We all have goals, yet we all have excuses too. It’s hard to stay goal-focused. You need to start smashing excuses to reach your goals. Otherwise, they’ll always be in the future, unattainable.
The excuses seem so legit. You don’t have enough time or money. There’s something in the way that needs to happen first. It’s not your fault because so-and-so needs to do XYZ before you can move forward.
It’s so easy to get caught in that rut, but there’s a solution to every problem and you’ll likely find it hidden below.
You may not see it immediately, but you can start smashing excuses right now. You can learn a few secrets to getting past those barriers you thought were impenetrable and start reaching your goals immediately.
Sound too good to be true? Here are seven secrets to help smash excuses and get you to your goals.
7 Secrets to Smashing Excuses
To understand the secrets to smashing excuses, you’ll need to let go of preconceived notions and open your mind to the possibility that your barriers are just excuses. Allow yourself to see past the obstacles and see if you’re doing the following.
1. Lower the Bar
Perfection is overrated, so let’s nix the “It’s not good enough” excuse. Trying to reach a goal is hard enough without needing to make it perfect.
If your goal is to learn to paint, but you’re hung up on the details of one tiny corner of your first attempted painting, you’ll miss the point. Lower your standards and get it done. Paint with broad strokes at first or nothing will happen. Work on improving your work once you’ve finished something. If you never complete a task, you have nothing to improve upon. You can always go back and you’ll be surprised how well it turns out once you just dig in and get it done.
2. Shrink Your Task
Smaller is bigger when you want to crush goals. Feel like climbing to the top of the mountain is too big of a target? Smash that excuse and climb 100 feet instead. Then 100 more, and see how far you get in an hour.
Want to write a book? Start with a journal. Keep going. When you work on your goal a little at a time, you start to see progress and can look back and say, “I did that! How much more can I do now?”
3. Reduce the Rules
One thing that slows many dreamers down is the creation of self-rules.
You want to try woodworking, but you won’t start until you have all the tools and a completed plan and are sure you know what to do. You want your workshop finished and organized and it feels like you’ll never start at this rate.
Dump the rules. You don’t need them. If you have some tools and an idea for one project, just start. Sometimes it’s about diving in and enjoying the task more than following specific rules.
That leads right to the next secret to smashing excuses…
4. Have More Fun
Play outwits work every time. If your goal is to get fit, find a way to enjoy getting there. If you hate running, then don’t run. Maybe martial arts is more your style. Like dancing? Try Zoomba.
Find a way to get to your goal that you enjoy. The more fun you have, the less work it takes. When you enjoy what you’re doing, you boost serotonin, tasks feel easier, and you stress less about the target and have fun with the journey.
5. Extend Your Timeframe
Speaking of reducing stress, want to smash the “not enough time” excuse? Simple. Extend your timeframe. Sometimes goals are built around dates and times, but here’s where that’s wrong.
Say you’re trying to lose weight by the time of a wedding. “I want to lose 50 pounds in four months.” Are you planning on gaining it all back the next day? Probably not, so it’s safe to assume you simply want to lose weight and that’s your motivator.
Let’s extend that timeframe and change the goal. “I want to lose 50 pounds and get as close to that as possible within four months.” When you extend your timeframe, you reduce stress. When you reduce stress, you feel better and are less likely to hold on to the weight. You turn a discouraged, “I can’t do it,” into, “Look how close I am! I lost 25 pounds, and the wedding is next week. Maybe I can lose a few more!”
6. Neglect the Unnecessary
Some things can wait. To start smashing excuses centered around being too busy, you need to pick and choose your priorities. Yes, feeding your kids is a priority, but finishing your project is too. Chicken nuggets and pizza it is for the next week. They’ll survive. You’ll survive. And the project will finally get done.
The lawn can wait. Dust can build. Not all the laundry needs folding right away. Get your task done and move closer to your goal today. Chores will be there tomorrow.
7. Cast Off Procrastination
Are you a master of procrastination? Turn yourself into a master of determination. Cast off those excuses and kill the “when” excuses.
“I’ll do this when…”
“I’ll work on that when…”
You’re in charge of “when,” so what that does is say you don’t want it enough now. Do you? Show it. Cast off the excuse, whatever it may be, and start now. Pick a goal and make a small stride in that direction. Make it ugly if you need to, but don’t hold back.
Start Smashing Excuses Today
If you want to start smashing excuses today, it’s your choice. You’re in control of your goals. No more blaming others or your circumstances. No more excuses. Find a way that works for you. Extend your timeframe, set aside the non-critical mundane, paint with broad strokes, and cast off excuses.
If you’ve done any of the above, now you know to let it all go. It’s time to start fresh and crush some goals.