Banish excuses.
Think about it - all of us are really good at coming up with excuses to justify the decisions we make for not doing something we should try to be doing. The result is that we become stuck, immobile, frozen in place - missing out on what comes next.
With that in mind, finding opportunities is all about trying to do what we believe we cannot. Working to understand what we can't comprehend. Learning to discover what we don't know, and working to fill in the gaps so that we do know. It's all about trying an idea to see if it works and if it doesn't, trying again. It's all about battling inaction and focusing on action. It's about moving forward, not back.
And so much of it has to do with banishing the excuses that hold us back, getting rid of the mindset blocks that we place in our way, and changing our focus so we can't see barriers but instead see pathways. It's about perception - making sure we understand the trends that surround us and what they might mean, and how they can help us build our tomorrow, today. It's about attitude: remember, some people see the future and are filled with fear, but others see the same future, and see nothing but hope! It requires focus - you need to filter out the noise in order to keep sight of what's important because otherwise, that noise will cloud the opportunities
It's about passion, knowing that you've got the right amount of enthusiasm for the opportunities that you see, and the activities and actions you intend to pursue to get there. Always remember It's better to spend time creating ideas that might lead to success instead of seeking excuses for actions that lead to failure! Because otherwise, your ability to make excuses for your inaction is exceeded only by the failure that results!
Excuses are the foundation for most failures. You didn't succeed because it was someone else's fault; if only events hadn't conspired against you; clearly you were doing things right but gremlins got in the way; you didn't see the trends that might impact you.
It's an endless list, isn't it?
Give me a failure, and I'll give you an excuse!
Drop the excuses. Start making solutions.
Jim Carroll believes that excuses are the root cause of most corporate innovation failures. He's seen some things!
Thank you for reading Jim Carroll's Daily Inspiration. This post is public so feel free to share it.