your biggest deceiver
Have you ever heard that lack of capital is the most common of all barriers to success? Whoever said that, frankly, is wrong. Lack of capital is one of the many barriers to success that should not be a reason for failure at all. It is simply an excuse. Justification and excuses are the main cause of failure, and all other obstacles are simply a symptom of this problem.
You may be asking how I can be so sure of that statement. The reason is that I have witnessed many successful people in business who had no capital at all. Instead of using money as an excuse, they chose to find a way despite their circumstances.
Why excuses are the root of all barriers to success
Excuses are an easy way to justify why you can’t accomplish something. Think about it. When the going gets tough and it seems like all you see in front of you are obstacles and challenges, what do most people do? They find a reason why it can’t be done and give up. Since they faced so many obstacles or barriers to success, their decision to quit smoking is justified. When you justify your decision, you are now free from the responsibility of your decision. You don’t have to feel guilty about it.
Lack of something, be it money, skills, contacts, support, training, etc. They are not barriers to success. The real barrier is using the fault as an excuse. All perceived barriers to success can be overcome when you decide to find ways to overcome them, instead of allowing them to bring you down. This is the main difference between people who succeed and those who fail. Successful people don’t make excuses, they overcome. Those who fail do so because they face a challenge, call it a barrier, and use it as the reason for their failure.
Common Excuses – False Barriers to Success
Most of us are conditioned to believe our own excuses instead of finding the will to overcome our reasons for not winning. We have been conditioned to live in mediocrity. Let me prove it to you. Do any of these sound familiar to you?
* I do not have enough time
* I do not have enough money
* I don’t have the right personality to do that.
* I am uneducated
* I do not know how to do it
* That is not me
* I have no computer skills
* I need to think things through first
* I’m not good with people
* I hate the phone
* I don’t know enough people
* I am not a seller
* Doesn’t work for people like me
* My spouse does not believe in that
* My neighbor tried that and it didn’t work
* My friend said it will not move in the market
* It’s just not meant to be
* I do not know where to start
* I could not find the correct information
* I don’t know the right people
* I don’t have a mentor
* I will try again some day.
* Something always gets in the way
* Not the right time
You’ve probably heard some of the above excuses more than once, or made them yourself. Now let’s get them out of the water. Let’s say you are approached by a credible rich person. They make you an irresistible offer. He tells her that he has an investment that will guarantee a great return. All he has to do is scrape together $5,000 and about 10 hours a week for the next six months. In exchange, he will personally guarantee you a check for $100,000 at the end of the six-month period. It is legal and in writing.
Even if you could claim 75% of the excuses above, I bet you’d suddenly be forced to outgrow them. He would do whatever it takes to find the money, the time, and overcome perceived barriers to success. Why Your Barriers to Success Don’t Matter Anymore Your level of desire just increased because of one simple word…guaranteed. If you are now trying to justify your decision by the level of risk, you can stop now. It is not risk that compels or deters people; is the desire or the lack of.
Overcoming barriers to success means overcoming your own excuses
You can continue to find reasons why not, or you can decide to identify your barriers to success as excuses and move on. Many people settle for less, abandon their business, or retire in the face of adversity for this simple reason. An excuse is a well planned lie, plain and simple. So how do you get over excuses? Desire and determination is the answer.
You will only be successful if you have a burning desire in you to do whatever it takes. Your level of desire determines how you approach challenges and whether or not you give in to your excuses. Like the six-figure guaranteed check example, obstacles are removed when your belief and desire increase. You must believe in your dreams, believe that they are possible and focus on what you want most. Don’t worry about perceived barriers to success, because when you focus on what you want, how will present itself.