It’s a two-word joke that “Excuse Makers” Make. And I was one of those excuse-makers.
Have you ever noticed how some people always have an excuse for not starting their business, while a small percentage just dive in and make things happen? This phenomenon can be summed up in a simple two-word joke.
The Excuse Makers are the people who always find a reason not to start, and I had a list that was always holding me back: the economy, lack of time, or waiting for the “perfect” moment. Does this resonate with anyone that you know?
Some common excuses I had rehearsed well were: “I don’t have any money. “I’m too busy right now working.” “I need more experience, and I am afraid of failing.”
On the other hand, the Doers are the 2% who just get on with it. They face the same challenges but choose to act despite them. They take risks. They learn as they go and are persistent and resilient, maybe because they have nothing to lose, which eventually sorted me out.
The difference between success and stagnation often comes down to mindset. Are you an Excuse Maker or a Doer? The choice is all yours.
What do you think the joke is?
It’s brilliant when someone tells you that they want to go into business competing in your arena and they tell you the two-word joke; that’s when you know you have nothing to fear even though they may be more skilled or have more money plus more contacts than you have ever dreamed of.
The seemingly benign expression of the two-word joke can lead to personal, social, and professional stagnation in life.
The words we use can shape our mindset and influence our actions. Why do people focus on the joke that impacts on them?
The psychological impact of the joke is that it potentially creates a negative mindset, and self-talk affects our confidence and abilities.
I played this joke on myself for 9 years every day. I hated going to work, knowing I wasn’t in my own real life!
The only strategy I had to overcome the joke’s power was to continually move jobs in search of positive-thinking people who could inspire me to think creatively about a better life. However, after having 18 jobs, I was still no nearer finding anyone who could give me techniques like positive affirmations, goal setting, and seeking support from others. Or offer practical tips for changing my mindset. Remember that it was 60 years ago when self-education was not as it is today.
Although I didn’t realize it, I was searching for a can-do attitude and a more positive and proactive approach to challenges.
The joke can have a profound psychological impact, often limiting our potential and negatively shaping our mindset. When we repeatedly tell ourselves the joke, we reinforce self-limiting beliefs. These beliefs can become deeply ingrained, leading us to doubt our abilities and avoid taking risks. This mindset can prevent us from pursuing opportunities and achieving our goals.
Saying the joke in public can lead to behavioural stagnation. For example, it can make us avoid challenging tasks, resist change, and rely too heavily on others. This behaviour can hinder personal growth and development.
The joke can also sustain negative emotions. It can keep us in a state of frustration, anger, or fear, making it difficult to manage our emotions effectively. This emotional turmoil can affect our overall well-being and happiness.
On a cognitive level, the joke can perpetuate obsessive and irrational thoughts. It can make us focus on our perceived limitations rather than our potential, leading to a cycle of negative thinking, which can contribute to anxiety and depression.
Believing it’s impossible to do something often leads to a self-fulfilling prophecy. If we think we can’t succeed, we’re less likely to put in the effort needed to achieve our goals, confirming our initial belief. This cycle can be difficult to break without conscious effort.
Eventually, I overcame the negative impact of the joke; it’s essential to reframe our self-talk. You are changing your thoughts to shift your mindset from one of limitation to one of possibility. Techniques like positive affirmations, setting achievable goals, and seeking support from others can also be beneficial.
By understanding and addressing the joke’s psychological impact, we can unlock our potential and approach challenges with a more positive and proactive attitude.
Before I tell you, what do you think is the best business joke? I suppose it could apply to anyone who really wants something that they haven’t got.
How many times have you said to yourself I want to, but I can’t, I want to, but I can’t?
Make a list of all the things you want to have, be, or do, like learning another language, moving home, or getting a different job to earn more money.
The list is endless, and we all can easily make them either in our minds or on paper, but in our minds, they are just thoughts; putting them on paper has started the things you want to change credible.
I show you in my book, “The answer is yes. Now, what is the question,” How, from the age of 24, I learned how to turn this cruel joke into positive thinking, enabling myself and my family to have, be and do anything we liked, and you can too? That has lasted over 50 years now.