek to lessen the blame attaching to (a fault or offence); try to justify.

Release (someone) from a duty or requirement

The first definition is more pertinent to this post - trying to justify an action or rather the lack of an action, and trying to lessen the blame attached to it.

Never Giving or Taking Excuses

A person's natural reaction when he or she does not want to carry out an action that he is supposed to be doing is to give an excuse. At the same time, if you're one who accepts an excuse from co-workers or those around you, you're setting them up for failure.

I Don't Have Time

This is the most common excuse which is also very convenient especially if you are busy within your working hours. But I stress the term working hours because then you might be in an office - an office that doesn't belong to you. I can understand not being able to do that something extra when you're in an office.

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But what about your time outside office hours. I know of dedicated writers who write their books when they are on a train back home. They go to work like other office workers but during a ride that takes an hour they manage to write about 2000 words maybe an entire chapter.

I'll Do It Later

The time is never right for those who give this excuse. The truth is the right time is always - now. The saying "tomorrow never comes" is very true and what you think you will do the next day actually never gets done. Do it ow and get over with it - and make it a habit.

Not The Right Age

I remember once I was talking to a friend who wanted to start his own business after quitting his job. Something held him back and when I asked him he said that he is too young to start his own business. I did my bit to persuade him as did many others. He had been very successful at his corporate job and he could translate those skills easily into his new business.

We were right about him and when he did start his business after waiting a few years he became very successful. I still don't understand why he could not do the same thing a few years previously.

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Too Difficult

A classic example is those who don't have graphic design skills and have to make covers for their books or thumbnails for their blog post images. They find it too hard in the beginning and give up. I felt the same way too but once I tried it a few times I realized that it's not too tough.

I think getting started is the difficult part. Once you're in motion with what you want to do you may not find it so difficult.

Fear Of Failure

You're usually right about what you feel about doing something - if you feel you can you're most probably right. If you begin a new project with a looming fear of failure chances are that it will end up as a failure. You have to see the end goal in your mind, having accomplished what you wanted to do. If your goal is to gain 1 million Steem, imagine what it would be to have that as your SP - one day it will definitely come true!

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