I’ve been running on and off for the last six months, and when I say that I mean I started walking, then started jogging a bit of the 4.5 kilometres and then went back to walking. I’ve always had an excuse as to why I haven’t run the whole way, things like, ‘I’m too unfit, I’ve got bad knees, I need new shoes’. Then at one point I realised that I was stopping running even when I wasn’t tired, but just because I couldn’t be bothered anymore. I became aware of how much of what I’d been saying to myself was an excuse. Tonight, after only one outing in the last two weeks I ran the full distance and it wasn’t actually that difficult.
It made me think of a conversation I had with my Dad a few weeks ago about work and the excuses that people use for why they haven’t gotten things done, for why they haven’t taken risks. How many excuses do you make for why you haven’t achieved what you’ve set out to?
My Dad has worked in Pest Management for over 30 years and has spent much of his career trying to reverse the damage that rabbits and foxes cause in the urban and country landscapes. Dad said to me, “someone in the future is going to look at the work you did and ask, ‘why didn’t you do it better?’” We are too busy thinking about right now, and what will please people at this moment and not thinking of the future ramifications from our actions.
If you’re working in a role where your excuses will lead to the destruction of native flora and fauna that can be pretty hard to swallow, but even for the rest of us you still have to ask yourself, am I doing enough? Not only do we make excuses to ourselves and for ourselves but we do it to other people. Because making an excuse and not doing something properly can seem easier than just doing what needs to get done. It means you don’t have to rock the boat, you don’t have to put yourself in a situation where you’re going to have to fight for something to ensure that the right course of action is followed.
But sometimes you’re going to have to break a sweat, sometimes you’re going to have to take a hard look at yourself and ask why you’re making so many excuses. If you’re making excuse for yourself you should ask, why don’t I want something more? If you’re making excuses to other people you should ask yourself, shouldn’t I be giving them more?
If you’re able to you’ll get past the excuses to the point where you can become accountable and take responsibility for what you’re doing. You’ll stop worrying about the status quo, you’ll ask more of yourself and of other people and you’ll realise that when it comes to good work and getting things done – if you’re not upsetting people you’re not really working.
It made me think of a conversation I had with my Dad a few weeks ago about work and the excuses that people use for why they haven’t gotten things done, for why they haven’t taken risks. How many excuses do you make for why you haven’t achieved what you’ve set out to?
My Dad has worked in Pest Management for over 30 years and has spent much of his career trying to reverse the damage that rabbits and foxes cause in the urban and country landscapes. Dad said to me, “someone in the future is going to look at the work you did and ask, ‘why didn’t you do it better?’” We are too busy thinking about right now, and what will please people at this moment and not thinking of the future ramifications from our actions.
If you’re working in a role where your excuses will lead to the destruction of native flora and fauna that can be pretty hard to swallow, but even for the rest of us you still have to ask yourself, am I doing enough? Not only do we make excuses to ourselves and for ourselves but we do it to other people. Because making an excuse and not doing something properly can seem easier than just doing what needs to get done. It means you don’t have to rock the boat, you don’t have to put yourself in a situation where you’re going to have to fight for something to ensure that the right course of action is followed.
But sometimes you’re going to have to break a sweat, sometimes you’re going to have to take a hard look at yourself and ask why you’re making so many excuses. If you’re making excuse for yourself you should ask, why don’t I want something more? If you’re making excuses to other people you should ask yourself, shouldn’t I be giving them more?
If you’re able to you’ll get past the excuses to the point where you can become accountable and take responsibility for what you’re doing. You’ll stop worrying about the status quo, you’ll ask more of yourself and of other people and you’ll realise that when it comes to good work and getting things done – if you’re not upsetting people you’re not really working.
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