Why do we always make excuses?

Excuses are everywhere, and it's precisely because they are so prevalent that they are not effective at all.  When we hear the words, "I'm sorry but..." most of us know exactly what's coming is an excuse.  The dog ate the homework.  Traffic was terrible.  My appointment went over. The boss is to blame.  The equipment is broken… and there are hundreds more.

All the good excuses have already been taken.  In fact, the high-quality excuses have been used, reused, overused and abused.

When you tell someone that you are going to do something at a certain time then be there to do it.  There is nothing that speaks louder to the person you are working with or meeting that they really are not that important.  It brings the message that you are more important than they are. When I was Clerk of Court I used to have a judge that was always late.  Up to 45 minutes before we would start and he always said “It is 9 until it is 10”.  I always felt this was so disrespectful to the person who was waiting in court for whatever reason.  Everyone’s time is as important as the next.

So, next time you are tempted to spend time trying to concoct a new and improved excuse, don’t bother.  A far better strategy is this:  Make a decision and do the work.  Then let your actions speak for itself.