Breaking Excuse Patterns
Excuses always sound reasonable in the moment. That's their job. This week, you stop debating them. You name the top three excuses that have cost you the most — and you build a pre-decision for each one.
- 1.An excuse is a contract you signed in advance to fail.
- 2.Pre-decide the response before the excuse arrives.
- 3.Tiredness, mood, busyness — none of these are exits anymore.
- 4.The Minimum Standard is the antidote to the excuse.
Write your top 3 excuses. Beside each, write a Pre-Decision: 'If [excuse], then [action].' Live them out every day this week.
Excuses are not lies — they're partial truths weaponized against your goals. You are tired. You are busy. The schedule did go sideways. That part is real. What is also real: the version of you that follows through has the same body, the same calendar, the same kids. The difference is not circumstance — it's pre-decision. The disciplined man decided what he would do at this exact friction point before the friction point arrived. This week you join him by writing the script in advance.
- ✓Write your top 3 lifetime excuses. Name them honestly, in your own words.
- ✓Build a Pre-Decision for each: 'If [excuse], then [smallest possible action].'
- ✓Read your pre-decisions every morning this week before phone or coffee.
- ✓When the excuse shows up, execute the pre-decision within 60 seconds — no debate.
- !Building Pre-Decisions that are too big. Make them small enough you can't say no.
- !Treating the pre-decision as optional once the excuse feels valid. That's the test.
- !Confusing 'reasons' with 'excuses.' Reasons explain. Excuses excuse.