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Ya-ttitude: Defending the If
I really want to thank everyone who sent me email(s) in regards to and in response to the leadership blog from last week. I really never realized that it would strike up so much conversation and controversy as well as so many distinct points of view. I hope I answered all of you who have taken the time to send in your thoughts and comments in email. I have even visited all of the other sites and blogs (yes, every one) you have all sent me and commented wherever and whenever I had something of value to add.
I was going to start off in another direction today, but so much of the content in mail I received could be answered directly by a section that I read and loved from Napoleon Hill that I thought this might help many of you in your career goals and with your definite plan and the writing thereof.
Many of the comments I receive include items from the list compiled by Old Man If (His list had fifty-seven, I could only compile 54 of his originals) that you will read below that I though I would just put together Hill’s List of alibis, so we can talk about them all in one place. I think he did a great job in compiling a definitive list - but I would love to receive more that you may have heard so I can add them to my list!
Tentatively called:
The Anti Ya-ttitudeTM.
FIFTY-SEVEN FAMOUS ALIBIS
By Old Man IF
IF I didn’t have a wife and family . . .
IF I had enough ‘pull’ . . .
IF I had money . . .
IF I had a good education . . .
IF I could get a job . . .
IF I had good health . . .
IF I only had time . . .
IF times were better . . .
IF other people understood me . . .
IF conditions around me were only different . . .
IF I could live my life over again . . .
IF I did not fear what ‘THEY’ would say . . .
IF I had been given a chance . . .
IF I now had a chance . . .
IF other people didn’t ‘have it in for me’ . . .
IF nothing happens to stop me . . .
IF I were only younger . . .
IF I could only do what I want . . .
IF I had been born rich . . .
IF I could meet ‘the right people’ . . .
IF I had the talent that some people have . . .
IF I dared assert myself . . .
IF I only had embraced past opportunities . . .
IF people didn’t get on my nerves . . .
IF I didn’t have to keep house and look after the children . . .
IF I could save some money . . .
IF the boss only appreciated me . . .
IF I only had somebody to help me . . .
IF my family understood me . . .
IF I lived in a big city . . .
IF I could just get started . . .
IF I were only free . . .
IF I had the personality of some people . . .
IF I were not so fat . . .
IF my talents were known . . .
IF I could just get a ‘break’ . . .
IF I could only get out of debt . . .
IF I hadn’t failed . . .
IF I only knew how . . .
IF everybody didn’t oppose me . . .
IF I didn’t have so many worries . . .
IF I could marry the right person . . .
IF people weren’t so dumb . . .
IF my family were not so extravagant . . .
IF I were sure of myself . . .
IF luck were not against me . . .
IF I had not been born under the wrong star . . .
IF it were not true that ‘what is to be will be’ . .
IF I did not have to work so hard . . .
IF I hadn’t lost my money . . .
IF I lived in a different neighborhood . . .
IF I didn’t have a ‘past’ . . .
IF I only had a business of my own . . .
IF other people would only listen to me . . .
Using alibis to defend ourselves is more popular than the Super Bowl. Imagine how much we could get accomplished if we spent as much time being creative with our lives and our plan and our jobs as we do with creating alibis. Breaking the habit of alibi-building and replacing it with a positive habit using the same imagination but towards a positive goal would make your goal of achieving success so much easier and bring it about so much quicker.
Building alibis with which to explain away our failures is counterproductive in many ways. The biggest way? Our failures are stepping stones to our success, without them we could never become successful. So do not alibi-away something important, use it as another ingredient in your Recipe to Success.
Ben
March 14th, 2008 at 3:19 am
I also love the IF game. But I reach the 54-th IF, I seem to be moaning about my life.
I have to cut it.
March 14th, 2008 at 6:43 am
When you lose the “if” - you gain a fuure
Thaks for stopping by Guerrillero
March 14th, 2008 at 9:37 pm
I read the list of IFs and I realize I’ve heard all of them said by different people, on different occasions.
And honestly, I think I’ve said some of them myself!
——–
Hi Benny! Thought I’d give you a courtesy call for taking the time to read a post in my blog. But your posts are great, I think I’d still be coming over some other times just to partake at the great thoughts you are sharing.
Thanks!
March 14th, 2008 at 10:07 pm
Thanks for stopping by - Get rid of those If I’s…
March 17th, 2008 at 12:51 am
What a fantastic “If” list! I have been guilty of a few of these from time to time.
http://amloki.blogspot.com
http://damyantiwrites.wordpress.com
April 22nd, 2008 at 8:20 pm
Perhaps “IF” isn’t as bad as the “What if’s”. This is where people often run into problems. Avoide the “what if’s” and you will be on your way to a life of much less stress and anxiety!
Dr. KC
http://www.DOCintheBiz.com
April 22nd, 2008 at 9:04 pm
Welcome aboard
KC - And I love your blog!
I think we are on the same side here
- and the “if” and the “what if” for the most part will be left to
semantics.
“What if I had not failed” vs. “If I
had not failed?”
“What if I followed my gut” vs. “If I
had just followed my gut?”
It is basically the same
statement.
The real issue here is the ability to
make a decision. All the “if’s” and
“what if’s” would melt away one-by-one if a decision was made - and followed
through upon.
Check out the “make that decision”
challenge on the latest post here:
http://ya-ttitude.com/blog/2008/04/19/a-weekend-cure/
Ben
May 24th, 2008 at 4:01 am
This is great! Thanks for leaving the link on my blog.
If you are going to start a question and answer forum can you please write me “The top 54 ways for having a bettter Ya-ttitude on a bad hair day”…?
I would like to post it on my bathroom mirror!
May 26th, 2008 at 8:58 pm
[...] it any better? Are you starting to believe the alibis you are conjuring up? Take a look at this great list of alibis and see just how many of them you are currently using. Realize that not one of them have any [...]