What is something in your life where you need to release the excuse and just get it done? Maybe it’s a project around the house, or something at work you’ve been putting off. Or possibly it’s that book you’ve been meaning to read or course you keep talking about going through. You want to do it, sometimes need to do it but always have some excuse why you can’t and it’s not that you can’t, it’s that you don’t want to or don’t feel like it. So just release the excuse.

How to FEEL like it

You don’t want to do something and you tell yourself, “I just don’t feel like it”. First we have to ask ourselves, what does “feel like it” even mean? What feeling are we feeling at that moment? Do we feel tired so we don’t want to do it? Sometimes that may be the case but more often we have the energy but still don’t feel like doing it. Do we feel grumpy, sad, upset or any other way that would keep us from accomplishing the task? Most likely we aren’t in a positive mindset so we put off doing what we know we should do and here’s the frustrating part, doing it will help us to change the way we are feeling.

But it’s a good excuse

What constitutes a “good” excuse? Was “my dog ate my homework” a good excuse when you told it to your 4th grade teacher? I’m betting that it didn’t go over too well with her. So why do you allow yourself to accept excuses for not doing the things you know need done? I’m being serious. Stop reading for a second and really ask yourself why you accept your excuses? Just like your 4th grade teacher would have done you a disservice by accepting some excuse as to why your homework wasn’t done, you are doing yourself a major disservice every time you accept an excuse.

Excuse Abuse

So the next logical step is to figure out how to stop abusing excusing and start getting things done. For starters, just be honest with yourself. Stop allowing yourself to lie and say things like “I can’t” or “that’s too hard”. Those are not excuses, they are outright lies. You CAN and nothing is too hard. Tell yourself the truth. Acknowledge that the task may be difficult and that you won’t use any excuses. Use this sentence and fill in the blanks.

I know that (something you need to do) is going to be hard but I am not going to use (insert excuse) as an excuse any longer.

Negatives don’t attract positives

We are not magnets. Our negative excuses just attract more negativity to our lives. First there is the excuse which we have already determined is probably false getting us into a negative mindset. Then there is the missed opportunity to do what we need to do that brings on shame for not doing it. Finally we have the reminders that pop up in our minds that it still isn’t done. Negativity brings on more negativity but luckily the inverse is true. Positivity attracts positivity. Next time you catch yourself allowing some excuse, reframe the excuse in a positive light. Instead of “I can’t”, you will say “this will be difficult but I can do it”. Or maybe reframe “I don’t want to” in a positive way to say “doing this will make my life better so the benefit outweighs me not wanting to”.

You are excused

I am now giving you permission. You are excused from using excuses. Go do that difficult thing. Start that course, finish that project, or conquer that change. No more excuses, just getting stuff done and feeling good about it. The more you catch yourself, the easier it will become. Can you be a successful procrastinator if you won’t accept your excuses? I think not. Release the excuse for good.