Our From the Vault series examines episodes from The Art of Charm’s past more deeply; we invite you to revisit them — or discover them for the first time — with us. This From the Vault summarizes a conversation between Jordan and Justin Jensen about the excuses people use to say they can’t come to Bootcamp..
Episode 206:Top Excuses for Not Coming to AoC with Justin Jensen was recorded in August of 2013. If it could be summarized in one phrase, it would be: “Talking about taking action is not the same thing as actually taking action.” Jordan and Justin took a conversation they were having about excuses they hear from possible clients and decided to turn it into an episode.
Excuse #1: Ain’t Got the Time…
So many people say they “don’t have time” for things in life, but what they really mean is, “that’s not a priority for me.” We find time for the things that are our priorities and the reality is that our life is a composition of our priorities on display for all to see. We’ve witnessed CEOs and small business owners come to our programs: they are on the phone or laptop early in the morning, late at night, and during every break. They’re demonstrating that being in Los Angeles for our program is important, because they took the time to be physically present, but they may also have to mind their businesses while they are away. If people who are in charge of the employment of others can do it, we strongly believe employees can get away for one week themselves.
When you’re saying you “don’t have time” for Bootcamp, you really mean that it’s “not a priority for you.” If that makes you uncomfortable to say out loud, ask yourself why.
Excuse #2: It’s Too Far Away…
These are not the days of the Oregon Trail when travel meant you might have to shoot animals for food or die of dysentery. Los Angeles is a day’s travel from anywhere on the globe. We actually had to learn the hard way that this excuse wasn’t about location at all. On more than one occasion a listener asked us to do a Bootcamp in X location and promised that there would be at least four or five other guys joining him. When Jordan and the team actually booked a venue and started making plans, not only did those “four or five guys” never materialize (cue: “Oh, I have a girlfriend now, so I don’t need that, etc.), but the original requester himself almost didn’t show up.
When you’re saying it’s “too far away,” you really mean that you don’t want to leave your comfort zone, either physically or emotionally.
Excuse #3: I’ll Do It Later…
One of the things we’ve discussed in previous pieces about new year’s resolutions is that part of the reason they are so seductive is that we get the hit of dopamine just from verbalizing a resolution. When you tell someone you plan to lose weight, you get social reinforcement from your peers and you feel good about yourself. Or you might be the type who says, “As soon as I get a raise, then I’ll come.” But this is not the mindset that leads to achievement.
When you say “I’ll do it later,” what you really mean is that you want to kick this into the long grass, into a never-ever future where you won’t be held accountable for it.
Excuse #4: Too Much Money, Man…
Again, this is a question of mindset. Is coming to Bootcamp, or taking part in any sort of personal development course, some random cash splash? Or is it an investment in your future? If you realize there’s nothing in your life that you can invest in that’s more valuable than yourself, then personal development courses become opportunities rather than expenditures.
We’ve discussed on the podcast multiple times that happy people are far more likely to spend money on experiences rather than things. Indeed, when the feelings of happiness and contentment were tracked, they were actually lower during the event itself, and higher before (anticipation) and after (reliving the memories).
When you say “it’s too much money,” what you mean is that, “I don’t need or deserve investment in myself.”
Excuse #5: I Want to Figure This Stuff out Myself…
Listen, we get it. It’s hard to admit that we need help. Our egos get in the way of that humility. But we all need help when we want to level up. You could learn Chinese on your own, but you could do it faster and better if you had a tutor. You could work to improve your body through exercise, but a trainer is going to help you, and make sure you don’t hurt yourself (or eat poorly). When Justin and Jordan heard this excuse, they would always ask, “Okay, and what is your plan to do that?”
When you say “I can figure it out myself,” what you mean is that you’re too proud to admit that need help.
Remember that From the Vault is just a short overview of any given podcast episode. You’ll enjoy some additional jokes and banter missing from our review by listening to the entire episode here.
Do you have any excuses to add to this list? Send them to [email protected].
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