// you’re reading...

Life in Motion

Top 10 excuses for not training

By Shang Lee ⋅ February 23, 2007 ⋅ Email This Post Email This Post ⋅ Print This Post Print This Post ⋅ Post a comment

There’s a challenge over at Cook Ding’s to dedicate just over a month to train/learn something you’ve been wanting to. The challenge read as follows:

… from Ash Wednesday (tomorrow) until Easter (April 8), train every day, without fail, no excuses. It’s not as easy as it sounds. Some days, you might only be able to get a few minutes of training in; but the point is to do it everyday, no matter what.

I’ve been wanting to do this regardless of the challenge, but somehow there are always excuses. So i intend to list out my top excuses and hopefully, we can recognise these as excuses and don’t use them!

My top 10 excuses (in no particular order) for not training tai ji everyday are:

  1. not enough sleep
  2. too tired
  3. too hungry
  4. need to go out later
  5. need to do a lot of washing
  6. no time/place to shower after training
  7. a lot in the mind
  8. need to spend time with family/friends
  9. work
  10. errands to run

I have purposely left out “no time” because I can’t justify that as an excuse any longer. It hit me one day that there is always time, just have to decide how to spend it.

So what are your excuses? Please share and let us recognise them to remind ourselves that they are just excuses. :)

Print This PostTags: , ,

Discussion

6 comments for “Top 10 excuses for not training”

  1. There is a wonderfully thin self help book entitled The Art of Time. The beginning of it has the usual tips for getting organized and efficient, but it’s towards the end of the book where a little wisdom is dispensed.

    Have you ever noticed that you almost magically have time for the people and ‘things’ you truly love? Love what you do, not just be infatuated with it, but truly love what you do, and the clouds will part.

    Posted by Rick Matz | February 23, 2007, 9:54 am

  2. That’s beautifully put. :)

    Posted by Shang Lee | February 23, 2007, 10:34 am

  3. Yes, I learn to make time for things I love doing. :D

    Posted by moongster | February 23, 2007, 7:34 pm

  4. I’ve added the ‘art of time’ to my amazon wishlist! Thanks for the heads up, Rick.

    As for me, my main excuse was b/c I’m tired. However, now that I focus more on practicing anywhere/anytime, it’s not really an issue for me anymore. Sure, I may not do many repetitions of the whole form, but I find ways to train. Practice stepping, practice stance work, practice silk reeling in small increments. Best of all, I’m beginning not to feel bad or have guilt that I’m not practicing more.. ;)

    Posted by wujimon | February 23, 2007, 9:22 pm

  5. I have to say, the guilt factor does come into play now and again, which is also a source of motivation in itself. ;)

    Posted by Shang Lee | February 27, 2007, 11:25 pm

  6. 1) I’ll practice later on in the day
    2) My legs hurt
    3) I’m drunk from last night
    those are my main excuses.
    Paul

    Posted by Paul | March 18, 2007, 12:40 pm

Post a comment