Excuses are powerful.  

They are often appropriate–some of us have injuries, or restraints on our time or finances, that prohibit us from pursuing some of our goals.

But they often push their boundaries, and trick us into thinking they absolve us of other responsibilites.

For example, being busy is a great excuse–many of us are super busy.  But it’s not an excuse to cheat on a diet, or over-consume in other areas.  All too often, busy people feed their excuses by over-complicating things.. by setting the bar impossibly high, and then conceding because they can’t possibly fulfill such unrealistic expectations.

This is a trick of the mind–simply training or exercising fifteen minutes a day, if for nothing else than just building momentum, is a readily accessible option for ANYONE.  We don’t have to embark on a hardcore, 5x/week training regimen, to see results.  Just do what you can–and do it with focus and discipline!

Being injuried is a great excuse too–but for nearly every injury, there is a modification.  And in some cases, simply showing up to observe class, or studying the material in an academic fashion, is a great substitute for performing.  Because even when we can’t flex our physical muscles, it’s still important to maintain the discipline of our training routine and just show up.

The point is, all too often we give our excuses sovereignty over us, when it should be the other way around.

Be careful with how you wield your excuses, and be honest with yourself if you suspect you are allowing them to overstep their boundaries.

In the end, our excuses are the greatest barrier to our own success.  

Our time is limited, so let’s not also limit our potential!