He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else. ― Benjamin Franklin
Excuses are what holds a person back. I know this because I hear excuses nearly every single day, and I have made many of my own as well.
People make excuses all the time, but then claim that it’s not actually an “excuse” that they are making.
But, what exactly is an excuse?
The definition of excuse (from Google) is “a reason or explanation put forward to defend or justify a fault or offense.”
People make excuses for all sorts of things. There are excuses for why a person can’t get the job they want, why debt can’t be paid off, why a person needs a brand new car, why a person can’t improve their lives, and so on.
Now, I’m not saying that life isn’t difficult or that everyone else’s life is perfect. Everyone has experienced difficulties – no matter how great you may perceive a person’s life to be.
Everyone is guilty of making excuses, and I know that people will continue to make them until they realize that excuses are just that- excuses.
Just think about the last time you said “That won’t work for me because (fill in the blank with your excuse here).”
As a personal finance expert, I hear a lot of reasons for why a person can’t save money, pay off debt, live the life they want, reach retirement, and so on.
There are plenty of legitimate reasons for why some people have financial setbacks, but there are still many people making excuses for why they can’t achieve their goals or why their life is bad.
So, right now, I want you to stop feeling bad for yourself, stop making excuses for why someone has a better life than you, stop making excuses for why you can’t reach your dreams, and more.
Start improving your life right now – don’t wait until tomorrow (please, don’t give me that excuse!), don’t wait until next year, don’t wait until you have saved more money, and so on.
Start changing your life for the better, NOW.
Yes, this is a “tough love” article. I’m not going to baby anyone, and sadly, making excuses holds a lot of people back. I see excuses nearly everyday on social media, and it just makes me sad.
Excuses are a waste of time, they won’t fix your problems, they hold you back, and they won’t help you and/or your future at all.
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Stop making excuses!
When was the last time you said:
That person had a better start than me so there’s no point in me even trying.
I can’t pay off my debt because _____ (fill in the blank).
I need a new car or I can’t work!
I don’t have time to make extra money.
That person had everything paid for by their parents, and that’s why they are successful.
I deserve and/or need the things I buy.
I enjoy my job and can always make money later, so saving for retirement isn’t something I need to do.
The city I live in is too expensive to save money.
It’s too late for me to start saving money.
The problem with finding excuses is that this bad habit can hold you back, which means that you may never reach your financial or life goals.
To put it simply, excuses prevent you from living the life you want.
You’re giving up before you’ve even begun.
To reach your goals and get what you want, you’ll have to work hard and stop making excuses. No one has a perfect life, so it’s a waste to make excuses for why something is impossible for you.
Trust me, I know how easy it is to make excuses for things, and I’ve made plenty of them.
However, I no longer make excuses for everything, and this has significantly changed my life, my outlook, and my mindset.
Sure, it’s nice every now and then to make an excuse for when you’re stressed or when you just feel defeated. But, that just won’t get you anywhere!
By making excuses, you’re wasting your time.
I have a motto in life that I say to myself and to my husband quite often.
Will I spend more time thinking about doing something than it would actually take me to do it?
Instead of wasting time thinking about excuses, eventually dwelling in regret, living a life of “what- ifs”, and so on, I usually just say yes to something and find a way to make it happen. It can be hard, but new experiences can be great, and stepping outside of your comfort zone can change your life.
Making excuses means that you’re wasting time by not even trying.
Instead of finding reasons for why you shouldn’t pursue a goal, you should spend your time creating a plan to achieve your dream life.
Next time you’re about to make an excuse, remember that being negative and making excuses is just a huge waste of time.
And, you’re better than that!
Related content: 11 Ways You’re Wasting Time And How To Change
You won’t fix your problems by making excuses.
The average person isn’t doing well financially.
68% live paycheck to paycheck.
26% have no emergency savings.
The median amount saved for retirement is less than $60,000.
The average household has $7,283 in credit card debt.
The average student loan debt is $32,264.
As you can see, the average person has a lot of work to do to get their financial life on track.
Now, like I said earlier, I realize that some people have situations that they cannot help, such as medical debt, an unexpected job loss, etc. However, making excuses will not fix your problems either.
If you want to stop living paycheck to paycheck, have money in savings and for retirement, and to take control of your financial situation, you’ll have to start owning up to your mistakes and finding a way to change things for the better.
So, stop finding excuses and start realizing how you can change your life.
Stop comparing yourself to others.
When making excuses, you may find that you are comparing yourself to others and coming up with reasons for why something is impossible for you.
By comparing yourself to others and minimizing their accomplishments, you are just holding yourself back.
Sure, you may not be able to reach a goal as quickly as someone else or it may require more hard work, but that doesn’t mean that everything is impossible for you. Everyone is on a different path, and there are people who are better off than you and people who are worse off.
Instead of comparing your path to those around you, you should focus on what you can do to make your dream a reality.
Related content: How To Take Control of Your Life and Stop Making Excuses
Quit making excuses for why things can’t happen for you.
If you truly want something and you want to learn how to better yourself, you’ll make it happen. Instead of feeling sorry for yourself and believing that you can’t reach a goal, figure out what YOU need to do in order to be successful.
If you really want something in life, you’ll put the needed effort towards making it a reality.
By making an excuse for why something is impossible for you, you’re already quitting.
Who wants to be a quitter?
Reaching your goal will take time, and there might be setbacks, but your goal is only impossible if you quit before you get there.
Find out why you make excuses.
People make excuses for all sorts of reasons. By figuring out why you are constantly finding excuses, you’ll be closer to tackling your problem.
Common reasons that people make excuses include:
Fear of not reaching a goal, failure, hard work, etc.
Being scared.
A belief that life is unfair.
Not really wanting it or lacking motivation.
Lack of confidence.
And more!
A lot of the time, the reason you make excuses for certain things is deeply rooted in past experiences, a lack of confidence, lack of motivation, and more. However, by finding what’s holding you back, you’ll be able to move forward in reaching your goals.
Start believing in yourself.
Success isn’t easy. If it were easy, then everyone would be extremely successful and that word wouldn’t even exist.
To take control of your life and to be successful, you need to start believing in yourself and stop making excuses.
Think about what you are good at, think about successes you have had, and see those things as evidence for how you can succeed. Everyone has it in them, but sometimes we forget that we have already overcome things.
Next time you think “That’s not possible for me because of (your excuse),” you should think instead about what you have already accomplished and about how you can make your current goal a reality.
You also NEED to admit that you are making excuses, because until you admit that, you will most likely just continue making them.
Yes, it may be a little difficult to change your mindset in the beginning, but as time passes you’ll realize that your excuses were just a waste of time and thought. Because, if you really want something, you can find ways to make it a reality.
Are you guilty of finding excuses for why things don’t or can’t go your way? What are you doing to stop making excuses?
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