100 Lame Excuses for Not Innovating
Do you have a great idea or poject you want to manifest, but... er... um... just can't seem to get things rolling? Chances are good your reasons why are on the list below. No problem. Join the club. Without making yourself wrong, simply note the ones that show up the most for you, then try the simple "go beyond excuses" exercise at the end of the list. You're welcome.
1. I don't have the time.
2. I don't have the money.
3. I have neither the time nor the money
4. Covid-19!
5. I've got too much on my plate right now.
6. I'm just not feeling it
7. I'll feel crappy if I fail
8. I'm not that organized
9. I'm juggling way too many projects
10. My moon is in Sagitarius
11. I'm not good at presenting my ideas
12. I don't have enough support
13. The Illuminati doesn't like me
14. My customers aren't asking for it
15. I don't have any customers
16. I don't have an office/studio/desk
17. I'm an artist, not business person
18. My day job takes all my time
19. I don't have the right equipment
20. My career path will be jeopardized if this doesn't fly
21. I've already got enough headaches
22. I don't want to add one more failure to my long list
23. My home life will suffer
24. I'm not disciplined enough
25. It's an idea ahead of its time
26. I won't be able to get enough resources
27. I don't have enough information
28. Someone will steal my idea
29. It will take too long to get results
30. We're in a down economy
31. I don't like filling out paperwork
32. I'll be laughed out of town
33. My significant other will think I'm crazy
34. If it ain't broke, don't fix it
35. The concept is too disruptive
36. I have to take care of my parents
37. I don't tolerate ambiguity all that well
38. I have to walk the dog
39. Now is not a good time to start a new project
40. I don't have the right personality for this
41. I'm going through too many changes right now
42. Where do I even begin?
43. If I succeed, too much will be expected of me
44. My laptop's in the shop
45. Things are changing so fast, my head is spinning
46. I need a break
47. I don't have enough clout to get things done
48. It's just not worth the effort
49. I'm getting close to retirement
50. My other projects will suffer
51. Been there, done that
52. I don't want another thing to think about
53. I won't have any time left for my family
54. A more nimble competitor will beat me to the punch
55. I don't have a collaborator
56. I've never done anything like this before
57. I probably won't make enough money from this
58. I'm not as young as I used to me
59. I don't have the right credentials
60. I need more information
61. I can't find my pencil
62. It will be hard sustaining the motivation
63. I've tried before and failed
64. I'm not smart enough to pull this off
65. I don't want to go to any more meetings
66. It will take too long to get up to speed
67. I have to do my laundry
68. I don't know how to get the funding I need
69. Winter's coming
70. The marketplace is too volatile
71. This is a luxury I can't afford
72. I need to get my ducks in a row first
73. I don't have any ducks
74. I'm trying to simplify my life, not complicate it
75. The dog ate my homework
76. Help! I'm a prisoner in a Chinese fortune cookie factory.
77. I don't like myself today
78. I don't have the patience
79. What if this doesn't work?
80. I'm too right-brained for this sort of thing
81. I need to lose five pounds first
82. I'm getting too old for this
83. Who am I kidding? Mine is a ridiculous idea.
84. Spring is coming
85. I'm hypoglycemic
86. It's not my karma
87. What's that sound? Over there. By the refrigerator.
88. Market conditions aren't right
89. I need to focus on making some short term money first
90. My carbon footprint is too big
91. What I really need is a vacation
92. I don't have a marketing plan
93. Mercury is in retrograde.
94. Nostradamus didn't predict it
95. Maybe next year
96. Time for dinner
97. Project? What project?
98. I would if I could, but I can't, so I won't
99. I can't afford a lawyer
100.I can't handle any more rejection
HOW TO GO BEYOND THESE LAME EXCUSES
1. Make a list of your three most bothersome ones.
2. Turn each excuse into a question, beginning with the words "How can I?" or "How can we?" (For example, if your excuse is "That's R&D's job," you might ask "How can I make innovation my job?" or "How can I help my team take more responsibility for innovating?"
3. Brainstorm each question -- alone and with your team.
4. DO something about it within the next 48 hours.
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Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at September 22, 2018 08:53 AM
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