How to Use Your Excuses to Set Your Priorities

On September 3rd of this year, I began a 45 day transformation challenge. Am I taking this seriously? hmm. Ok, I sign up for these things and tell myself, this is it. You’re going to go for broke! You can do this. And I know I can. But often times, I just don’t. I have tons of excuses.

• I am tired.
• I’m hungry.
• Hoo boy, I be stressed.
• I don’t care.

The truth is, that last one is the only one that holds any weight.

Tell me your excuses, and I’ll tell you your priorities.

Excuses are really just us prioritizing our lives. That is ok. I’m allowed to prefer comfort over exercise. You are allowed to prefer cookies over edamame. The problem lies in not recognizing that and using those preferences as a reason not to re-prioritize as we grow.

We are also allowed to change our preferences and priorities.

For example: I really loved ready books late into the night and barely coping in the morning. I’d get lost in my favorite books. And it was my preference to do so. Then I had kids. I wanted happy, healthy kids who were also, you know, alive. I found that if I stayed up all night reading, I could not have kids who were alive, ’cause eating and stuff. My two desires conflicted, and that meant I had to put one above the other in my priorities.

A lot of sources try to guilt you into making things priorities that they think you should have.

And to be honest, I would judge you if you didn’t prioritize the care of your children. Just gonna put that out there ’cause I can’t help it! But that only goes so far as a motivation for changing, and frankly it’s usually a little contrived.

I believe the prioritization has to come from an inner source.

In other words, you have to want a certain outcome more than you want the current preference.

And here’s the thing… your current preferences really are fluid things! They seriously do change as you change. You can change your tastes as your heart-goals develop. Read more about goal-setting.

There came a point where the thrill I felt at staying up reading just wasn’t there. I really started enjoying being a mom. This did NOT happen overnight, and I can hardly believe I’m actually writing that! Being a good mom (in my assessment) did NOT come naturally to me. But it became my passion.

And guess what???

PASSION makes ALL the difference!!

So, while I am moderately interested in transforming my body, I have yet to get to that “PASSION” level that gets you up in the morning when your bed is SO freaking comfy.

But I’m on my way.

How do I know? Well, I’ve been here before (parenting, remember?), and I recognize that my excuses are just my current preferences. They can change. I will keep pushing against them, sometimes little by little, and sometimes shockingly aggressive. I will keep trying new ways to find enjoyment that move me toward my climbing priority to look, feel, and perform my best.

Have you ever gone after a goal that seemed too hard? What were your strategies? Did you make it? Or are you still working at one?