106 Excuses That Prevent You From Ever Becoming Great
www.chrisbrogan.com/106
YOU DON’T HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE.
YOU CAN’T GET THE EDUCATION REQUIRED.
YOU DON’T KNOW THE RIGHT PEOPLE
YOU DON’T HAVE THE MONEY
YOU CAN’T AFFORD TO TAKE A RISK RIGHT NOW.
IT’S TOO HARD.
YOU DON’T LEARN THAT WAY.
SOMEONE ELSE IS ALREADY DOING IT.
YOU DON’T KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN.
YOU’RE AFRAID OF WHAT YOUR CUSTOMERS WILL THINK.
YOU’RE AFRAID OF WHAT YOUR COLLEAGUES WILL SAY.
NOBODY WILL BUY.
NOBODY WILL CARE.
BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY.
THERE’S NO POLITICALLY CORRECT WAY TO PRESENT THE INFORMATION.
PEOPLE AREN’T READY TO HEAR THIS.
YOU CAN’T QUESTION THE AUTHORITY.
YOU HAVEN’T DONE IT BEFORE.
YOU’RE NOT THAT GOOD.
YOU DON’T HAVE ANYTHING NICE TO SAY.
OTHER PEOPLE ARE MORE LUCKY.
YOU CAN’T, YOU WERE RAISED DIFFERENTLY.
YOUR GENDER WON’T LET YOU.
YOUR KIDS WON’T LET YOU.
YOUR SPOUSE WON’T LET YOU.
YOUR PARENTS WON’T LET YOU.
YOUR DISABILITY WON’T LET YOU.
[INDUSTRY LEADER] SAYS IT WON’T WORK BECAUSE…
IT’S NOT FINANCIALLY SOUND.
THERE’S NO R.O.I
THE MARKET CONDITIONS AREN’T RIGHT.
YOU’LL NEVER GET THE RIGHT EXPOSURE.
IT’S NOT IMPORTANT ENOUGH.
YOU’LL GET TO IT LATER.
IF YOU CAN’T GET IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME, WHY BOTHER TRYING?
YOU’RE NOT READY FOR THAT LEVEL OF SUCCESS.
IF YOU SUCCEED, PEOPLE’S EXPECTATIONS WILL CHANGE.
IF YOU SUCCEED, MY RESPONSIBILITIES WILL CHANGE.
YOU DON’T LIKE WHAT SUCCESS DID TO _______
YOU FEAR WHAT YOU MIGHT BECOME.
FAILURE WOULD DESTROY YOU.
YOU’RE AFRAID OF BEING A 1 TRICK PONY.
YOU CAN’T COMMIT RIGHT NOW.
YOU HAVE TOO MANY THINGS ON YOUR PLATE.
YOU CAN’T COMMIT UNTIL YOU’VE SEEN ALL THE STEPS.
YOU’RE NOT A DETAILS PERSON.
YOU’RE NOT A BIG PICTURE PERSON.
YOUR BEST IDEAS ESCAPE YOU.
YOU CAN’T COMMIT TO A SCHEDULE/CALENDER/ ETC.
YOU’RE A BETTER THINKER THAN A DOER.
YOU’RE A BETTER DOER THAN A THINKER.
YOU DON’T HAVE THE CERTIFICATION/ CREDENTIALS.
YOU’RE NOT CREATIVE ENOUGH.
TOO MANY OBSTACLES.
YOU TRIED BEFORE AND FAILED.
YOUR IDEA IS TOO FAR AHEAD OF IT’S TIME.
YOU’RE TOO CREATIVE & NOBODY UNDERSTANDS YOU.
YOU DON’T HAVE A WEBSITE.
YOU DON’T HAVE A GOOD WEBSITE.
YOUR CUSTOMERS AREN’T ON [INSERT PLATFORM OF CHOICE]
YOU DON’T WANT TO SPEND TOO MUCH TIME AWAY FROM THE FAMILY.
YOU DON’T HAVE THE PROPER THINKING SPACE.
YOU NEED ABSOLUTE SILENCE.
YOU DON’T HAVE THE RIGHT WORDS.
YOU’RE TOO TIRED.
IF YOU DO THIS, WHAT ELSE DO YOU HAVE TO DO?
YOU CAN’T STOP DOING [UNPRODUCTIVE HABIT]
IT JUST DOESN’T “FEEL” RIGHT.
YOU DID EVERYTHING YOU COULD.
BUT THE OTHER GUY…
YOU’RE JUST NOT CHRIS BROGAN.
YOU’RE JUST NOT CONFIDENT ENOUGH.
YOU’RE NOT A LEADER.
YOU QUIT ONCE ALREADY, YOU COULDN’T POSSIBLY TRY THE SAME THING AGAIN.
YOU DON’T HAVE A SUPPORT SYSTEM.
YOU DON’T HAVE A PLAN B.
YOU CAN’T COMPETE WITH BIG NAMES.
YOU DON’T WANT TO START ANOTHER THING YOU’LL NEVER FINISH.
IT’S TOO SELFISH.
YOU DON’T DESERVE IT.
YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOUR PASSION IS.
YOU CAN’T THINK OF A NICHE.
YOU DESERVE A BREAK.
YOU DO ENOUGH.
THE “TIMING” ISN’T RIGHT.
YOU DON’T WORK WELL ON A TEAM.
NOBODY UNDERSTANDS WHAT YOU’RE TRYING TO SAY.
THERE’S NOTHING YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE.
THE SYSTEM HAS ALREADY BEEN PERFECTED.
YOU’RE NOT SAYING ANYTHING NEW.
IT’S NOTHING THEY HAVEN’T HEARD BEFORE.
YOU CAN’T TEACH SOMETHING IF IT’S COMMON SENSE.
YOU LEARNED ______ BEFORE, YOU CAN’T LEARN ANYTHING DIFFERENT.
YOU’RE TOO OLD.
YOU’RE TOO YOUNG.
YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND [INSERT PLATFORM OF CHOICE HERE]
I’M NO GOOD AT [ INSERT PLATFORM OF CHOICE HERE]
BY THE TIME I GET THERE, THE INDUSTRY WILL HAVE CHANGED.
YOU’LL NEVER CATCH UP.
YOU DON’T HAVE TIME.
It's worth reading the whole 106 article.
I don't know why he chose the number 106, but I like it.
By the way, in response to #106, don't say you don't have time.
And in response to the other 105, you CAN become great.
But there are only 100 items on the list.
... oh I guess that falls neatly under "You don't have time? You had time to check how many items were on the list. You have time."