True Competitor: 7 Days of Spiritual GritSample

NO EXCUSES

True Competitor Principle

Excuses lead to failure.

When I was twelve, I was playing second base for an all-star team in an area-wide tournament. Our team was good, and we had a legitimate shot to win it all. I can still remember the smell of the grass and the light rain that started to fall in the late innings. And I still remember dropping that routine pop-up that ended up, in part, costing us the win. I went from hero to heel.

So I did what most athletes do—I made excuses. I blamed the rain and lights (it was a night game). I figured my teammates blamed me, so I blamed the three guys who couldn’t get hits to place runners in scoring positions in the bottom of the ninth. At the time, I didn’t think I was making excuses. I just didn’t want the loss to be my fault.

Making excuses is the ultimate blame game. Excuses spread like a virus and make the entire team sick. That’s because we win as a team and lose as a team—with everyone playing a part.

In 2010, Gatorade reintroduced one of its popular sports drinks under the label No Excuses. The company meant for the rebranding to be an ongoing motivational message. But in a culture that likes to come up with all the reasons things don’t work out, it’s not only a refreshing drink but a refreshing return to personal responsibility.

We make excuses for everything—for why we’re late to practice, why we gained weight, why we didn’t work out, why we missed a shot, why we did poorly on a test, you name it. We point the finger at everybody else and fail to take responsibility for the part we played.

I love this quote: “Excuses are the nails used to build a house of failure.” It implies that every excuse we make may seem insignificant, but in the end, excuses help hold together a life of failure. Excuses build the house, and then we move in and get comfortable there. Excuses allow us to lower the bar. They prevent us from striving for excellence. When we justify why we didn’t do what we said we would do, it’s easier to make excuses the next time. If we can’t explain why we’re in a particular situation, then we point the finger.

In John 5, Jesus found a man who was crippled for thirty-eight years and asked him a question.

He asked him, “Do you want to get well?”

“Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.” (vv. 6–7)

I find it amazing that the man didn’t even answer Jesus’ question. He immediately offered excuses. A simpler answer would have been “Yes, I want to be healed!”

We all make excuses for ball games and even for why we don’t believe. In Luke 14, Jesus uncovered excuses again and told us that those who don’t believe will make up many excuses. Those who had been invited to the great banquet found many excuses for not attending, but none of the reasons were genuine.

They all alike began to make excuses. The first said, “I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.”

Another said, “I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.”

Still another said, “I just got married, so I can’t come.” (vv. 18–20)

Excuses never make you better. And they don’t change your circumstances—they solidify them. When making excuses becomes your habit, you’re running on a road to failure. These three words are a sure sign that what comes next is an excuse: could’ve, would’ve, and should’ve.

“I could’ve started on the varsity team, but [insert excuse here].”

“I would’ve fielded that pop-up, but [insert excuse here].”

“I should’ve won that race, but [insert excuse here].”

It’s always the same. The only antidote for excuses is to take and make. Take full responsibility and make changes. We have a choice to either deflect or accept responsibility. One of the ten guiding principles at my kids’ school is “Take full responsibility for your actions and their consequences.” They probably could have shortened it to “No excuses.” When we take responsibility, we exercise a spirit of humility and consider others as better than ourselves. We assume ownership of both the problem and the solution.

A wise person once said, “Those who are good at making excuses are seldom good at anything else.” So don’t get good at making excuses. Excuses lead to failure. If it’s important enough, you’ll find a way. If not, you’ll find an excuse. Instead, take responsibility and make changes.

Father, show me ways that I’ve become an excuse maker. Reveal to me how I’ve blamed others when things didn’t go as planned. Help me really listen to the words I speak. I know excuses lead to failure, and I don’t want to be on that road. Remind me to take personal responsibility in every situation and to make the changes necessary for excellence. Amen.