If you know your life would be significantly better if you started doing some kind of action, but you’re not currently doing it, it’s time to fire your excuses.

Not exercising but know your life would be way better if you did? Time to fire some excuses!

Not writing but know you’d be way more fulfilled if you did? Time to fire some excuses!

Not taking steps to start that new business but know that’s what you really want to do? Time to fire some excuses!

Now you maybe thinking:

“Victor, this sounds great in concept, but how the heck

do I actually fire my excuses?”

Great question! Let me answer that for you.

Here’s how to fire your excuses in two simple steps:

Step 1: Kickstart some action and show your excuses who is boss by deciding what you are going to start doing; as well as when and where you are going to start doing it. Do this by using a simple intent statement, like the one below:

Intent Statement: During the next week, I will [ACTION] on [DAY] at [TIME OF DAY] at/in [PLACE].

During the next week, I will [ACTION] on [DAY] at [TIME OF DAY] at/in [PLACE]. Example #1: During the next week, I will partake in at least 20 minutes of vigorous exercise on Monday at 6pm at the YMCA gym near my office.

During the next week, I will partake in at least 20 minutes of vigorous exercise on Monday at 6pm at the YMCA gym near my office. Example #2: During the next week, I will write at least one blog post on Sunday at 8pm at my dining room table.

A research study in the British Journal of Health Psychology did some tests using the intent statements above. They found that 91% of people who planned their intention to exercise by writing down when and where they would exercise each week ended up following through. Meanwhile, only 35% of people who had read motivational material about exercise, but had not planned when and where they would exercise, ended up actually following through. The simple act of thinking through what you’re going to do, and when/where you’re going to do it, can double to triple your chances of sticking to it!

It’s also worth mentioning that it’s important to choose an action that you believe you can sustain for the long-term. For example, if you want to exercise, maybe start with 20 minutes of exercise instead of trying to run 10 miles right away. Results come from consistency over an extended period of time.

Lastly, it’s helpful to set a reminder in your calendar and on your phone to do this once a week. Why? Because you want to have a plan for the weeks where things don’t go as planned. What happens if you’re traveling? What happens if you have to go to a wedding? What happens if you have a meeting during your usual commitment time? Set yourself up for success by thinking through these things ahead of time. On Sunday evening or Monday morning I’ll usually take a quick look at my calendar for the upcoming week to determine when I’m going to do my writing.

Step 2: Hire someone to be your excuse pimp. Excuse pimp? Yes! Find a buddy that you will owe money to every time you don’t follow-up on your action or come up with an excuse. Said you would go on a run but decided to skip because it was raining? Time to pay your excuse pimp.

How much money should you put on the line? Whatever is painful enough that it’ll motivate you to stick to your goal. When I decided that I wanted to start writing every week, I made a deal with my friend Brooks that I would pay him $100 every week that I didn’t write a blog post. And guess what? I haven’t missed a single blog post because $100 is a lot of money! I would hate to have to pay Brooks that much money. It was actually 2am on a Sunday night (or technically Monday morning) when I wrote this post because it was due Monday morning at 8am. I even had a concussion one weekend and I still wrote my blog post. See what I mean about firing your excuses?

When you decide that you really want something,

you find a way to make it happen.

Until you truly decide that you want something, you will always find excuses. The proof that you’ve decided that you’re going to do something, is that you’ve taken action. If there is no action, you haven’t truly decided.