I have decided that #noexcuses2015 will be the motto for me in the year 2015. I think for the most part I try to live my life that way, however there are times and places where I allow the excuses to creep in as well.
I recently conducted a survey with about 100 Sales Professionals. The question I asked of the group was “List out all of the excuses you made this past year that prevented you from making your goal.” I gave some additional context around this question, but I think the question is pretty clear. The responses I received were telling as well:
I gave the group about 5 minutes to work together and come up with as many excuses as they possibly could. Then I asked the audience to share with all of us what excuses they used.
My guess is that we were about 15 excuses into the exercise before I heard an excuse that was self-inflicted versus external factors. Meaning the sales people blamed all external forces and variables as the reason they were unsuccessful in accomplishing their goals versus their own performance having anything to do with them missing their goal.
If you are reading this blog my guess is that you are already a very accountable and self-responsible person. You hold yourself to the highest standards and will not accept anything but the best from yourself. I would put myself in that same category as well.
However, I know there are many times this year that I used some excuses that prevented me from being the best I could be. Like you, I don’t allow excuses to creep in on the things that matter the most. Such as family obligations, work obligations, etc. However, I have allowed excuses to creep in on some personal goals that I have set for myself. Some accountability goals that I may have set for the people who I work with. Or allowed some things that can help me move the ball forward in work as well as personal.
I am prepping for 2015 to be the best year for me. The only way that this can be accomplished is with a #noexcuses mentality. So every time that little voice in my head says, “you have already worked out 4 times this week, do you really need a fifth” or “You blogged 3 times, this week, you don’t need to do another one” “You burned 1000 calories this morning, you deserve a bottle of wine (come on you know this is easy to do:)).
Take the challenge with me this next year. Lets not allow any excuses to creep in and prevent us from being all that we can be. Please share with me your #noexcuses2015 goals.
To your success and your future.
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