“Don’t wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. So what. Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful.” — Mark Victor Hansen
There is never a Perfect time for you to take action. There is never a perfect time for you to launch that project, to spend time with your family, to write a book, to express your love for someone, change your habit, or embrace a new habit.
I’m too tired. I don’t have the time. I am not capable. Someone else will do it. It’s too late now. Now is not the right time. I am not talented. I am not ready. I’m too scared. Nobody will help me. What if I fail. I don’t feel motivated. I’d rather do nothing. I don’t have the money..yet!
It’s easy to come up with excuses and justify not getting started. The longer you fill your head with rationalizations and empty excuses, the less time you have to take action. It’s easy to say, “I will start when I have more experience, money, time and resources”. By this time next year, you will have a lot more excuses.
It’s a cycle.
And once you get caught in the loop, it, can be difficult to break free and do something meaningful you care about.
You have every opportunity to make the most of the life you have right now. Your choices today will determine the number of regrets you will have in the next ten years.
The most common regrets you have probably read about are: missed opportunities, not spending time more prudently, accomplishing more, not doing meaningful work, procrastinating, not forming better habits, not mastering another language or skill, getting into bad relationships, or making mistakes in a past relationship.
Regrets suck.
But today, right now, you can do something about your choices to limit your regrets in future.
The self-criticism and self-doubt will always be present, and the only solution is to just act in spite of them.
There will always be a reason why it can’t be done. People constantly explain away why they couldn’t, shouldn’t, didn’t, or simply wouldn’t do something.
When you make excuses, you are simply saying, “I’m not in control.”
But guess what — you are the only person who is fully in control of your actions and decisions in the world. Making excuses robs you of your personal power.
People make excuses because of the fear of the unknown. Others are just afraid of change, rejection and embarrassment.
Fear locks you in your comfort zone. And nothing magical or remarkable happens in your safe zone. You can stop making excuses if you learn how to eliminate all traces of fear from your life.
The next time you experience a setback, don’t make an excuse. See it as a challenge, learn from it and move on.
Excuses are distractions, and they reduce your confidence and self-belief. You don’t want that — especially when you still have a lot to show the world.
