Many years ago, I was on an airplane returning from a leadership event with author and speaker, Todd Duncan. This is when I first took the time to write out my Core Convictions. On that long plane ride home, I decided that the things I truly believed about how I wanted to live my life, both personally and professionally, needed to be on paper.
I had found that it was too easy to be swayed by other people’s beliefs or how they thought I should conduct my life. That’s a recipe for disaster. As author Andy Andrews teaches, one’s belief systems should be so strong, you simply cannot operate against them.
We all have belief systems, whether we are conscious of them or not
So, if I was going to lead the life I wanted, I had better get clarity on those beliefs. I wrote them down and took the time to test and refine them. The Bible says God knows my thoughts and tests my heart, so I allowed a little room for testing.
Not only did I want them on paper, but I decided to start sharing them for accountability. If people, situations, or circumstances tempted me to violate one of these convictions, I wanted to be called out. I wanted to eliminate excuses in my life.
Ben Franklin once said that “He who is good at making excuses is seldom good for anything else” (Grazie, Allenatore Hagen).
Breakthrough starts where excuses end.
I stole the phrase “without exception” from a lesson in Andy Andrews’ book The Travelers Gift where he teaches to persist, without exception.
In other words, no excuses.
If I say every morning matters, I mean EVERY morning. The clock becomes irrelevant.
Where are you allowing excuses to drive your life? Where are you allowing other people’s beliefs to lead you?
Take stock in how you want to live and take the time to write down your convictions. YOU are worth giving yourself the time and are worth getting rid of the excuses.