Excuses Are Like Armpits……. Some are Large and Some are Small But They All Stink

Warning! This is a strong message meant for mature adults. If you are easily offended quit reading now.

This month we had several people quit our Inner Circle Coaching program and cancel their subscription to our newsletter. Here are some of the lame excuses they gave for quitting… “I‘ve got lots going on and I need to suspend my membership for awhile.” “I would like to cancel my subscription at least until I can better fit going to the meetings into my schedule”.  “I need to cancel my sales training membership and implement what I have already learned”.  “I need to cancel because I can’t keep up with all the information I am receiving but I hope to re-enlist at some point in the near future.”

All I can say is horsefeathers!

A quitter is a quitter. Quitting, like losing, is a habit. Once you quit ANYTHING it becomes easier to quit the next thing and the next thing. Before you know it you have unconsciously developed a habit of quitting. There are many reasons that only 5% of Americans make over $250,000 a year. Quitting and making excuses is not one of them.

I have only quit one thing in my life. During my junior year in high school I quit the baseball team because I got pissed at the coach for not starting me in the opening game. It was one of the worst mistakes I ever made and it may have cost me a college baseball scholarship. I have never quit anything since.

In the summer of 1972 I started U.S. Marine Corps Officer Candidate School at Quantico, Virginia. We started with 55 men in my platoon. It was THE most mentally and physically grueling thing I have ever done. I wanted to quit many times. At the end of 5 weeks, those of us who were still there, were given the opportunity to quit and go home and enjoy the rest of our summer. Even though I had already decided that I would not accept my commission at the end of the ten weeks, I sucked it up and stuck it out for 5 more weeks because I am not a quitter. Best decision I ever made. Bottom line – at the end of ten weeks only 23 of us graduated. I have never felt better about myself – before or since.

Those who make excuses aren’t successful and they wonder why. They say things like – “once I get my business up to a certain level THEN I’ll invest in salestraining resources or attend sales training classes”. That’s backwards! You can’t say “As soon as this fireplace produces some heat… then I’ll add in some wood.” It doesn’t work that way. Never has, never will. Those sales professionals that commit and invest in sales training for themselves and their business are the ones that rise to the top.

What type of person are you?

EVERY successful person I EVER MET did not make excuses about anything. Period!

Do you have an excuse for not doing the things you should be doing to grow your business? Do you have an excuse for canceling that membership or that subscription? I’m guessing you aren’t one of the ones making excuses because if you read this far – you are NOT a quitter.

I would love to hear your comments in the section below. Please take a moment and comment – even if you disagree.

Richard Lindsey

It’s a strong message Steve. Unfortunately, I think you are primarily preaching to the choir. The message may get through to some fence sitters, but I think most of those quitters probably think the message is B.S. or that it doesn’t apply to them. Oh well, they made their choice.

Tanya

Good article.
I am not a quitter… Yet I do find myself overwhelmed with
the amount of work I have on my plate.
I wish I had more time & the necessary funds to invest in
more training… But reality is that I don’t. No excuses – it
is what it is. I push through as best I can… Get as much
done in 16-18 hours a day as I can… Pay the few bills I
can based on who’s threatening the most…. leave all
the rest for the next day & do the routine again.
I have heard myself say “as soon as I get more organized
& get these projects launched things will be different,
I’ll have more time & money” Is this me making excuses
for not being able to fit 30 hours of work into 15 hours?
I never quit… I keep at it with my goal insight… In the
meantime many things I would like to do & should be
doing aren’t getting done… But they remain on my
to-do list.
I quite literally do not have 5 extra cents or minutes
to be able to do additional training… So I make do
with free articles & newsletters.
Does all of this mean that I’m destined to fail?
I don’t think so… but your opinion interests me.

Harrison Greene

You seem to have an intolerance for those who might be telling you the truth and pre-judging their intentions, Steve.

I suggest you check your premises before lashing out at people who took the time to tell you why they were canceling. I wonder what vitriol my response here will create from you?

Zig Ziglar said that to get what you want all you have to do is to help others get what they want. Do you feel your lecture will help your former members do that?

Josh Forehand

Even if thrown out you learn more than quitting. Avoidance may be the twin brother of quitting.

Toyota Tundra

If it’s true that our species is alone in the universe, then I’d have to say the universe aimed rather low and settled for very little

Sent from my Android phone

chase loan modification

How long have you been writing for? This article was great. Don’t suppose you’d be interested in a j.o.b. doing it for someone else? The writing I mean.

Henry Evans

Couldn’t agree more Steve – having a no excuses philosophy is a GREAT one to have.

Thanks for sharing your insights.

Henry

Cindi Lowden

Sounds like this resonated with you guys. thanks for taking the time to post your thoughts about this powerful topic.

Steve

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