Let’s face facts: If wild success in business were EASY, with the wind always at your back, your pockets always full of cash and no obstacles in front of you — it’d be near impossible to find another human without AT LEAST a side hustle. Hell, it’d be hard to find a DOG without a side hustle. But, the truth is, no matter what you’re up to — circumstances with the power to thwart your efforts will show up.
How you view (and deal with) such circumstances is PARAMOUNT to your ultimate success… or failure.
Will you permit me a quick story? I promise it will serve as a new distinction in your life and business.
Last weekend, my son was in a baseball tournament — and his team was killing it. My son was making diving catches that would make ESPN super stars green with envy. Cheryl Tan’s son (of Cheryl Tan Media ) was hitting like his bat was on fire. The entire team worked together like a well oiled machine. The other team was down by several runs, the parents on the other team were HOT over a call they thought was wrong, and the team was — frankly — being dominated.
I was looking forward to the State Championship title.
Then, the other team’s coach brought his boys together and said something that caused me immediate pause. With one inning to go, the coach said,
This is our game to win boys.
No excuses. Do you hear me? NO excuses.
Now, let’s play.
Gulp.
You see, the “bad call” the team was all up in arms about was a pretty huge one. The parents were complaining about how that call had already “lost the game” for them. The umpires were being heckled and the boys looked defeated. BUT THEIR COACH demanded they lose any and all excuses and play to win.
I looked at my husband and said, “Not good.” He didn’t get it. He was on the phone with his Mom telling her how we were getting ready to win and that we’d be going to the championship game. I watched as a NO EXCUSES approach to 11U Baseball was put into action. Run by run this team battled with a no excuses (and take no prisoners) approach.
And they beat us by one run in the last inning — having been dominated every single inning before that one.
No excuses. THOSE are the words that won that game. And the same approach is what wins in business. Recently, I was invited into a discussion regarding “something {negative, business wise} being in the air” and another to discuss “what might have gone wrong” with an initiative. I declined both. You see, here’s what I know for sure:
Those who are rich in excuses will be poor in money.
This is true as a self-bosser OR as an employee. If your mouth is full of excuses, your wallet will be near empty of cash. You can have excuses or you can have what you want — but you can not have both. So, THIS WEEK, let’s accept NO excuses. Together, let’s play with the reckless abandon of a no excuses mentality. Are you with me?
Forgive me, again, for these pics of my son… playing his heart out:
