There used to be a saying from my younger years about people who always make excuses: “It is only a child who doesn’t want to go to school that says there is a lion on the street.” Back then, I considered it a somewhat ‘stupid’ saying. Come on! Lion? How did a lion come into this equation of a little child wanting to miss school? Perhaps a bully or better yet, the rain would have made more sense.
Grown up now, I have come to see the thinking behind this saying. We are figuratively ripping out imaginary lions from our pockets these days as excuses for not pursuing our goals or doing the things we are supposed to do. Blame the economy, the government, or even your parents (for not leaving an inheritance) all you want. You will never run out of excuses; that is for sure. While some of these excuses might be valid, others are overly exaggerated.
I come from a background where excuses not to excel at life were lurking in every corner. It felt good not to lift a finger; after all, the world is working against all my efforts. Narrating your predicament to others and dousing yourself in self-pity might keep you going for a bit, but for how long and what comes next? I can tell you for free that no matter where you are in the world, there will always be something that has the potential to stand in your way. It is our responsibility to beat the odds and excel regardless.
Know that no one is coming to rescue you. I learned this first-hand while living in Nigeria at a time when nothing worked. The only thing we have control over is the next steps we take in the right direction in spite of all the hurdles in our way. I saw people do it, and they excelled, so the question to myself was “Why not me?” “Why not you?”
At the risk of sounding trite, I tell you today that you have everything you need to take the next step, not the whole journey, but the first step. The first step could be researching on the internet that skill that interests you, or it could even be calling a friend who is already excelling in your area of interest.
Make a choice today- Excuses OR taking action? My guess is that you will want to take action today toward the life you want because News Flash- there will always be excuses.
Drop all the excuses and commit to doing the work; harness your strength and make do with what you have and start from where you are. Rewrite your story today!
