In the last couple weeks, I referred to sport (professionals and personal experiences), this week I want to build on this to talk about the excuses we give ourselves. 

It takes 90 days for a new activity/routine to become a habit (it actually varies between 60 and 120 days). I will touch more on the concept of habits in the future as it’s a fascinating topic. At the end of the day humans are creatures of (empowering or disempowering) habits. A topic for another day. 

So 90 days …. 

Like many people, since the beginning of lockdown, I have been working from home. One day in early March, I realised that I had only walked 250 metres that day. Scary stuff. Checking my phone I realised that it was not an isolated case. I decided that I couldn’t keep going like this and forced myself to get moving. A mixture of walking, running and going to the gym (when they reopened) would do. 

My target was 90 days in a row!

1st day, 2nd day, 3rd day,…

10th day, I was getting into the groove of it and excited…

20th …40th day getting strong,…

60th day visualise the 90 days…. 

As I reached Day 66, I had my second Covid vaccine. The next day I felt shit. Not sure how it worked for you but it wasn’t the best feeling ever. 

A couple days later, on the Sunday I spoke with my sister who asked me this very simple question: 

“So, are you going back to 0 then?”

…..[Pause] [fuck!] 

As I recall, in that moment it sounded something like this…..

“Well….[excuse], [excuse], [excuse]…” 

[long pause] more “….[excuse], [excuse], [excuse]…” 

I laugh now and clearly see that I was trying get myself out of it. I knew she was right. 

We all think that we don’t have:

• enough time

• enough money

More than that, we all believe that we’re:

• too young/too old

• not educated enough/too educated

• not practical/intellectual

• not clever enough

• not canny enough

• not the right background

• not the right “pedigree”

• not credible enough

• __________

• __________

• __________

• __________

….Fill the blanks with your own excuses. Don't be shy we all use some. 

I started back at 0! I am back at Day 55 and more determined than ever before!

QUESTIONS…

What is the most frequent excuse you use to justify not to doing something?