How To Keep Excuses From Hindering Your Success

Alena Hall
Updated


We make a lot of promises to ourselves. However, there always seems to be a "but" that gets in our way of achieving true success.

Natalie Hodge, the author of The Biggest But In The World, joined HuffPost Live host Nancy Redd to discuss how you can understand what your biggest "buts" are and subsequently find that deeper motivation you need to reach success.

"Buts are the excuses we create to basically relieve ourselves of the responsibility of tackling buts," Hodge said. "You have to focus on the goal and not the hole. You focus on what you want to be and what you want to do as opposed to what's not happening. And you give yourself the opportunity to just move forward past things, challenges in your life that you think may have prevented you from getting there in the past."

One of the central phrases Hodge uses in her book as a motivational tool for readers (and herself) is "guts, not buts." She expressed that we all need to believe in ourselves in order to accomplish what we want in life.

"We are limitless in our capabilities, and we just have to know that going into each day, into each moment, into each challenge, that we're able to do these things that we want to do," she said. "We just have to calm the nerves and move on."

Watch the full HuffPost Live conversation in the video above to hear more from Hodge about getting past your "buts."

Also on HuffPost:

Try the "chocolate meditation" technique. This allows you to fully savor the sweet treat. <a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/mindfulness-in-frantic-world/201109/the-chocolate-meditation" target="_hplink">Instructions here</a>.
Try the "chocolate meditation" technique. This allows you to fully savor the sweet treat. Instructions here.
Write your worries down <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/26/stress-sleep-insomnia_n_2019418.html" target="_blank">in a journal</a>.
Write your worries down in a journal.
Peel an orange. Studies show <a href="http://www.prevention.com/mind-body/emotional-health/scent-citrus-shown-reduce-stress#ixzz2NeCzO1Uz" target="_blank">the smell of citrus</a> can help reduce stress.
Peel an orange. Studies show the smell of citrus can help reduce stress.
Read a book for <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/5070874/Reading-can-help-reduce-stress.html" target="_hplink">six minutes</a>.
Read a book for six minutes.
Eat an avocado. The monounsaturated fats and potassium in the superfood can <a href="http://www.marieclaire.com/health-fitness/advice/reduce-stress-foods" target="_hplink">lower blood pressure</a>.
Eat an avocado. The monounsaturated fats and potassium in the superfood can lower blood pressure.
Take a walk in <a href="http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424053111904199404576538260326965724?mod=djemLifeStyle_h&mg=reno64-wsj&url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB10001424053111904199404576538260326965724.html%3Fmod%3DdjemLifeStyle_h" target="_hplink">green space</a>.
Hang out with <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/28/best-friend-stress-levels_n_981080.html" target="_hplink">your BFF</a>.
Hang out with your BFF.
Spend a few minutes<a href="http://www.npr.org/2010/12/06/131734718/just-breathe-body-has-a-built-in-stress-reliever" target="_hplink"> focusing on your breath</a>.
Spend a few minutes focusing on your breath.
Take a <a href="http://www.naturalnews.com/031429_power_naps_energy.html" target="_hplink">power nap</a>.
Take a power nap.
Bring your dog to work. Research suggests having Fido in the office can <a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/03/30/149684409/take-your-dog-to-the-office-and-stress-less" target="_hplink">lower stress levels throughout the day</a>.
Listen to <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15327344" target="_hplink">Mozart</a>.
Listen to Mozart.
Try some aromatherapy. One 2009 study found it's an <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19571632" target="_hplink">effective stress-relief technique</a>, especially for high school students.
Try some aromatherapy. One 2009 study found it's an effective stress-relief technique, especially for high school students.
Let out a <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21804338" target="_hplink">laugh</a>.
Let out a laugh.
Get a <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/25/massage-stress-swedish-cortisol-white-blood-cells-oxytocin_n_2160329.html" target="_hplink">massage</a>.
Get a massage.
Give someone a <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15740822" target="_hplink">big hug</a>.
Give someone a big hug.
Belt it out at <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/30/creative-outlets-fun_n_5537624.html" target="_hplink">karaoke</a>...
Belt it out at karaoke...
...Or sing in your <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/28/choir-singing-anxiety-_n_3147861.html" target="_hplink">church choir</a>.
...Or sing in your church choir.
Do a small <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/30/creative-outlets-fun_n_5537624.html" target="_hplink">project or craft</a>.
Do a small project or craft.
Take up knitting. Research shows the activity <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/30/creative-outlets-fun_n_5537624.html" target="_hplink">puts your brain in a state of flow</a> similar to the one achieved through meditation.
Speaking of which, try a little <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/31/mindfulness-meditation-cortisol-stress-levels_n_2965197.html" target="_hplink">mindfulness meditation</a>.
Speaking of which, try a little mindfulness meditation.
Have <a href="http://greatist.com/happiness/how-does-sex-reduce-stress" target="_hplink">sex</a>.
Have sex.
Unsubscribe from all of those <a href="http://scopeblog.stanford.edu/2014/10/01/what-email-does-to-your-brain/" target="_hplink">promotional emails</a>.
Unsubscribe from all of those promotional emails.
Kiss a <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/25/hugging-health-valentines-day_n_2545226.html" target="_hplink">loved one</a>.
Kiss a loved one.
Call <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/05/12/stress.mother.voice.call/" target="_hplink">your mom</a>.
Call your mom.
Do a <a href="http://www.amsa.org/healingthehealer/musclerelaxation.cfm" target="_hplink">progressive muscle relaxation</a> exercise.
Do a progressive muscle relaxation exercise.
Take an <a href="http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/04/taking-e-mail-vacations-can-reduce-stress-study-says/" target="_hplink">email vacation</a>. (Bonus: It also makes you more productive.)
Take an email vacation. (Bonus: It also makes you more productive.)
<a href="http://pss.sagepub.com/content/12/2/117.short" target="_hplink">Forgive</a> someone.
Forgive someone.
Think about something you're <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/travisbradberry/2014/02/06/how-successful-people-stay-calm/" target="_hplink">grateful for</a>.
Think about something you're grateful for.
Exercise. Research shows it helps boost the <a href="http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/exercise-stress.aspx" target="_hplink">body's ability to handle stress</a>.
Exercise. Research shows it helps boost the body's ability to handle stress.
Be mindful of how you deal with frustration <a href="http://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/features/6-surprising-stress-fixes?page=2" target="_hplink">during an argument</a>.
Be mindful of how you deal with frustration during an argument.
Drink <a href="http://www.ucl.ac.uk/media/library/tea" target="_hplink">black tea</a>.
Drink black tea.
Power down that <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/05/relieve-stress-everyday_n_5627837.html" target="_hplink">smartphone</a> for a few minutes.
Power down that smartphone for a few minutes.
Walk the walk. Research shows if you carry yourself like a happy person, <a href="http://nymag.com/scienceofus/2014/10/walk-like-a-happy-person-be-a-happier-person.html?utm_source=cheetah&utm_medium=email&om_rid=AAEMg8&om_mid=_BUR-73B89GTJzJ" target="_hplink">you'll feel happier, too</a>.
Drink some <a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200304/vitamin-c-stress-buster" target="_hplink">orange juice</a>.
Drink some orange juice.
Chew <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19268676" target="_hplink">gum</a>.
Chew gum.

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.