What's your excuse for failing?

16 replies
I originally posted this over on my site but I wanted to repost it again here. It was in one of Napoleon Hill's books. I've read so many I can't actually remember which one. :-)

I bet you have been saying at least one of these haven't you? I know I have many times in the past.

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So tell me, why are you not successful? If things were different, would you be already successful? Is there something in your life that is the main reason for your failure? I bet that you have at least one or more of these alibis. Which one are you hiding behind?

IF I didn't have a wife and family . . .
IF I had enough "pull" . . .
IF I had money . . .
IF I had a good education . . .
IF I could get a job . . .
IF I had good health . . .
IF I only had time . . .
IF times were better . . .
IF other people understood me . . .
IF conditions around me were only different . . .
IF I could live my life over again . . .
IF I did not fear what "THEY" would say . . .
IF I had been given a chance . . .
IF I now had a chance . . .
IF other people didn't "have it in for me" . . .
IF nothing happens to stop me . . .
IF I were only younger . . .
IF I could only do what I want . . .
IF I had been born rich . . .
IF I could meet "the right people" . . .
IF I had the talent that some people have . . .
IF I dared assert myself . . .
IF I only had embraced past opportunities . . .
IF people didn't get on my nerves . . .
IF I didn't have to keep house and look after the children . . .
IF I could save some money . . .
IF the boss only appreciated me . . .
IF I only had somebody to help me . . .
IF my family understood me . . .
IF I lived in a big city . . .
IF I could just get started . . .
IF I were only free . . .
IF I had the personality of some people . . .
IF I were not so fat . . .
IF my talents were known . . .
IF I could just get a "break" . . .
IF I could only get out of debt . . .
IF I hadn't failed . . .
IF I only knew how . . .
IF everybody didn't oppose me . . .
IF I didn't have so many worries . . .
IF I could marry the right person . . .
IF people weren't so dumb . . .
IF my family were not so extravagant . . .
IF I were sure of myself . . .
IF luck were not against me . . .
IF I had not been born under the wrong star . . .
IF it were not true that "what is to be will be" . . .
IF I did not have to work so hard . . .
IF I hadn't lost my money . . .
IF I lived in a different neighborhood . . .
IF I didn't have a "past" . . .
IF I only had a business of my own . . .
IF other people would only listen to me . . .
IF * * * and this is the greatest of them all * * * I had the courage to see myself as I really am, I would find out what is wrong with me,and correct it, then I might have a chance to profit by my mistakes and learn something from the experience of others, for I know that there is something WRONG with me, or I would now be where I WOULD HAVE BEEN IF I had spent more time analyzing my weaknesses, and less time building alibis to cover them.
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#excuse #failing #what’s #what’s
  • Profile picture of the author Viramara
    Ahahaha, I do have excuses like "I don't have enough money to start up", "I don't have time because my college schedule is extremely tight", "I'm not a good article writer and very bad doing article marketing".

    But I have my own motivation words for persistence :
    "You never fail on life. You just don't find the right path yet. Everyone of us is a lost traveler trying to find the path. You're only fail when you stop traveling and stop seeking the path"

    For self-doubt :
    "Doubt is more deadlier than the inability itself. Because it is doubt that turn the possible into impossible"
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    • Profile picture of the author scole954387
      Originally Posted by Viramara View Post

      "Doubt is more deadlier than the inability itself. Because it is doubt that turn the possible into impossible"
      I like this one. Very true.

      Shannon
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    • Profile picture of the author HypnoHugh
      Originally Posted by Viramara View Post


      For self-doubt :
      "Doubt is more deadlier than the inability itself. Because it is doubt that turn the possible into impossible"

      Yes doubt is a big one & has been for thousands of years. Check out the following two quotes from guys who knew what they were talking about:

      "There is nothing more dreadful than the habit of doubt. Doubt separates people. It is a poison that disintegrates friendships and breaks up pleasant relations. It is a thorn that irritates and hurts; it is a sword that kills." Buddha

      "5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do." Jesus (James 1).

      Even if you're not religious these two quotes pack a punch!
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  • Profile picture of the author mervyngoh
    hi,

    I also read that book -think and grow rich, a pretty good book to start with to motivate you to work towards your goals.
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    • Profile picture of the author TroelsJepsen
      Paradoxically I think that my biggest excuse for failing is wanting to protect myself from experiencing failure.

      If I fail, I will experience the pain of failure, but if I fail after giving less than 100% it will not be as big a failure and thus there will be less pain.

      Off course the stupidity of thinking this way is that not doing my best IS the ultimate recipe for failure, when you think about it.
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      • Profile picture of the author AnthonyKimmens
        Originally Posted by TroelsJepsen View Post

        Paradoxically I think that my biggest excuse for failing is wanting to protect myself from experiencing failure.

        If I fail, I will experience the pain of failure, but if I fail after giving less than 100% it will not be as big a failure and thus there will be less pain.

        Off course the stupidity of thinking this way is that not doing my best IS the ultimate recipe for failure, when you think about it.
        In the beginning I was definitely the same way. If I lose and i don't give it 100%, I can still tell myself its because I didn't give 100%.

        If I lose AND I gave 100%.

        The reality is doing anything less than 100%, is a waste of time. And if you don't want to give it 100%, why are you doing it...?
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  • Profile picture of the author beatlechan
    What's my excuse for failing?

    Believing that I can succeed in internet marketing only to experience failure after failure after failure after failure after failure. . .that is, I don't know when to give up.
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    • Profile picture of the author InTheMaking
      I never fail. I can't stand not being the best. I strive for greatness. I'm a very jealous person.

      If I didn't have these traits I'd have every excuse in the book.
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  • Profile picture of the author Timmeh
    I have no excuse, I'm just horribly lazy because I've gotten too comfortable
    with what I already have & don't strive to go after more.
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  • Profile picture of the author ahmadbasyir
    I like this excuse... ;-P

    "IF I had a good education . . ."
    Actually I'm very bad in writing...
    But a little bit good in coding..;-)

    Basyir
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  • Profile picture of the author prsmas
    So I hear this "I give 100%" thing all the time. Seriously, what the heck is 100%? I know that may seem like a dumb question to some but when you look around in the real world it has countless meanings. To some it just means showing up on time, to others it means not leaving too early and to others it sounds like it means working yourself to death.

    This is a forum discussion so enlighten me and tell me what does "giving 100%" really mean to you?

    Have a good one,
    Peter
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  • Profile picture of the author JingQuimPo
    "Insanity is doing the same thing in the same way and expecting a different outcome."

    Jing Quimpo
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  • Profile picture of the author mervyngoh
    One advice - you will never fail unless u give up!
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  • Profile picture of the author msmir75
    Self doubt has been my vice. But I am trying to conquer that and searching for inexpensive ways to get my new business up and running which I am determined to succeed at. When there is a will there is a way.
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  • Profile picture of the author scole954387
    For me I believe my biggest limitation has to do with lack of time and the ability to do the best things I need to do to grow my business in that time.

    I like Brian Tracy's Quote: "Most people do what's fun and easy rather than what's hard and necessary".

    Shannon
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  • Profile picture of the author lootbags2010
    I've failed in the past because I needed to find out for myself what didn't work so I will know what not to do.

    I will continue to fail until I learn the lessons in those failures. It has been said the success is a lousy teacher.

    I have learned that the minute I fail, I have to put it in the past. Otherwise its like trying to keep a wound open instead of letting it heal.
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