Excuses, Excuses

Humans are such great excuse makers. I'm not sure what the evolutionary significance of this trait is, but in any case, we all tend to let this negative ability rule our lives. We can't lose weight because we're old. We can't take on a hobby because we're poor. We can't enrich our relationships with friends because we don't have time. We can't enlighten ourselves because we don't know how (and refuse to learn). Even as I write this blog damning the process, this very second, I am making excuses for not accomplishing other things I really want in my life.

In terms of career, my basic goal is to organize enough small, part-time gigs that I enjoy to amass a full-time income. This mission is easy enough for me because I've always been single and lived modestly. It may be more difficult for many of you out there that are chasing your dreams and have families, nice houses, car payments, etc. The things I'm trying are really meant for me, but I always hope to be able to inspire other people. So, perhaps you might not be able to walk away from your miserable job right away. Perhaps you might not be able to save money. Perhaps you don't have time to take on any more responsibilities.

Sorry to be a brat, but those are all excuses. I know, it's ugly and unpleasant, but I do my best not to bullshit people; there's enough bullshit in this world as it is. Sadly, what most people do the second they hear this, is come up with more excuses. This is far from the first time I've made that statement and every time I make it, I am met with what seems like a battle royale of pseudo-sympathetic excuses. Inevitably, to remove the focus from themselves, people will always politicize the point. "Oh, so, you're saying that it's poor people's fault they're poor? WELL YOU'RE WRONG! If it weren't for this or that political blabla then blabla wouldn't blabla." Never mind that I never said any of what they're assuming.

Alas, we are so good at making excuses for ourselves that we'll even make them for other people to convince ourselves of our own bullshit. Hey, if someone else really can't control their circumstances at all and it's not their own fault, it's possible that my own unhappiness is not my own fault. That's the hideous truth of these defenses. We hate to admit to ourselves that we are in control. We look to faith, we look to government, we look to family, we look to community, we look to give control of our lives to ANYTHING but ourselves to make damn sure we have "good" excuses. It's not me, it's God, it's karma, it's Republicans, it's Obama, it's Sarah Palin, it's my parents, it's my neighbors, it's this girl in my class, it's my teacher, it's glandular. Why the hell would you let any of the above things control YOUR life?

The bottom line is if you want something badly enough, you'll do whatever it takes to get it. That may mean not sleeping for as many hours, not eating as often, giving up a hobby, cancelling your cable, downgrading your cell phone plan, turning your air conditioner off, line drying your clothes, giving up meat, selling some of your nicer things.

To put it a little better:



I do not know this man personally. I am not a representative of him or his company or anything related to making money off of showing you this. It's valuable advice we can all use.

STOP WITH THE EXCUSES! There are 24 hours in a day. Use them all!