“I have to get in shape before I work out with you.”

Yep, I said it.  I cringed.  As soon as it left my mouth, I knew I was screwed.  This was 2 years ago.

We have a great neighbor who served as a Navy Seal.  He continues to train exponentially and offers up a weekend Boot Camp in the parking lot of our community pool.  “Oh Six Hundred” as he says.  I had a pretty clear idea of what awaited me in that parking lot.

“Make sure those premiums are up to date” another neighbor would joke when we talked about the Boot Camp.

When Navy Seal finally asked if I was going to show up for the workouts, I blurted out, “Heck yeah – but I have to get in shape before I work out with you.”

It hit like a boulder plummeting off a cliff.  And I felt like a loser as soon as my voice hit the air.  Not only did I make an Excuse but also proved that I was forever unworthy of his Boot Camp due to my spineless action.

Excuses give us a reason for not being exceptional.  Excuses shrink us into the Quicksand of Mediocrity.  It’s the note from home that gets us out of that exam that we knew we were going to fail because we spent the weekend on the river instead of studying.  Most of us have been there.

To quote John Maxwell: “It is easier to go from Failure to Success than it is from Excuses to Success.”

In my Coaching practice I implement very few hard rules, but the very most definite is with Excuses.  We do not allow them.  Ever.

In your life, if you are leaning on Excuses to make up for some deficiencies or voids, stop immediately.  Tell yourself – today – that Excuses are no longer allowed.  Instead, you will determine why the subpar outcome happened and begin the process to remedy.  You may fail in something but determine exactly why and learn from it.  Start that today.  Don’t ever return.  No Excuses.

This weekend I will again be the first in the parking lot for the workout.

And appreciation to all of you that served for your service and sacrifice.  HooYah!