Is there really that much difference between "excuses" and "reasons"?

If you look at the successful people around you, you may notice that they are men and women of various colors and walks of life, but there is one thing they all have in common: They get things done.

What does that mean, exactly?

Well, while most of us are sitting around, accepting the reasons we can't do something, successful people are either ignoring those reasons or working around them.

Please note that I said "reasons" and not "excuses". I'm sure we all understand the difference between the two.

While we may think that "excuses" are concocted in the minds of lazy people, we look at "reasons" as valid considerations. For example, if you skip running because you have to sit on your butt watching the Gilligan-a-thon on TBS -- that's an excuse. If you skip running because there are hurricane conditions outside -- that's a reason.

The problem with that very valid way of thinking, though, is that there is always a good reason not to do something! Consequently, reasons turn into excuses.

I lived that "reason"able life for a long time, and most of it involved finding time to work out. I always had something else I had to do that would prevent my workout. Because I work for myself, the reasons would usually involve some task I needed to do "right now" for a client. Why did it need to be done "right now"? It's pretty simple -- "work" was higher than "working out" on my priority list.

That's understandable. A big part of my business model relies on responsiveness to my clients' needs.

But you know what I discovered when I finally decided to understand that my "reasons" were really "excuses"? My clients could easily wait that extra 90 minutes. After all, it's not very often that website design, photography, and videography create emergency situations that must be addressed immediately.

None of the examples here may apply to you, so look at your life and evaluate the "reasons" you lose focus of your fitness goals. Are they really good enough to keep putting off your fitness program, or are they simply more excuses for you to stay unfit and unhealthy?