THE BIG IDEAS Excuses Begone!

Excusing vs. Choosing

How to Change Lifelong, Self-Defeating Thinking Habits
Time to make the shift! BY DR. WAYNE W. DYER · HAY HOUSE © 2009 · 288 PAGES

Affirmations
To conquer excuses.

Cultivating Awareness
Es muy importante! “It’s been said that old habits die hard, implying that it’s next to impossible to
change long-standing thought patterns. Yet the book you hold in your hands was
The Now
It’s wise to be on friendly terms w/it. created out of a belief that entrenched ways of thinking and acting can indeed
Self-Actualizers Focus be eradicated. Furthermore, the most effective means for eliminating habitual
On what they want. thoughts is to go to work on the very system that created, and continues to
Contemplation support, these thinking habits. This system is made up of a long list of explanations
Bowling + manifestation averages. and defenses that can be summed up in one word: excuses. Hence, the title of this
Commitments book is really a statement to yourself, as well as to that system of explanations
Beat pronouncements.
you’ve created. It is my intention that all excuses be . . . gone!”
Passion
Always trumps excuses! ~ Dr. Wayne W. Dyer from Excuses Begone!

Exquisite Beliefs This is the fourth Note I’ve done on Wayne Dyer’s stuff. We also profiled Your Erroneous Zones
Are better than excuses. + The Power of Intention + Real Magic.

I just love his simple, inspiring, practical wisdom.

In this book Dr. Dyer walks us through how to finally (!) get rid of disempowering thoughts. It’s
packed with goodness.

Here are a handful of my favorite Big Ideas!

EXCUSING VS. CHOOSING

“Through discipline, effort,
and continual practice, it
can also accomplish almost
anything you focus your
thoughts on.”
~ Dr. Wayne W. Dyer
“The truth, as I see it, is that everything you think, say, and do is a choice—and you don’t need to
think, speak, or act as you’ve done your entire life. When you abandon making choices, you enter
the vast world of excuses.
Right now, while reading this book, decide to begin choosing instead of excusing. You can
instantly decide to reprogram and direct your life toward the level of happiness, success, and
health that you prefer.”
The first step in making our excuses be gone?

As Wayne says, we’ve gotta move from excusing to CHOOSING—shifting from a helpless victim
to a powerful creator.

We need to see that everything we do, speak and think is a CHOICE.

Little by little. Thought by thought. Word by word. Action by action. We can change our lives.

Shall we? :)

EXCUSES —> AFFIRMATIONS

Wayne walks us through the 18 most commonly used excuses. He then gives us 18 affirmations
to counteract those excuses.

1 PhilosophersNotes | Excuses Begone


“I know of no more
encouraging fact than the
unquestionable ability of
man to elevate his life by a
conscious endeavor.”
~ Henry David Thoreau
“What is more mortifying
than to feel that you have
missed the plum for want
of courage to shake the
tree?”
~ Logan Pearsall Smith
2 PhilosophersNotes | Excuses Begone
Check out the book for all the goodies. Here are a few of my favorites:
“1. It will be difficult: I have the ability to accomplish any task I set my mind to with ease
and comfort.
3. It will take a long time: I have infinite patience when it comes to fulfilling my destiny.
14. It’s too big: I think only about what I can do now. By thinking small, I accomplish great
things.
15. I don’t have the energy: I feel passionately about my life, and this passion fills me with
excitement and energy.
17. I’m too busy: As I unclutter my life, I free myself to answer the callings of my soul.”
That is what we call hot sauce.
You got excuses?
What are some affirmations you can use to counter them?!
P.S. Reminds me of some goodness from Mary Elaine-Jacobsen’s great book (see Notes) where
she shared a set of criticisms with new responses:
“CRITICISM #8: “Can’t You Just Stick with One Thing?” NEW RESPONSE: “No, Probably Not.”
CRITICISM #10: “Why Don’t You Slow Down?” NEW RESPONSE: “Going Fast Is Normal for
Me.”
CRITICISM #1: “Who Do You Think You Are?” NEW RESPONSE: “A Humble Everyday Genius
Called to Serve.””
CULTIVATING AWARENESS
“Cultivating awareness is indeed the preliminary activity in the “I-opening” experience of
meeting your authentic self. Living your life oblivious to your thinking patterns and beliefs, day
after day, year after year, is a habit that encourages and elevates your ego or false self... The way
I see it, if you’re going to practice an Excuses Begone! life, your primary relationship needs to be
100 percent with your authentic self.”
Amen to that.
The first step is to cultivate awareness of our current habits. We need to SEE what we’re doing
before we can shift it, eh?
Vernon Howard has a great take on this in The Power of Your Supermind (see Notes) where
he tells us: “Encourage yourself by remembering that any detection of negativity within you
is a positive act, not a negative one. Awareness of your weakness and confusion makes you
strong because conscious awareness is the bright light that destroys the darkness of negativity.
Honest self-observation dissolves pains and pressures that formerly did their dreadful
work in the darkness of unawareness. This is so important that I urge you to memorize and
reflect upon the following summary: Detection of inner negativity is not a negative act, but a
courageously positive act that makes you a new person.”
Detection of negativity is a courageously POSITIVE act.
Here’s to the honest self-observation that allows us to connect to the Highest within ourselves
more and more consistently!

“One of the most tragic
things I know about human
nature is that all of us
tend to put off living. We
are all dreaming of some
magical rose garden over the
horizon—instead of enjoying
the roses that are blooming
outside our windows
today.”
~ Dale Carnegie
“Most of us actually just
give lip service to a life of
higher awareness; we don’t
always want to undertake
the necessary steps to
create the life we desire.”
~ Dr. Wayne W. Dyer
PhilosophersNotes | Excuses Begone
BEING ON FRIENDLY TERMS WITH THE NOW
“Rather than seeing your present moment as an obstacle, see it as the supreme miracle.
“Wayne, this is the only moment you have,” is a sentence I often say to myself to keep me on
friendly terms with the now. Think about that: the only moment you have. When you realize
the significance of this, you’ll immediately want to shift into a state of awe and gratitude for it,
regardless of what is transpiring.”
Newsflash: NOW is the only moment we have.
Period.
Reminds me of Marcus Aurelius’ wisdom from Mediations (see Notes) where he tells us: “Were
you to live three thousand years, or even thirty thousand, remember that the sole life which a
man can lose is that which he is living at the moment; and furthermore, that he can have no
other life except the one he loses... This means that the longest life and the shortest amount to
the same thing. For the passing minute is every man’s equal possession, but what has once
gone by is not ours.”
Here’s to having a *really* good relationship with this now.
And the next.
And the next.
(On that note, what can you do to improve your relationship with the now? :)
THE FOCUS OF SELF-ACTUALIZERS
“I learned a long time ago from one of my mentors, Abraham Maslow, that self-actualizing
people never use their minds to think about what they don’t wish to attract. They don’t worry
about an illness getting worse, an absence of funding, a downturn in the economy affecting
them, a negative outcome in a business venture, their children getting in trouble, and so on.
Their minds focus on the conditions they wish to produce—then the lucky break, the right people
or circumstances, or the synchronistic opportunity somehow presents itself as a result of their
contemplation. We all become what we think about, so it’s pretty important to pay attention to
those thoughts.”
We go off on the 19 characteristics of a self-actualizing individual in our Notes on Abraham
Maslow’s Motivation and Personality.
The essence of Maslow’s ideas around self-actualizing can be expressed in this iconic passage:
“Musicians must make music, artists must paint, poets must write if they are to be ultimately
at peace with themselves. What human beings can be, they must be. They must be true to
their own nature. This need we may call self-actualization... It refers to man’s desire for self-
fulfillment, namely to the tendency for him to become actually in what he is potentially: to
become everything one is capable of becoming.”
Guess what?
Self-actualizing individuals do not become what they are destined to become by thinking about
all the things going wrong in their lives.
They get their by, as Dyer tells us, “focusing their minds on the conditions they wish to
produce.”
Begs the question: What conditions do YOU want to produce?
(Are you focusing your energy on that goodness or on all the things you think are getting in your
way? Choose wisely! :)
3
 “To rid yourself of
excuses, you must learn to
practice contemplating what
you intend to manifest and
simultaneously detach from
the outcome.“
~ Dr. Wayne W. Dyer
4 PhilosophersNotes | Excuses Begone
CONTEMPLATION, BOWLING & YOUR MANIFESTING AVERAGE
“View the practice of contemplation as action, rather than as passive mental meandering...
An hour a day throwing a bowling ball is action that leads to a higher bowling average; a few
moments several times a day musing about what you intend to manifest in some area of your
life will have precisely the same effect on your manifesting average. Contemplation is action. It’s
necessary mind training for the implementation of anything you desire.”
I love that image.
If you practiced bowling every day you’d increase your bowling average.
Got it.
And...
If you practiced contemplating what you want to create in your life, you’d increase your
MANIFESTATION average.
Especially when you combine that contemplation with diligent, patient, persistent and playful
action, eh? :)
So, back to you. Let’s spend a few moments on this.
What do you want to see in your life?
How’s your health?
Your relationships?
Your professional life?
Your financial situation?
Take a few moments and imagine your ideal in each of those domains right now.
Then get in the habit of doing that often while aligning your behaviors to match your ideals! :)
PRONOUNCEMENTS VS. COMMITMENTS
“It’s one thing to make a pronouncement in a moment of inspiration about what you intend
to manifest in your life or what kind of person you intend to become. It’s quite another thing
to make a commitment to holding that vision regardless of what difficulties or obstacles may
surface. Holding the vision involves an unwillingness to compromise what you’re visualizing
for yourself. It means being willing to suffer through criticism and what appears to be an
uncooperative universe.”
Reminds me of some wisdom from the last Note I just did on Deepak Chopra’s Seven Spiritual
Laws of Superheroes where he tells us: “Superheroes understand that creativity is not an
impulse, but a process.”
It’s REALLY easy to get all geeked up about something for a day or a week or a month.
It’s an entirely different thing to show up day-in-and-day-out bringing that seed of an idea to
fruition.
All the great teachers talk about this.
Eknath Easwaran puts it this way in Conquest of Mind (see Notes): “In Sanskrit we have a word
which means “heroes at the beginning”: people who take up a job with a fanfare of trumpets
but soon find that their enthusiasm has tiptoed down the back stair. Those who go far in
meditation are the ones who keep on plugging. They may not be very spectacular; they may
never hear a trumpet. But they keep on trying day in and day out, giving their best in every
 situation and relationship, never giving up. Such people are bound to reach their goal.”

Here’s to committing to holding the vision regardless of what difficulties or obstacles may
surface!!

P.S. As you do that, keep this wisdom from Russell Simmons (see Notes on Do You!) in mind
as well: “Focus on your vision and keep going until you hit the finish line. Don’t be one of the
people who believe in their vision at first but then give up. See it through, no matter how long
it takes. Understand that obstacles are just part of the game. Whatever you imagine, you can
achieve. Once you realize this truth, no one is going to be able to stop you.”

P.P.S. To what areas of your life do you need to apply this mojo?

PASSION ALWAYS TRUMPS EXCUSES!

“Memorize these four words: passion always trumps excuses! However, keep in mind that when
I use the word passion, I’m not referring to the romantic notions that this concept conjures.
Instead, I’m equating it to a vigorous kind of enthusiasm that you feel deep within you and
that isn’t easy to explain or define. This kind of passion propels you in a direction that seems
motivated by a force beyond your control. It’s the inner excitement of being on the right path,
doing what feels good to you and what you know you are meant to do.

It’s my contention that the mere presence of passion within you—and the enthusiasm that comes
with it—is all you need to fulfill your dreams. And let’s take a brief look at the word enthusiasm.
As the novelist and woman of letters Madame de Stael noted in 1810: “The sense of this word
among the Greeks affords the noblest definition of it; enthusiasm signifies God in us.””

This is awesome.

As a guy who named his business after the Greek words that make up enthusiasm (en*theos), I
just LOVE the idea of a “vigorous kind of enthusiasm” that drives us to fulfill our dreams.

How do we cultivate this kind of vigorous enthusiasm?

Glad you should ask.

“By all means, love your Dyer tells us: “The best way to keep your passion alive is to make your number one relationship
in the world be that between you and your Source of being. Stay in a state of wonderment and
family (and everyone else on
bewilderment over everything and everyone you encounter. Go through life being continuously
this planet). Treasure all of
grateful and appreciative—give thanks for all of nature and the multitude of miracles you see
your relationships, but first
appearing before your eyes each and every day. This is a daily practice for me, and it’s the most
and foremost make your
prominent factor I can identify for keeping my zest for life alive and well.”
relationship to your highest
self your priority.” Love it.

~ Dr. Wayne W. Dyer I like to think of it this way: My #1 job is to do the things that help me plug into the Divine within
me. As I do that, I naturally shine with a radiant enthusiasm.

Paul Ray puts it this way in The Highest Goal (see Notes): “The highest goal is simply to be in
this experience of connection or truth (no matter how you refer to it) all the time. That remains
a goal, of course, because this is something you spend a lifetime working toward rather than
attaining. But your commitment motivates, inspires and guides your journey, and gives you
more and more time in this state of connection.”

What about you?

Are you rockin’ the fundamentals that help you stay plugged in?

Sweet! :)

PhilosophersNotes | Excuses Begone 5


“Contemplate like God does,
with thoughts of ‘How
may I serve?’ rather than,
‘What’s in it for me?’”
~ Dr. Wayne W. Dyer
If you liked this Note,
you’ll probably like…
The Power of Intention
Real Magic
Your Erroneous Zones
Conquest of Mind
6 PhilosophersNotes | Excuses Begone
EXCUSES --> EXQUISITE BELIEF
“Without these excuses, what would life look like? Here again, you’d bask in the exquisite belief
that you possess all of the physical and intellectual abilities you could ever need. Your life would
flow naturally from a position of supreme confidence in yourself and all of your God-given,
natural abilities. You’d take risks and be capable of trying anything, content with whatever
results were to ensue. You’d exude courage because you’d be unable to manufacture doubtful
thoughts that manifested as excuses. You’d never compare yourself to others or evaluate your
abilities on the basis of what others do—how you measure up to the performance levels of others
would have no bearing on you or what you attempt. You’d know that God doesn’t make mistakes,
so whatever levels of personal strength and intellectual proficiency you possess are absolutely
perfect. In short, you’d be content, grateful for who you are and all that you’d been given, in both
the physical and perceptual realms.”
I’ll take it!
You? :)
Here’s to making our EXCUSES BEGONE! as we go out and joyfully rock this precious little life
of ours!
Brian Johnson,
Chief Philosopher
About the Author of “Excuses Begone”
WAYNE DYER
Dr. Wayne W. Dyer is an internationally renowned author and speaker in the
field of self-development. He is the author of more than 30 books, has created
numerous audio programs and videos, and has appeared on thousands of
television and radio shows. Wayne holds a doctorate in educational counseling
from Wayne State University and was an associate professor at St. John’s
University in New York. (from Amazon)
About the Author of This Note
BRIAN JOHNSON
Brian Johnson is a lover of wisdom (aka a “Philosopher”) and a passionate
student of life who’s committed to inspiring and empowering millions of people
to live their greatest lives as he studies, embodies and shares the universal truths
of optimal living. He harts his job.