But, But, But, ...

I was taught in the Army that you should always plan your daily tasks with anticipation of things that might go wrong. In other words, there is no excuse for anything that prevents you from being on time, completing a task, etc. The had a saying for this. "What's the maximum effective range for an excuse?" The answer is, "zero meters." Basically, there is never an excuse for anything. You should have anticipated getting a flat tire by leaving earlier. You should have anticipated the fact that your alarm clock wasn't reliable and had a backup clock just on hand. I see more and more people using excuses for shortfalls in their lives instead of owning up to it and taking responsibility.

I hear all the time, from children to Senators, making excuses for their own lack of responsibility. I guess in this day and age, taking responsibility for anything makes you legally liable. What happened to owning up for what you do? It's called integrity. You say you're going to do something and then you do it. If you fail, you fail. And you state that you failed. And you'll get it right next time, if there is one. Don't state that you failed because some schlep didn't do his part. You should have ensured that he did his part for find someone who could.

Taking responsibility for our actions doesn't always have a negative outcome. Many years ago, I worked for a VP that had many people who made excuses. So, one day I was late for work. The traffic was bad that day, and yes, I should have left earlier to anticipate that. When he asked me for my excuse for being late, he was left somewhat speechless when I told him, "I apologize, Sir, there is no excuse." And there wasn't. I was late and it was my own fault. He was caught off guard, mumbled something, then looked at me and said, "Well, call me if you're running late next time." I nodded humbly and went on with my day. He told me much later that I had floored him with my response and he didn't know how to take the actual truth. He also told me that I had scored some points with him because I had told him the truth. He began asking my opinion on things and giving me more responsibility in my job area. It felt good.

So to answer the question, my friends ask, "Why don't I blog more often?" No excuse. But, I will try harder to correct that deficiency about myself.