Josh's Weekly Insights - Sept. 17, 2025

“It is wise to direct your anger towards problems - not people; to focus your energies on answers - not excuses.”

-William Arthur Ward

I have been thinking a lot about the question, “When does an explanation become an excuse?” Not necessarily by the definition of “excuse” but more about when a person allows the explanation to impede their progress.

Why do the majority of people fail to accomplish their New Year’s resolutions? Why are some people quick to accept that they can’t achieve a goal they set while others continue to power through any and all obstacles in their path?

I think any important accomplishment will have challenges and headwinds along the path to that objective. If you really want to achieve something, ask yourself “What am I willing to sacrifice to achieve this and will I continue to fight for it even when things get difficult?” before you even make the commitment. It can also be helpful to start thinking about obstacles that may impede getting to the finish line so you can be prepared to face them when they pop up.

Adversity is part of life, but giving up is a choice. I can say there have been moments in my life where I wanted to give up and quit. Those moments are the ones I look back at with regret. Whereas the moments where I stuck it out and kept going are fond memories and accomplishments I am even more thankful for because of the price I paid to achieve them.

There is a part of your brain called the Anterior Midcingulate Cortex (AMCC) that helps determine when you will give up. There was a study on that part of the brain that determined the people who are able to ignore that impulse and persevere will have more successful outcomes in health, academics, and business. In short, if you want to be more successful, learn to ignore that silly part of your brain that says it is okay to quit. The more you do, the easier it becomes to keep ignoring it during tough times.

When does an explanation become an excuse? Can you help me answer that question? I would love to hear other people’s thoughts on that question to see if we can figure out how to avoid that trap together.

Now get out there and crush your week!