John Maxwell has a quote that I hate and love at the same time: “We know what we’re supposed to be doing, we just don’t do it”. I love it when I can use the quote when working with others, I hate it when I apply it to myself, because it’s true.
That leads me to ask the question: Why do we not do the things that we know that we’re supposed to do? Here are a few areas that we should be blocking more time for but so often we don’t...
Relaxing: We all know how important it is to get a lot of rest, but most of us don’t get enough. A lot of us won’t go to bed at a decent time and we sometimes don’t do enough relaxing things like reading books, traveling, turning off the T.V., staying off of FB, etc. #ImGuilty
Eating Right: I think that by now we know that sweets, fried foods, pork, fast food, etc. isn’t good for us. Yet we still eat more than our fair share of those things. We know we should be drinking more water, eating more vegetables, taking our vitamins, etc., yet we don’t. It’s not as if we’re designed to live forever. #I’mGuilty
Working Out: We all know the importance working out on a daily basis, so why is it that we’ll allow ourselves to go days, weeks, months, or years without exercising? #I’mGuilty
Planning & Organizing: We all know the benefits of planning out our days yet most of us don’t invest the time to make it happen. If we did, we wouldn’t have to work so hard. #ImGuilty
Studying: We know the importance of education and knowledge, but so often we don’t invest enough time into studying the things that we’re passionate about. #I’mGuilty
These are just a few things that we have control over. At any moment, we could make a decision to do more or less of any of these things, so why don’t we? Here are a few of my personal most used excuses….
I have to do this first….
I don’t have time….
I plan on doing that when I…..
I need for this person to do this first….
I don’t have the help….
I don’t have the money….
Yeah, making excuses is a problem, but in my opinion the bigger problem is when we make excuses and don’t realize that we’re in denial. This is something that happens to us all so no one should take this post personally; this isn’t a subliminal message to anyone but myself. We didn’t reach our goals for October so I had to examine myself and see what I didn’t do correctly in October so that I can do better in the month of November.
I had to ask myself, what is it that I know I should be doing more of that I’m not. A few things came to mind that I’ll be working on, but one of them is blocking more time to have One on One’s with the team. This is the most important time block for me to invest in for the ongoing improvement and ultimate success of the team.
One of the excuses that I tend to use for not doing more One on One’s is that I blog each morning to the team which takes time. So to blog and have one on one’s would take more time than I can afford to spend. Then I have to remind myself….I set that goal, because I KNOW that’s what I’m supposed to be doing. Some people talk the talk, and some walk the walk. Me? I’m walking.
What is it that you need to be doing more of in your business and personal life? What are some of your favorite excuses?
~Matthew