What's your excuse?

"Have you ever found yourself listing reasons why you can’t follow your dreams?

That’s likely your inner critic talking—it always has a compelling excuse or "what-if" scenario to delay your next step. These excuses are more common than you think, and this attitude is the main barrier to unlocking your true potential.

In this article, we’ll dive into ten common excuses that hold us back—and explore the counter-arguments that can help overcome each one.

1. "There are already several people doing what I wish to do" or  "I don’t have a unique voice" :

   
   

   • In a world where every person is creating 1.7 MB of information every second, every possible option might seem like it has already been explored. But even when your "Ah-Ha" moment is diffused by discovering your idea already exists, go ahead and do it anyway. Here's why:

   • There are 8.1 billion people on this planet as of Nov 2024. Even with internet access mostly widespread, if you think it will be easy for someone else to share the message you feel passionate about with everyone in that populace, you are sadly mistaken, my friend.

   • Think of it this way: You must go out there and try to reach your audience, perform in front of your viewers, and talk to your listeners because until you do, that community of people isn't getting the value perhaps only you can provide.

   • You see, no one can share your message quite like you.

   • In the remote possibility that everyone else was a creator, there would still be room for more as people don’t consume their own art to learn and often need diverse voices or expressions as a source to grow.

   • None of us are unique when it comes to the problems we face, not even in the way we solve them. There is always someone else facing the same issues and solving them in similar ways.

   
   

   But we are unique, each of us, in the expression of our truest selves. Every flaw, every trait, every detail in our character makes us unique in the value we can provide.

   
   

   Before I started this blog, this was a big self-doubt I constantly gave in to.

   
   

   Until one day, I had a breakthrough. I realized if Life created me as I am, giving space for me to be in this world, then I must also honor whatever I create for the good out of this expression I was given.

   
   

   • Action ✨ Use that as a grounding strength to take the first leap now — Your unique perspective has an audience waiting to resonate with it.

   
   

2. The Imposter Syndrome: "I am not an expert yet" or "I am not qualified or don't have the right credentials yet" -

   
   

   • Remember, an Expert was also a beginner when they started. We all know this and yet we need reminders when faced with doubts.

   • Shunryu Suzuki, A Zen Master, once said :

     
     

     "In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities… But in the expert's there are few."

     
     

   • Everyone is figuring things out and you will too along the way. In any case, a beginner's mindset is something even experts crave sometimes.

   • Before I got started, one doubt I had was– am I repetitive? or what if my experiences are redundant?

     • In contrast, I have observed that accomplished teachers in different fields & even the most sagacious spiritual masters out there, repeat key truths from various angles because no matter how many times you say it, the human mind seems designed to forget crucial insights gained in the past.

     • So repeating the same message in different ways will impact mental retention greatly.

     • A simpler version helps grasp concepts more deeply. It may help validate what the audience already knows but hasn't integrated fully yet & spark new insights in them.

   • Some professions might require certifications or credentials to practice in the field & for those you can invest the time and effort needed to acquire it. But, sharing knowledge from your true experience in any field doesn't require gatekeeping -

     • Often, people are looking for relatability more than credibility to learn. So you don’t always need external credentials to try creating something of value.

   • Action ✨ Start with sharing what you know right now without hesitation. Having said that, do your part to make it efficient, verifiable, concise, simple to understand, and easy to digest. That quality of perseverance is important to cultivate.

     
     

3. "I am already _______ years of age ":

   
   

   • Einstein was also a late developer. He started speaking at the age of three. He was later discovered to be a genius. So say goodbye to the thought pattern that tells you- “ You are too late to try a possibility or a spark of an idea”.

   • Age is just a number no matter how cliched that adage seems.

   • Action ✨ Your age, your challenges, your journey, and everything in your life, add to the uniqueness of your expression. Make use of them.

   
   

4. "I don't have the right gear or resources":

   
   

   • For a long time, I was inspired by creators who shot their videos with the latest and best camera or equipment in the market. I naively assumed that having a certain lens or camera brand of a certain caliber would improve my filmmaking, and so I upgraded the cheap beginner camera I had to a more expensive one. Turns out the more expensive camera I got was a lot more trouble for its worth. I struggled with enormous file sizes on my videos, issues with the camera model on shooting for long hours. Then, I discovered creators, who were using the bare minimum and making equally if not better content with the limited setup they had & I realized the fallacy of my thinking. Today, even the most basic tools have a lot of capabilities, such as phone cameras.

   • If you ever played Prince of Persia, a PC game in the 90s, watch the inspiring interview of its creator, Jordan Mechner. He shares how the technical limitations of early gaming hardware actually helped him come up with creative design solutions for the game. Memory constraints prevented the addition of more characters like enemies in the game, after a lot of trial and error, he got the unique idea of freeing up some memory bits and creating a shadow clone of the prince as the enemy.

   • Action ✨ Start where you are, if you can, do not try and buy tons of things or use the lack of it as an excuse. Make it a project or experiment to see if you can manage to start exactly where you are with all the seeming limitations, making the best of it. You will thank yourself for it later

     
     

5. "I need to plan everything perfectly before I start."

   
   

   • Another stalling technique when we feel we don't have everything mapped out yet. This comes from a perfectionist mindset that causes people to wait until they feel they have the "perfect" strategy, plan, or conditions.

   • Often, the way towards a vision becomes clear as you make the first move.

   • A Chinese proverb from the Tao Te Ching says, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step"

   • Success doesn't lie in how things pan out or the outcome but rather in the actions one takes. As long as we take action, we can be sure we are & will be successful.

   • Action ✨ Take the first step you are sure of - most of the times, its about creating a first draft or first iteration of something. You can learn and adjust as you go.

     
     

6. "I’m worried about what others will think."

   
   

   • When we are afraid to embrace the truth of our experience, we become malleable to outside influence. This is one of the key reasons why we feel dependant on acceptance from society, and fear others' judgments or criticism. This is especially common when you are on a creative or unconventional pursuits.

   • "Letting the opinions of others define you can cloud your path. Learning to trust your own discernment and align with what truly resonates is a powerful way to break free. For more insight, take a look at our previous post on discernment and embracing one’s truth.

   • Action ✨ Focus on your own values, and what you know will bring you joy in life, instead of seeking approval from others.

     
     

7.  "I don’t know where to begin."

   
   

   • Feeling overwhelmed by the first steps or lacking a clear roadmap can cause inaction. When we redirect ourselves or face something entirely new, this is natural.

   • Action ✨ Lead with what action excites you. That can be your north star. If you are not sure of that, breaking down your goal into manageable steps using a simple excel, Google Sheet or Notion. The plan doesn't have to be perfect and you can course correct when it feels right. Start with research, talking to others who can help guide or take one small action from the plan you wrote down. That will help build momentum.

     
     

8.  "What if I fail?"

   
   

   • Fear of failure is a big one. This excuse can paralyze people and stop them from taking any risks because they don’t want to face the possibility of not succeeding.

   • If you constantly find yourself up against the what ifs, counter your inner critic with– "But, what if I fly?"

   • Some worries can seem like they help us anticipate & plan but almost all are unnecessary.

   • I have noticed that when I drop these stories that are worries about the future, & focus on just creating in a flow, the outcome automatically turns out to be better. Also, Failure or Rejection has always been a redirection towards a better path that I could never have anticipated.

   • When you have a tough wave of anxious thoughts, breathwork and meditation can be quite effective at reducing the momentum of such thoughts.

   • Action ✨ Reframe failure as a learning opportunity. Focus on the present moment action. Surrender your worries to the divine - life/universe/god whatever you prefer calling the force behind existence. This can help to unburden oneself from excessive thoughts of the future.

     
     

9. "I don’t have enough time."

   
   

   • Many people feel their schedules are already too packed to add another pursuit. It can make people feel like they need an abundance of free time to get started on their dreams.

   • It has been my experience that when we attempt to put in even few minutes on a single action towards our goals, time seems expansive. We feel more energized and able to accomplish a lot more in our day.

   • Action ✨ Push through the initial resistance you might feel and contribute 5 minutes toward your goal today. A single drop of water might seem insignificant but repeated drips can eventually fill an entire bucket. Similarly, small but consistent actions accumulate over time, creating substantial results.

     
     

10. "I have started but I don’t know if I must continue because I have 'XYZ' gaps relating to doubts in ability":

• Ok, now you have started, but you are worried about where it's leading you.

• This tends to come up when we live in a fixed mindset versus a growth mindset and have high expectations on the outcome.

• It’s normal to feel uncertain once you start. But we all need a reminder that if this is arising out of a need for validation by chasing social media metrics, acing the numbers game won’t ease our doubts or stress completely, especially when life gets tough. Real fulfillment is in the process of taking the right action.

• The key is to create with openness and curiosity.

• Action ✨ Lower your expectations on the results and just put your best effort in showing up to your work desk each day. This helps reduces the overwhelming feeling. Focus on what truly matters—pursuing your dreams, expressing your unique voice, spending quality time with loved ones, practicing compassion, staying present, and nurturing your well-being. These are the practices that keep your spirit alive and grounded. Make these priorities a habit, and let go of the rest.

  
  

In conclusion, we often find excuses to hold ourselves back, but the truth is, we have the power to shape how we feel—and ultimately, our reality. The world is shaped by your perceptions, so don’t let rejection or fear stop you. Smile, learn, and keep moving forward. Actions driven by joy are far more fulfilling and effective than those fueled by fear. When you focus on what excites and inspires you, success flows naturally. Prioritize what brings you peace, bliss, and meaning, and everything else will follow."