Dangerous Excuses...

We all have them; little voices that talk us out of doing what we know we should...

The most dangerous excuses are not the ones we give when something has gone wrong, or we messed up; the most dangerous ones are the ones that prevent us from making the decision, keeping the promise or taking the risk...

Retrospective Excuses - Danger level 1...

The Retrospective Excuse is the "got stuck in traffic..." or the "alarm didn't go off..." type...

Used when an objective or target hasn't been met - there are loads of these and you can make your own list of favourites...

They also include;

"we tried it before and it didn't work..."

"we've always done it this way..."

"it wasn't me it was him / her / you / them..."

These excuses are irritating at best and destructive at worst; they destroy your reputation and damage your prospects; but they are not as bad as...

Predictive Excuses - Danger level 2...

These are the most dangerous - because they are hidden; no one really knows about them except ourselves, they are inside our heads and only show up to the outside world as a lack of action, movement or achievement...

Used best to talk ourselves out of things before they happen, the include;

"I don't have the money..."

"I had a tough childhood..."

"I'm a man / woman..."

"I'm too old / young / tall / short..."

"I can't..."

They prevent us from recognising and capitalising on the opportunities that come our way, or connecting with the people who can support us on the journey...

So how do we deal with them...?

First, lets deal with the Retrospective Excuses.

We need to live in the GREEN Zone...

GREEN behaviour means we take full responsibility for our results and outcomes, we are determined to achieve and are energetic and enthusiastic about our work; it also means we take people with us and nurture their development along the way, seeking a Win:Win with all those we engage with...

RED behaviour means we find reasons (adult versions of excuses...) for why things go wrong - usually Retrospective in nature - they include blaming others, or situations for poor performance and achievement.

Here is where we find evidence to support our behaviour that validates our performance - at least to ourselves,we also doubt ourselves and others regarding the level of achievements that can be made...

Now, lets deal with the Retrospective Excuses.

These are the most dangerous and debilitating, and there are a range of tactics that can be employed to get rid of them - in addition to living in the GREEN Zone...

1. Education - knowledge releases potential and access to opportunities. It is a great way of building self confidence and proving to ourself that are actually capable of more than we think. I spent 12 years at Night School working my way to my MBA; mainly to prove a few people wrong - namely my English Teacher at High School...

2. Network - associate with people who are where you want to be and don't dismiss them as lucky or fortunate; find out how they achieved success and you'll discover there is no magic, just application and hard work. This may mean that some people are left out of your network too..

3. Small Goals - start with these, make sure you get into a mode of achievement and then set bigger goals as you proceed. Ignore the BHAG - ridiculous poppycock promoted by those who have themselves probably achieved nothing. When you know what you are doing - nothing appears Big or Audacious, just another objective on the journey.

4. Ego - get used to success and don't allow your Ego to convince you that you "deserve" it and that the world owes you - it doesn't; you simply owe it to yourself to be the best you can be..

5. Say YES - to opportunities and take the risk of doing something different, living in another town, starting a new career or building a new relationship. Then show up and do your very best all the time...

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Business Coaching and Training designed to deliver great Results...

If you'd like to find out how working with David will enable you to grow your Business, Your Team and Your Results - just drop him a note to davidholland@resultsrulesok.com