5 Excuses We Hear as Life Coaches
Let’s be honest - we all make excuses. Some of us are quite good at rationalizing why we can’t do something, whether true or not. Our perceived reality is the reality we live in. As life coaches, we often hear people make excuses for why they can’t reach their goals. Let’s dive into the top five excuses we hear and how you can change your approach for next time.
“I don’t have time.”
This is a common reason we hear when someone is questioned why X task wasn’t completed as planned. The typical follow-up question is usually, “Ok, well, what did you do instead?” Crickets. Most times, people can’t pinpoint where the time dedicated to the task went. This means you didn’t really “not have the time,” but instead chose a different activity to fill said time.
Yes, there will be times when something in your scheduled shifts and the time is genuinely lost, but don’t confuse those moments with the typical “The day got away from me, and I didn’t have time” moments. If you’re curious about how you spend your day - consider tracking what you do each day. This task can be completed on paper or through an app such as Clockify, which will track your activities throughout the day. You might very well be surprised by how much time you lose to things such as social media. Share your results with your mentor and spend some time developing time management strategies.
2. “I couldn’t reach this goal last time either.”
We have all attempted goals we didn’t reach at one point in our lives. This is not new or unique.There are a multitude of reasons why one can fall short of attaining a goal, but no matter the reason, it shouldn’t stop you from trying again.
The first step to attempting to reach a failed goal again is to reflect on why things didn’t work correctly during the previous attempt(s). Some common questions you can ask yourself to help determine the reason(s) it may not have worked include:
Where did the plan break down?
Did I have support?
Did I learn something from that experience?? (*This one can sting a little since sometimes we don’t want to think about the good that came out of a failure but trust us, it’s vital to reaching the goal the next time.)
Once you know the legitimate reason(s) as to why your goal wasn’t reached during your initial attempt, be intentional about what you learned. If you take your knowledge and experiences and adapt those lessons to future situations there will be a different outcome. Your mentor can share different tools that will help support your journey.
3. “I can’t focus on my goal.”
Losing focus is a genuine concern for many people when setting and crushing goals. Let’s face it - we live in a world that capitalizes on distractions. We are overstimulated and are expected to be productive. As we go about our day, obligations and unexpected situations require attention and pull us away from our intentions. Once you’ve realized that you’re losing focus on your goal - now what? Start by asking yourself a few key questions:
Why did I want to reach this goal? This creates intention and allows your brain the opportunity to be reminded of how important this goal is to you.
What are the barriers that are prohibiting me from focusing on this goal? There will always be barriers, and it’s essential to differentiate between those within your control and those not. Adjusting to a new fall schedule with your family is something that is within your control, but dealing with a suddenly ill family member is not. Once a barrier has been determined, you can take the appropriate next steps. Being able to shift your plan and recalibrate is a skill we will likely use every day of our lives. You must remember that adjustments are a part of the process, and it doesn’t mean you failed.
It’s essential to be honest with yourself when you feel as though you’re losing focus. The sooner you notice the slip, the quicker you can work to adjust. Utilize your time with your mentor to help you learn strategies that will help you retain focus.
4. “It isn’t that important of a goal anyways.”
You created this goal with intention and purpose - remember why you started. You set this goal to benefit your life. It is easy to dismiss your needs or wants as a priority when life gets hectic. If you begin to doubt the importance of your goal, take a moment to evaluate your current situation. Something may have changed that is causing you to discount your goal.
Ask yourself the question, “Why does this goal matter to me?” and then reflect upon, “Why do I feel that this isn’t as important as it was before?” Reflecting on the excuse is vital to help you continue on your journey forward.
Once the seed of doubt is planted in your brain, it’s hard to remove it. This is why having the right team supporting you in these moments is essential. Here at The Goalden System, your goal is central to your journey with us. We want you to succeed just as much as you do. Your mentor will work with you to evaluate and assess the importance of your goals. You get the opportunity to re-engage and re-center your priorities. If you need a little boost - call your mentor.
5. “What if I fail?”
We get it - failure is scary. However, you learn more from failure than you do from success, mainly because failure leads to knowledge and awareness. Take that new knowledge and understanding to press onward, and you’ve got yourself the start of a new adventure.
Think about a time when you failed - this can be in your personal or professional life. Now, think about what happened next. What did you do with your new knowledge and awareness in those moments, days, and weeks after failure? It’s not about the failing moment as much as it is about the moments after - that’s when the path you’re traveling is determined…Do you turn around and walk away from the goal, or do you continue down the path with better equipment?
This might sound scary but lean into failure. It’s only as frightening as we let it become. If we strip the scary part of failure away, we are left with growth opportunities. Where would we be if we stopped trying to grow? Still nervous about failing? That’s normal! Remember that your mentor is your greatest cheerleader…and only a phone call away.
Excuses are part of life and likely always will be, but remember that if you have a plan in place for these potential bumps in the road, you’re much more likely to continue down the path toward success.
You belong here.
