I keep hearing lame excuses for a whole variety of business purposes lately that seem like they expand around the words “economy” and “business”.  “I can not move forward on social media, because I am tool old.” “I do not have time for making money right now.” “I tried that once. It did not work.” “Ooh! With the economy these days, I am not sure if this is the right time to invest in my business.” “Whoa is me! Whoa is me! My business has fallen and I can not get up.” That last one might have been a slight exaggeration, but you get my point about the lame excuses.

I am not going to tell you that I have never used some of these excuses myself. If I did excuse me if I say this, but that would be a bunch of bull. Lame excuses happen everyday to all of us. It is our job to reduce them to their natural state.

My thinking is that if lame excuses are such a common occurrence what in the world is stopping us from coming up with better excuses? Think about it. We make excuses everyday, but only have the lame excuses that we have stood by year in and year out.  Therefore, I propose that instead of removing excuses from our lives we come up with a better class of excuse.

Lame Excuses Improvement Tool

So, let’s start with the following example: “I think it is tacky to sell to people.”

Lame Excuses Improved Answer: “Instead, I will beg for business. That is much classier.”

Let’s “Try” another one then!

“I tried that once and it did not work.”

Lame Excuses Improved Answer: “If only, if only! I had the courage to stick to my guns! “If only!”

Lame Excuses Solutions

For those who need something a little more concrete, let me provide you with a few lame busting ideas here.

1. Develop a plan. It is OK to say, “No!” One of the challenges businesses and entrepreneurs have is that they are ready to please whenever and wherever, because they hear adages, such as “The customer is always right” and other nonsense like that. On an off topic, if the customer was always right they would not need you. Instead, we have to learn our limits. The best way to stick with those limits are through a plan.
2. If I say remove the fear, I know most people will think I am crazy. They are right. A tad crazy, but still sane as well. However, there is only one thing that can ever remove fear. Doing it! Whatever you are afraid of go head to head with in a battle to the death. It will not only remove the fear, but also the associating lame excuses as well. Taking action is an amazing thing for fear.
3. Surround yourself with people who can help. No one does it alone. The great white myth of entrepreneurs is that we all sit at home plotting our rise in the world as mad evil geniuses. The fact is that being in business is about creating connections. That is what so many miss about businesses. The connections that are needed to succeed.
4. Business takes time. People think it is a sham when someones suddenly rises up in business after toiling and sweating in obscurity for 5, 10, 15, or even 25 years and has all these connections. Must be an old boy’s network is the one myth all successful entrepreneurs fight. I always remember the story I heard from a friend about “the 20 year instant success story.” Now when I check out the success stories of entrepreneurs, I look to find out about their toils, so I know what they did to reach the tipping point. There are a lot more Bill Gates and Robert Kiyosaki’s who struggle before becoming successful than Mark Zuckerberg and Steve Jobs who just majestically rise to the top. That being said, all of these men worked hard to get where they are today.

Finally, I believe that we need to change our excuses from I do not have time or I do not have the money to what the real excuse is. “I would rather spend time with my family than do this” or “My money is going on the dream vacation my kids have wanted all their life. I want to see their faces when we arrive” or perhaps the truth “I am afraid.” Now those are some much better lame excuses.