YES, but .... What is your excuse?

When I hear this expression, I become intensely interested. I really want to hear what follows the “Yes, BUT” because it always amazes me - the excuses people choose to use to keep themselves stuck. I find it incredible that people are happy to just sit with the excuse and not think about solutions so they can move forward.

Here are some Yes, BUT …. examples:
• we’ve ALWAYS done it this way
• it’s in my DNA
• I had a bad childhood
• I don’t have enough time
• I can’t afford it
• the economy is not good just now
• my partner/parents/friends/colleagues are not supportive

Don’t accept these excuses as the place you are at. I suggest you eliminate BUT, substitute AND then add SO. For example:
I want to start a business, BUT I don't have the start-up capital.
Becomes: I want to start a business, AND I don't have the start-up capital SO …..

This simple change stops us from thinking we have an acceptable excuse for not solving the problem and assists us to take responsibility and look for a solution. A business associate of mine, Rachel Oliver (co-owner of Polaris Global) always says: "No money+ plenty of imagination = no problem. No money+ no imagination = big problem. "

Most of our problems are not “out there”. Our biggest problem is not the events or circumstances of our lives. Our biggest problem is between our ears – how we think about things.

Success is certainly a choice, there is no doubt about it. We have all made a series of choices to get ourselves to where we are now. We need to acknowledge that and take responsibility for it. Because if we don’t like where we are and want to get to a better place, it is time to start making some better choices.

Here is a great quote (don’t know the source):
“People are not what they think they are…but rather…what people think…they are!”