(3 mins read)
Most people want to change. If that’s true, why do so few succeed in their change journey? Why do so many stay stuck — too tired, too busy, too impatient, or too overwhelmed to evolve?
Are you familiar with David Goggins? If you are, great. If you aren’t, I strongly encourage you to read his book Can’t Hurt Me. Long before he became a Navy SEAL, an ultramarathon runner, and a symbol of mental toughness, Goggins was overweight, insecure, and a self-described victim of his circumstances. He grew up in an abusive home, faced racism, struggled in school, and lived with a stutter that made him want to disappear. By all accounts, he had every “valid” excuse to settle for an average life.
But everything changed when he realized that every excuse—no matter how justified—kept him exactly where he didn’t want to be. He made a decision: stop negotiating with pain, stop accepting the story he’d been handed, and start taking ownership of the story he wanted to write.
When I’m at the gym and feel like I’ve hit my limit, I ask myself: “What would David Goggins do?” I’m no Goggins, but that question pushes me to go a little further every time. If David can do it, I can do it too. As he often says through the brutal honesty of his own journey: you can have results or excuses — but you can’t have both.
That philosophy is the heartbeat of his message: results require responsibility, discipline, and an uncomfortably honest look at yourself. Excuses require nothing — except that you stay the same.
EXCUSES vs. OPPORTUNITIES
A week has 168 hours for all of us. On average, we sleep about 56 hours and work around 40–50 hours. The remaining 60–70 hours we spend with family, friends, or on hobbies. It’s up to us how we use that time—effectively or wastefully.
There are two types of people: those who struggle to move forward and those who make consistent progress.
The difference?
One group looks for excuses.
The other group looks for opportunities.
Excuses are easy to find — there are plenty of them. Opportunities, however, require commitment, effort, and often sacrifice: skipping another TV episode, getting up earlier, or choosing discomfort over convenience. Many prefer the false peace of their comfort zone instead of facing the temporary discomfort of progress.
If you want something, you’ll look for solutions.
If you don’t, you’ll look for excuses.
For some people, excuse-making becomes a habit—a very bad one. And if you excel at making excuses, it’s difficult to excel at anything else. Excuses anchor you to the past. To move toward tomorrow, you must break those habits and shift your mindset.
This doesn’t mean ignoring real challenges. Chronic illness, caregiving responsibilities, financial hardship, systemic barriers—these are real obstacles, not excuses. The distinction matters:
A challenge is something you work through or around.
An excuse is something you hide behind.
We all face difficulties. The real question is whether you’re letting excuses disguise themselves as impossible obstacles.
NO EXCUSES, PLEASE!
Now let’s make this personal. Most of us know why this mindset is important, but fewer know how to apply it. The first and most important step is accepting full responsibility for your life. The moment you do, it becomes your last day of excuse-making—and your first day of meaningful growth, effort, and progress.
Below are simple actions you can start immediately in four key areas of life: PERSONAL ENERGY, PERSONAL, PROFESSIONAL, and FINANCIAL FREEDOM. No training, no coach—just decisions.
PERSONAL ENERGY
- Tired… → REST or SLEEP (even a 20-minute nap can reset your energy)
- Out of shape… → EXERCISE (start with 10 minutes of walking—every step counts)
- Anxious… → BREATHE (try the 4-7-8 technique)
- Stressed… → GO FOR A LONG WALK (disconnect and reset)
- Feeling alone… → REACH OUT (there are many people ready to help you)
PERSONAL
- Don’t have time… → ELIMINATE TIME-WASTERS (track your phone use for one day — you’ll be shocked)
- Uninspired… → TAKE A BREAK (schedule guilt-free rest)
- Overthinking… → TAKE ACTION (even a tiny step beats perfect planning)
- Feeling lost… → DEFINE A DREAM (write down one thing you’d regret not trying)
- Unsure… → TALK TO LOVED ONES (they’re waiting to help)
PROFESSIONAL
- Seems complicated… → SIMPLIFY (break it into the smallest possible step)
- Don’t know… → LEARN OR ASK (curiosity is strength)
- Distracted… → FOCUS (try the Pomodoro Technique)
- Don’t have skills… → DEVELOP THEM (growth lives outside your comfort zone)
- Failed… → OWN IT (learn, adjust, move forward — failure is feedback)
FINANCIAL FREEDOM
- Out of money… → STOP SPENDING, START SAVING (cut 5–10% of unnecessary expenses)
- Living paycheck to paycheck… → CREATE MULTIPLE INCOME STREAMS (start with your interests)
- No investment portfolio… → START ONE (it’s not rocket science — read, listen, or consult a professional)
- Don’t know how to invest… → LEARN (read books, listen to podcast, watch YouTube videos, contact a financial advisor)
- Have little to invest… → STAY CONSISTENT (time in the market beats timing the market)
Stop waiting for perfect conditions.
Stop letting fear make your decisions.
Stop confusing comfort with happiness.
Excuses make today easy, but tomorrow hard.
A “no excuses” mindset makes today hard, but tomorrow easier.
Every Day Development 
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