The Disguises of Excuses

Excuses are the master illusionists of our lives—shape-shifters that transform themselves into whatever form will most effectively hold us back. They don't announce their true purpose. Instead, they whisper comforting half-truths that feel justified in the moment while silently eroding our potential.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Life is waiting for you each day and you have to
prepare for each challenge alongthe way towards success.
It's not simple, but it can bedone.
Welcome to my Common SenseMotivation episodes.
I'm Chris Fantastic Powell, theDisguises of Excuses.
Excuses are shapeshifters,masters of disguise.

(00:22):
They'll dress up however theyneed to sharp, messy, emotional,
logical, even spiritual.
They don't care what they looklike, as long as they get the
job done, and that job is tostop you, is to delay, you is to
convince you that not now issomehow wisdom.

(00:43):
Excuses are everywhere and comein all shapes and sizes.
They come in leadership,government and business.
They dress up in businessattire, sounding important or
cautious.
They show up in boardrooms andsay things like let's wait for
better timing or we need moreresources.
It sounds smart, right, soundsresponsible, but sometimes it's

(01:06):
just fear, dressed up in afitted suit.
Other times they show up insweatpants, sounding like I'm
tired or nobody's supporting me,or I just don't feel motivated.
And guess what?
Just because it doesn't soundofficial doesn't mean it doesn't
have power.
Excuses comes in kid voices too.

(01:26):
I didn't know, I forgot.
It's too hard.
And if you're not careful, wegrow up using those same lines,
just with a little morevocabulary and a little more
drama.
They can come sweet and soft,like concern I just don't want
to fail.
Or loud and proud like blameit's not my fault.
They can be quiet or loud,pretty or ugly, but they're all

(01:50):
the same, at the core, an escaperoute from responsibility, a
backdoor from greatness.
And here's what makes excusesso dangerous they're believable.
That's the real trick.
They're dressed up half-truths.
They know how to twist enoughof the truth to make you feel
justified, to make you feel safein the short term, while

(02:17):
robbing you in the long term.
Excuses don't show up saying I'mhere to ruin your progress.
No, they say let's take it easytoday, or you've earned a break
, or this isn't your fault.
They speak your language.
They're fluent in yourinsecurities.
That's why so many people livetheir entire lives under the
rule of excuses.
They build schedules aroundthem, they create narratives to

(02:38):
defend them, they gather peoplewho speak the same excuse
language so they never have tofeel challenged and slowly they
shrink their dreams down to fittheir excuses, instead of
expanding their mindset to fittheir purpose.
But here's the truth you need toknow.
Excuses don't care about yourgoals.

(02:59):
They don't care about yourfamily, your future, your
potential or your peace.
They care about comfort,control and keeping things the
same, and you weren't made forthat.
You weren't made to settle.
You weren't made to make roomfor excuses.
You were built to grow, tostretch and to break cycles.

(03:20):
But growth costs, and one ofthe first payments is learning
how to stop making excuses.
So the next time an excuseshows up, dressed in whatever
costume it's wearing, pause fora moment, look at it in its face
and ask is this the truth orjust a dressed up reason to keep

(03:41):
you from moving forward?
Because the second you stopletting excuses write your story
is the same second you startliving.
The one you were born to tellMake it happen.
I'm Chris Fantastic Powell.
Thank you for listening.
For books, ebooks or audiobooks, visit chrisfantasticpowellcom
or find them on Amazon.