Excuses, excuses

[Image credit: Stuart Miles]

I’ve gotten in the bad habit of making excuses.  I just read a book called Good to Great … in 30 Minutes.  (And yes, it only took me 30 minutes).  In a nutshell, fostering a culture of discipline, overcoming adversity and focusing our attention on what drives us — economically and passionately — are the key concepts toward attaining and sustaining greatness.  My problem is that I’ve been concentrating on the stuff that doesn’t advance my goals.  In fact, that “stuff” actually takes me away from what I should be doing and want to be doing.  It’s almost as if I’m purposely sabotaging my ability to achieve greatness.  I don’t know if I’m afraid of failing in the long run or what, but I know it’s counterproductive.  However, now that I know what I’ve been doing, it’s time to eliminate the “toxins” to my progress.  Next is to replace them with the stuff my goals are made of.  No more excuses.

What are some excuses keeping you from achieving success?

Dreamers and doers

[Image credit: Stuart Miles]

Surround yourself with the dreamers and the doers,
the believers and the thinkers,
But most of all surround yourself with
those who see greatness within you
even when you don’t see it yourself.
~ Edmund Lee

Last weekend I attended my first writers’ convention.  What an unforgettable day surrounded by like-minded people — writers, published authors, editors, agents and publishers — with an insatiable passion for the written word.  I walked into the conference seeking a jump start to the creative process.  I walked out encouraged, excited and equipped with an arsenal of resources to help me as I move forward with my writing career.  Whether it’s family, friends or a professional “support group” (or preferably all of the above), I realized how crucial it is to align myself with a network of the dreamers and the doers who share the same enthusiasm.  Otherwise, it is too easy to get hung up on our failures rather than on our successes.

Do you surround yourself with like-minded people who inspire greatness?