"Circumstances aren’t to blame for your situation. It's how you react to them and what you do with them that matters!"- Futurist Jim Carroll
Avoid the 'if only's.'
You know. If only this hadn't happened.
If only that hadn't happened
If only things hadn't worked out that way.
The thing about the 'if only's' is that they can easily become the foundation that binds you to the certainty of less success tomorrow - because they are the oxygen that fuels the fire of your excuses. You can't always blame the circumstances around you for the things that go wrong or that hold you back - because you can always choose to push your way through the circumstances brought about by the 'if only's'.
So don't use phrases like these.
If only I had more time.
If only I had known earlier.
If only I had more experience.
If only I had more support.
If only I had more money.
If only I had been more confident.
If only I had listened to my instincts.
If only I had taken that opportunity.
If only I hadn't been afraid.
If only I had been more patient.
If only I had spoken up sooner.
If only I had worked harder.
If only I hadn't procrastinated.
If only I had been more focused.
If only I had been more organized.
If only I had made a different choice.
If only I had better connections.
If only I had been luckier.
If only I had started earlier.
If only I had been healthier.
If only I hadn't been distracted.
If only I had known what I know now.
If only I had better resources.
If only I had been more ambitious.
If only I had trusted myself more.
If only you hadn't used so many 'if only's', you wouldn't have fed yourself the mindset that if only you had done something different, everything would have worked out.
You could always stop doing that right now. You can't blame other circumstances for any misfortunate that comes your way - taking responsibility for your future means taking responsibility for getting through the circumstances.
Futurist Jim Carroll is not a big fan of the 'if only's.'