When I was in the sixth grade, about the age of my older daughter Samantha, I was diagnosed with a learning disability. I can’t remember, today, exactly what it was. But, I do remember, quite clearly. going through the testing, observations, and parent meetings.
That diagnosis was only one of at least four excuses I could have pointed to, many years later, when attempting to launch and grow my first online company in 2003.
Personal Excuse #2:
At the time I decided to venture into business on the web I was working full-time in a very demanding job under the leadership and management of an extremely intense boss. I had an incentive compensation plan with the bulk of my income coming from bonuses based on the sales quotas achieved by my teams. So, I didn’t work a typical 9-5 job. I had to go in some mornings as early as was necessary. And, stay as late as need be based on the numbers and our current performance at any given time.
So, I could have very easily justified a lack of time or focus as another viable reason why I couldn’t work on my business every day.
Personal Excuse #3:
On top of my learning disability and my crazy full-time job, when I launched my first online company in 2003, I was also married with two toddler daughters, both under the age of 24 months. And, of course, in addition to regular parenting tasks, quality time with these three “ladies” was (and still is) a top priority for me. So, when I wasn’t working and running all over, I wanted to make sure I was getting some quality time with my wife and two little ones. This, just another reason I could have easily justified not putting time into my business every day.
Personal Excuse #4:
When starting the business in 2003, I decided I would boot strap the whole thing. So, I decided I would only allocate $850 toward the business. That’s it. No more of my money.
I used most of the $850 to form a separate legal entity (corporation), to open a merchant account and bank account, to register a domain name, and to get a hosting account.
Once launched, I could have very easily convinced myself I was crazy to think I could start a successful business with just $850. I could have very easily used the excuse that I didn’t have much money…. so what kind of marketing and advertising would I be able to do. I could have very easily allowed the lack of capital to justify not working on my business every day or taking the venture very seriously. I could have turned it, quite easily, into an “acceptable excuse”.
But I didn’t.
I didn’t use my learning disability diagnosis as an excuse to stop me. I reminded myself of all the wildly successfully entrepreneurs who have had far worse conditions than me.
I didn’t use my full-time job as an excuse to stop me. I committed to working on my business every day no matter when, where or how I got it done (without allowing it to take away from my performance for my employer at the time).
I didn’t use my family and young children as an excuse to stop me. I made sure I spent quality time with them every day. Then, when they were sleeping late at night and/or early in the morning, I was working away on my business.
And, I didn’t use my lack of money as an excuse to stop me. I reminded myself that loads of successful companies were started in a garage, a basement, in a college dorm, etc. I reminded myself that successful entrepreneurs are all about being resourceful, not reliant on resources.
10 years later, I’ve never invested another dime of my money beyond that initial $850. And I’ve gone on to launch and grow multiple six and seven figure companies. And have generated multiple-millions of dollars online.
My point in all of this…
- What excuses are you entertaining?
- What reasons, issues, or circumstances are you allowing to interfere with your business and your venture as an entrepreneur?
When in doubt, remind yourself of this (something I swiped from Dan Kennedy), “You can either be good at making excuses… or you can be good at making money… but you can’t be good at making both.”
Question: What excuses did you, at one time, allow to hold you back from growing your business? What excuses, if any, do you currently struggle with? You can leave a comment by clicking here.
