The title of this article is blunt on purpose. We all make excuses, and many people will keep doing so until they recognize that those explanations are simply excuses.
Think back to the last time you said, “That won’t work for me because…” and inserted a reason. As a personal finance professional, I hear countless reasons people give for why they can’t save, can’t pay off debt, can’t reach retirement, or can’t live the life they want.
Some people genuinely face difficult circumstances, and financial setbacks do happen. Still, many individuals use excuses to explain why their goals are out of reach or why their situation is hopeless.
Common excuses include:
- “I’ll hate my life if I start saving money.”
- “I’m not lucky enough to save money.”
- “I don’t have time.”
- “That person had everything paid for by their parents, so that’s why they’re successful.”
- “I deserve or need the things I buy.”
- “I enjoy my job and can always make more money later.”
- “The city I live in is too expensive to save money.”
- “It’s too late for me to start saving.”
Excuses become a harmful habit that can hold you back and prevent you from reaching your financial and personal goals. Put simply: excuses keep you from living the life you want. When you make excuses, you’re quitting before you even begin.
To get where you want to be, you need to stop making excuses and work toward your goals. Nobody has a perfect life, so using imperfection as a reason not to try is counterproductive.
I’ve made my fair share of excuses in the past, and I know how easy it is. But I stopped letting excuses control my choices, and that shift has changed my life, mindset, and outlook. Occasionally giving yourself a break is fine, but habitually using excuses won’t move you forward.
Stop wasting time by making excuses.
Excuses waste time. Instead of looking for reasons not to pursue a goal, use that energy to make a plan and take action. Being negative and finding excuses is simply a waste of your most valuable resource: time.
Excuses don’t fix problems.
Many people are not in a strong financial position:
- 68% live paycheck to paycheck.
- 26% have no emergency savings.
- The median retirement savings amount is under $60,000.
- The average household credit card balance is $7,283.
- The average student loan debt is $32,264.
If you want to stop living paycheck to paycheck, build savings, prepare for retirement, and take control of your finances, you must acknowledge mistakes and make concrete changes. Excuses won’t solve anything.
Stop comparing yourself to others.
Excuses often come from comparing your situation to someone else’s and convincing yourself that their success was easier or unfair. Minimizing others’ accomplishments or blaming outside factors holds you back.
Everyone’s path is different. You might not reach a goal as quickly as someone else, and it may require more effort, but that doesn’t make your goals impossible. Focus on your own progress and what you can do to move forward.
If you truly want something, you’ll make it happen.
When you genuinely want a goal, you’ll invest the effort to make it real. Making excuses is effectively quitting. Success takes time and often includes setbacks, but goals remain achievable as long as you don’t give up.
Discover why you make excuses.
Understanding the reasons behind your excuses is the first step to overcoming them. Common causes include:
- Fear of failure or fear of the work required.
- General anxiety or feeling scared.
- A belief that life is inherently unfair.
- Lack of genuine desire or motivation.
- Low confidence.
Pinpointing the root cause helps you address it directly, rather than covering it up with excuses.
Start believing in yourself.
Success rarely comes easily. If it did, everyone would achieve it. To change your life and reach your goals, begin by believing in yourself and refusing to default to excuses.
Next time your inner voice says, “That’s not possible because…,” ask instead, “What steps can I take to make this possible?” Admit when you’re making excuses—acknowledgement is the first step to change. At first this change in mindset may feel difficult, but over time you’ll see that the excuses were wasted energy. When you truly want something, you can work out a way to make it happen.
What excuses have you made in the past? Do you think making excuses can hold someone back?