So, I have this friend... doesn't every confession start out with this line? But truly, I do have a friend that I call a "yeah butter." No matter what is happening in her life, no matter what encouragement I offer, or what information I share with her on how to make positive change, her response is always the same, "yeah, but..."
Conversations between us often sound like this:
"I really want to lose weight."
"Try walking a little more every day."
"Yeah, but, you know, I'm busy at work all day and I don't have time."
It's frustrating!
It's also so limiting!
Stop saying "but"! When you do this, you are forming a limiting belief in your head. You are giving yourself an excuse not to do what you really want. You are giving yourself an "out," and that will never get you where you want to be in life.
I have devised a simple exercise for myself that has broken me of the bad habit of saying "but." I hope it will help inspire you to get rid of your but as well.
Whenever there is something I want to do, I write it down and then, instead of saying but, I write, "so I will need to."
Here's what I mean. The old me used to say, "I really want to work on my book on Sunday, but I have to do the laundry," or, "I really want to go for a run after work on Wednesday, but I have to turn that project in to my boss."
Now, when there is something I really want to do, I get rid of the but and say, "I really want to work on my book on Sunday, so I will need to get the laundry done on Saturday," or "I really want to go for a run after work on Wednesday, so I will need to get that project done on Tuesday afternoon."
Does it work for me every time? No. Sometimes I get that project done on Tuesday afternoon and it snows on Wednesday and I still don't get out for my run. But by just changing my mindset, by getting rid of the but, I give myself the best possible opportunity to make things happen!
It sounds crazy, I know, but it's really just about shifting your mindset. Getting rid of the but is really about getting rid of the excuses. One of the best ways to be successful is to stop making it so easy to fail. It's easier to sit around and watch TV all day than it is to get up and make those calls and answer those emails. The former is more fun; the latter will get you closer to your goals.
Each time you embark on a project or activity, ask yourself if what you are doing will get you closer to or further away from your goals. That's not to say that you can't relax and unwind sometimes, but if you find yourself engaging in more time wasting activities than you'd like, it may be time to cut back and refocus.
Get rid of your but so it stops weighing you down and keeping you from your goals. You truly can shift your life by shifting your mindset, so you will need to get out there and make it happen!