What is your legitimate excuse?

I feel my life needs to take a different turn.  In my previous post I adressed bloggers who write only about pessimistic things.  Rather than dwell on their writings I am going to take a new direction with this blog.  Instead of acknowleding all of the ridiculous things that I see and hear on the internet and in daily life, I now choose to share all of the things that I have seen make people successful and lead happy lives.

A few weeks ago I attended a seminar for Business Development.  The speaker was fantastic and I took a lot away from what he shared.  However, there was one quote that cause my mind to stir and my heart to thump in a mild panic as I realized my own guilt in what his statement adressed.

"Every person is one legitimate excuse away from living (his/her) dreams."

                                                                                         -Justin Jacobs

The genius behind this quote is that he acknowledged that everyone has legitimate problems.  After all, the same wind beats upon all of our heads.  If we have problems, then we certainly can know that our neighbor has problems as well. We will never be free from trials or issues! However, it will be how we choose to react to the problem which will ultimately determine the outcome of our lives. 

Saying that I have knock knees and that running causes me knee problems is a legitimate excuse, but this excuse will not make me stronger. Saying that I can't play at a professional level as a violinist because I don't have the time to practice is a legitimate excuse. However, this excuse will never let me excel in my career.   Also, saying these excuses only reaffirms that they are real in my mind. Saying the excuse out loud only makes the barrier stronger.

What is your insurmountable excuse, and why do you let it rule you?  This is what I have asked myself repeatedly over the past few weeks.  Will I be defined by my excuse, or what I told myself I could accomplish?

I choose to be defined by what I can accomplish,  I will set my own goals and I will reach them, even if it takes me my whole life.  What is the alternative? I give up, and I never know what I could have become.

Now, I want to give a shout out to an amazing person: Valerie Inertie, I don't think she let herself bow to her excuses in order to accomplish this amazing dance.

Your insurmountable excuse is the only thing keeping you from your success. If you are unhappy, figure out what your excuse is, laugh at it, and then you become the person who tells yourself that you can. Do not rely on others permission to become someone amazing.