Are You Looking For An Excuse?

Are You Looking For An Excuse?

Have you ever looked for an excuse so you don’t have to do something? A couple of weeks ago I was talking with a friend, and he gave me this whole story about why he couldn’t attend an event that he said he wanted to go to. I called bullshit on him because every reason he gave me was an excuse that was focused on a problem, not a solution. When we probed deeper, it became obvious that he had some fears around the event and they had him choosing his comfort zone instead of his outcome.

It’s pretty easy for me to see those behaviors in others and to help them see it for themselves. And, what I’ve learned over the years is that anytime I help someone gain insight for themselves, it’s likely there is a next level insight for me too. As I turned the mirror on myself, I realized that for someone who believes in getting out of her comfort zone, man, I have a bunch of excuses to keep me in it.

Last Wednesday I was supposed to go to a networking happy hour. There were going to be people there that I liked, and it would have been a great opportunity to build relationships in a casual setting. Building relationships is a key outcome for High5, especially here in San Diego where we are based. I had a meeting in the afternoon that ran a little long, and I was so relieved because then I had an excuse not to go to the happy hour. (By the way, I would only have been 30-45 minutes late into a 2+ hour event.)

Now let me be clear – there is a big difference between making a choice focused on an outcome and making an excuse. For me, that was an excuse that I used to make myself feel better about staying in my comfort zone. You know, the kind of excuse that sounds good that most anyone in your circle would buy and agree with you.

Next time you find yourself making an excuse instead of a purposeful choice that is focused on an outcome, take a deeper look at it.  Ask yourself if you’re more committed to your comfort zone or to your outcomes and the things you say you want.

Leadership is a practice. I’m still practicing. How about you?

Are you ready to give up YOUR excuses and see what’s really possible? Give us a weekend and we will give you a lifetime. Send me an email at barb@high5leadership.com to schedule a time to talk.