I would go to the gym today, but…
I would write today, but…
I would weigh less, but…
I would try, but…
I would care, but…
We love our but’s. Take the word but out of your vocabulary. If you do, you have just given yourself unbelievable power to accomplish your dreams. Try saying that sentence again and replace the word but with something else. Go ahead…try it. You are going to sound like a fool trying to figure it out. Then, you will wonder why you are giving yourself a reason why you can’t do it in the first place. You will hear your voice, and find a way to make it happen.
I have a big knee brace that I wear to my workouts. There is no reason why I cannot go harder or as hard as other people in the gym. Sometimes though I have to modify what my workout is. That is perfectly okay. The results of eating clean and working hard are showing. I am feeling healthy, my abs are coming in, and I feel powerful. None of this would happen if I had the word ‘but’ in my vocabulary. I always actively try to find ways to make things happen. I might not have the answer right now… and that is okay. I will find it though, or find someone who can help me find it.
There is this Malcolm X speech where he talks about living as a man who died 20 years ago. He has no fear because his fear died with his old life a long time ago. I think that is such a motivational and interesting way to live your life. We all have the ability to live that way. It is a progress however. You have to put your mind to it and really try to achieve that mindset. The mind is a just as important as training the body…maybe even more.
These are precisely the words I said to my buddy this morning walking into the gym. He goes, “Hey how you doing?” I said, “My body does not want to be here…but I do…lets crush it today.” To me, there is no such thing as a plateau. Plateauing is an excuse for most who refuse to change up their workouts or push themselves past their comfort zone. I have plenty of moments each day in the gym where I go “I don’t know if I can do this!” What takes over however is my mental attitude of doing one thing a day thats scares you…and sacrificing today for the betterment of tomorrow. With that attitude, you can take on the world. Of course you are going to be scared and have a little bit of fear in you…sometimes a lot of fear. YOU CAN DO IT! If you have a dream, go get it, period.
The critics are allowed to use ‘but.’ Lets leave that job up to them…the men who are not in the arena taking their lives to the next level…just telling you you aren’t good enough. T. R. said this,
“It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.”
“Citizenship in a Republic,”
Speech at the Sorbonne, Paris, April 23, 1910
Live in possibility today.
Evan Sanders
Connect with me! ( https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Better-Man-Project-Churchill-Visions/337683046266307 )
I enjoyed this post and love your blog’s style! Haha, I’ve gotta admit at first glance it really looked like it was an article about the size of butts…
The day you posted this I was sitting at work dreading going to the gym. I had that “my body doesn’t want to be here” feeling. I read your post and I turned it around and had an awesome workout feeling motivated and energized afterwards. Its amazing what some words and an open mind can accomplish.
Reblogged this on wwtd? what would terripham do? and commented:
Thank you. You’re journey is incredible and so inspirational. Everyone needs to join and become a better person
What a great motivation. i am a student of Physical Therapy and I admire your drive to go to the gym and other people don’t do just because of excuses. People like you make our jobs easier. Thanks for advocating such a good cause, I really am inspired.
Absolutely amazing and very true to what I hear on the crisis lines as many ‘buts’ stop us from reaching to new goals, even if it’s only within ourselves as circumstances and outcomes are often beyond our control.
Thank you so much for sharing, and for showing us that there are men who strive to become better (as I think sometimes the onus seems to fall on females only a lot instead of it being shared responsibility).
With many thanks,
Pink
Reblogged this on Fringe of the Ummah.
Love this. Very inspirational and probably all of us need to hear this occasionally.
Reblogged this on onehautemommi and commented:
I wanted to share this awesome blog post with you. How big is your “BUT”? Excuses can be that one thing that is holding us back from completing the goals that we have set for ourselves, our households, and our families. Let’s remove “But” from our vocabulary. Enjoy this great guest post.
Well said!!
Reblogged this on Emily Lewis and commented:
First of all I love Bon Iver, this song is beautiful like all the rest. Also I completely agree with the idea that so many people use ‘but’ as an excuse, people are lazy (including myself) but “sacrificing today for the betterment of tomorrow” is the best attitude I can adopt from this post.
This is a very thought-provoking post, and I appreciate you writing it. I also like that quote from ‘Into the Wild.’
Reblogged this on Maria Julianne and commented:
I find this somewhat inspiring and hopefully my friends and classmates could read this so they won’t keep complaining anymore.
You’re right about procrastination. I don’t know how many times a day I use those excuses
Reblogged this on emmlyjane and commented:
Hilarious tag line really captures your attention; the message is so inspirational.
Hilarious post tag line and a wonderful inspirational post.
Blessings,
Emmly Jane
Excellent piece! Thank you! And I’ll lighten my but!!!
Great post! Exactly something I needed to read: unemployment and perceived self-worth are powerful downers. I need to reduce my “buts” a lot
Congrats on Freshly Pressed!
Reblogged this on KCsaid and commented:
Amazing post – so inspirational. I had to reblog.
this is so motivated, and yes from now there is no buts !
thanks a lot
I love your attitude. More people need to be like this. I am a dreamer and achiever as well and really believe that if you want something bad enough you will go get it for yourself. No hand outs, all hard work. I loved reading this, this morning. A great start to any day reminding people to figure out what they want and push for it
Great job. I think any way of showing the brain that it’s better to do today what could be put off until tomorrow is a good thing.
Very inspiring and empowering post! Thanks for sharing!
Reblogged this on JohnAlexanderthehypnotist.
Thank you for this post. It’s really inspired me to have an honest conversation with myself.
Fantastic post…sacrifising today for the betterment tomorrow is the only way to get to the quality of life we all wish for. I haven’t figured out yet why it is that we don’t realize it doesn’t have to be a wish, we have the ability to have it all, if we are willing to work for it.
Excellent post, and I just read this right after talking myself out of one of those “but” moments haha… I’m glad that I read this – it gave me motivation to go to my spin class today and to keep pushing myself out of my comfort zone
Love your post, but I have a good use for “but”
I use the word “but” as a lifter to a higher thought. Example:
Life is so hard at times, but I know there’s something better.
I haven’t had a raise in a year, but I’m positive it’s coming because I deserve it.
Sometimes it’s not the word, but how you use it
Val
http://valentinedefrancis.wordpress.com
Why not just use and
Great post, very inspiring. I plan to reduce the size of my but!
Great post!
I like the way you wrote it! Most of the time, when someone wants to motivate someone else, it sounds lame, too theoretical and unpractical; it seems that the one who’s motivating just wants to get over that task and go on with his/her life. But I must say, you made it sound different. It’s fresh and simple, without big life projects or lemmas; it gets close to those who read it, believe me!
Thank you!
Love your mental attitude of doing something every day that scares you! Need to develop that philosophy….
This describes my wife to a “T.” As for me, there are many times I feel “The Rut is where its at.”
Training the mind is as important as training the body. Yes, and I’d even say more important. The body will start going at some point, and the mind can stay sharp, or go dull. I prefer the latter. I work with people who are trying to wake up to their own “buts.” It’s a privilege, a terror, some days exhausting and always humbling. Anyway, it keeps my life on that edge, so beyond the day-to-day qualities of it, I’m lucky. Great post, thanks.
You make a great point. Words do shape our behavior every single day.
-Great post!
My but has gotten rather large of late. Thanks for this post! It’s exactly what I needed on this seemingly normal Tuesday morning.
Truly inspirational…Also, a sentence ending with a but, is meaningless…even if you say beautiful-sounding and kind words, the but spoils the show! So avoid the precarious BUT…
This is great, had a good chuckle! Congrats on being freshly pressed!
……… Fantas……….tic!!!
Congrats for being Freshly Pressed!
Everything you are saying is so correct, we have a terrible habit of making up excuses!
You inspired me? Nah, you moved me:) What a simple yet remarkable thought. Remove ‘but’ from your vocabulary. wow!
What about ‘expect’, or ‘however’
What would I be if I didn’t procrastinate?
Inspiring post
Chris McCandless did die, unfortunately, but he also said some good things.
I read something the other day that went something like “To all those aspiring writers out there, stop aspiring and just be a writer and write, dammit.”
so I thought that was good.
dddddddddddd
Great inspiration to move my butt !
Am tweeting this post as well the image.
Hope it’s OK with you.
i really love it. What an awesome post!
It is true that There is nothing like Secured Freedom… and in order to Experience Freedom, one must be willing to come out of his comfort Zone…
Great Inspirational Post…!
Congratulations on being freshly pressed! I only follow three blogs, but I want to follow yours, not only because I wholeheartedly agree with what you wrote, but also because I love everything you’re doing with your blog. You’re right about what you wrote in your ABOUT page…the world needs more real men. (By the way…I read 3 of the 10 books on your BEST BOOKS TO READ page…and you’ve inspired me to read the others.)
I also have a list (but I don’t call it a bucket list). It’s my “40 by 40″ list…the 40 things I have to do before I turn 40 in October. When you get the chance, check out my list…I would love some feedback. You can find the list by going to http://robertdaylin.wordpress.com/2011/07/18/40-by-40/
–Robert
This is fantastic! I love all of the quotes and especially the title! Great job!
Freakin’ buts… can’t live without them.
But hey, great post! I really enjoyed it.. and congrats!
Edwin
I absolutely loved this post! I’m going to be saving a few of those quotes for sure, and you can bet that you’ve inspired me and everyone else who read this post. Thank you!
wowww… very inspiring!! =) thank you so much…
Reblogged this on The Best Blogs, Reblogged.
What an awesome post! I’ll have to check out some of your other posts! Hope you don’t mind. ;P
As a marketer, I have to say I absolutely love the name of this post! Great job, and very inspirational.
how important it is to do uncomfortable things every day!
safe and secure is boring!
This is a great inspirational article. I really liked how you involved quotes in it that really added to the content.
This is exactly what I needed to hear at this exact moment. Thank you. It was so beautifully written, too. It’s time to stop living in the mundane, because I am so restless from this mundane, routine life!
love your post, its a great read today as i start my morning.. ‘but’ only welcomes negativity… congrats on being FP.
Reblogged this on myquietmoxie and commented:
What an amazing reminder….
After spending almost 2 months in hospital I came to this exact conclusion. I stared death in the face and woke up from surgery thinking “how many things HAVEN’T I done, because I was too afraid, too nervous or too up tight?” I said “but” on a daily basis and I vowed to stop that. It’s so fantastic to read the comments people have posted saying you’ve inspired them, well done! It’s a wonderful feeling knowing I’m strong enough to forget those but’s and really go out and get life! Thank you for a very inspiring post! Check out my blog if you want to see me come to this conclusion over my time in hospital! – Roisin.
The words are enhanced by the inspiration of the music…
def think that the worlds need better man! love ur blog!! very interesting… <3
Well said!
Great blog. I’ve been on a complete transformation plan that started against my will. You inspired me on this rainy, cloudy day. Thank you!
Most of the times we wonder “why?” instead of saying “why not!” Thank you!
Nice post… At first I thought the post would be about quenching excuses to workout (I’m about to go running right now but have been arguing with an excuse that’s it’s too cold) but it turned out to be an even better post of motivation that can be used for almost any situation of saying “but…”
I’d come up with something snarky to say, but….
Yay! Also – that title is awesome.
Sitting in a land far away from my comfort, my surroundings and my family, what you just said and reminded us has given me more courage to keep fighting the fight and keep those BUTs as far away as possible. You just challenged us even more to be better and stronger than our BUTs.
Thank you for keeping it real but most important of all, sincerely refreshing.
Truly inspirational.
Thank you for kicking me into gear.
But is the word that holds everyone in the world back, and this is a great post illustrating it. Whenever I am speaking to anyone who has a dream or wants to achieve something, I can instantly tell whether they are going to be able to have their desire – all based on the use of the word but. Instead of looking for solutions, people who use the word but instead find excuses.
But is a word that shouldn’t be used in terms of dreams, goals, and desires, and is basically a way of telling yourself why you cannot instead of why you can.
I love this! I teach a class called Success and we discuss this exact attitude all of the time – nicely written.
This is so beautiful! I am totally inspired. I’m gonna get my actual “butt” out of the house and go for a run later! =P
Thank you!!!
You must be so humbled by all of the people whoo look to you to help them be their Best everyday! Congratulations to you Sir!!!
My understanding is that there is no such thing as failure. We simply change directions. We not end up exactly where we though we would and we may not get there just like we thought BUT with 100% comittment, We Get There! To our best, the success of living everyday the very best we are able to.
I wrote a book about several of the easy and natural ways we can support ourselves alnog the way of lifestyle changes. This post is in perfect balance with it.
Keep shining your Light! It is Showing the way! AmberLena
Wonderful. YES!
Fantastic! I’ll be sharing this with my readers also! THANK YOU!!!
I replace my “but” with “however”…but we all know a “however” is just a fancy “but”.
Great post and Congratulations on being Freshly Pressed!
Congrats on being freshly pressed! I knew it would happen sooner or later.
Awesome title…and great opening lines. I knew you’d get Freshly Pressed sooner or later. Congrats!!!
Fabulous post! Just what I needed to read today. Congratulations on being Freshly Pressed, well deserved.
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
Well, I guess I’m taking my but(t) to the gym tonight! Thanks for inspiring me!
You had me at, “But”
Mr. Bricks
Great post!
We can’t work every minute of every day being a super machine of productivity but sometimes we get bogged down in planning. Just taking a few small actions can lead to something greater. I wrote a post in my blog about taking action. If you want to lose weight for example, you have to understand that you are not an MMA title contender. People spend time planning on what gym they should join, when they should go, worrying about how many reps they should do and really, if they just put on some tennis shoes and took their dog for a long walk, it would give them some kind of benefit to get the ball rolling. Once you get a routine, it will be second nature.
I started working out again last year and like in your case, not every day is going to be the work out that sets the world on fire, but I have not stopped and I am fit and I feel better for it. Adopting this mind set has helped me take on other projects as well.
Thanks for this awesome post! I don’t say “I would but” as much as I used to, but I’m working on saying it even less! Consequently, I’m blogging about moving to a completely different city in a couple months, for no other reason then I thought, “I would move somewhere else but…” and couldn’t think of an excuse.
Nice post! I’ve felt some of these things since I started listening to and watching Shawn Colvin grow as an artist…how could one not give one’s best having seen such an example? It becomes a simple pleasure to witness courage like hers played out in the arena of true American freedom…the freedom to be an Angel of God among mortals knowing that through her example we all now are free to be Angels of God…I saw her perform a brand new Leonard Cohen song yesterday at the JFK library in Boston with Caroline Kennedy in attendance….Shawn Colvin…an eternal “Profile In Courage” who paid her dues like no one else before her but she has now paved the road so clearly and marked the turns so well that anyone can follow. How do you say thank you for something like that? Every single day for as long as I live in the flesh and forever in my soul. God Bless You Shawn Colvin…by giving such beautiful recognition to Leonard Cohen and Chuck Berry you have received the same…” a SuperStar Poet and a leader of a generation!!!” …and only 56! And… what a Doll!!!
Yea – Freshly Pressed! Congratulations!! And you’re right “but” – it’s just a great big trash can of EXCUSES!
Very clever post!
No ands, ifs, or.. you-know-whats!
This is the best post I’ve seen showcased on Freshly Pressed, and there have been some really good ones. Not buts about it man, I Love it.
Do not want to admit I haven’t read Into the wild – clicking from here to Amazon to order!
Inspiring. Today I was thinking, I would go down to my studio to paint but its raining so hard…
I am going to go to my studio now.
Be well. Great blog!
-Joy
http://slendergold.wordpress.com/
Maybe you could change the title of this post to “The greatest inspiration”
I’m sure you’ve understood how happy I am, after reading this post 
And please check out my latest post on love – http://raajtram.wordpress.com/2012/02/23/love-sometimes-stupidity-d/
inspiring post
it encourages leave behind all iffs and buts and start realizing our dreams !
Any words to “why this post is amazing” would just spoil it !
This is excellent and I will share the link!
Congrats on being Freshly Pressed~
Make that a “Double” Like.
I keep telling myself…practice, practice, practice and the words will come easier each time. I will be able to spill everything out of my head including the emotional reaction I get from my photography.
But as long as I keep reading wise, well written and inspiring Blogs like yours my little choo-choo will keep saying “I think I can”!!
Have a blessed day because just reading this has Made mine!
Cheers
SueAnn
I am reminded of the sage words of the immortal P.W. Herman when he said “Everyone I know has a big but . . . come on . . . let’s talk about your big but.”
Great post!
I couldn’t have read your blog at a better time. Goodbye procrastination.
Fabulous and ever so true! Thanks for the reminder!
What an encouraging post. Thank you.
My friend, this blog makes me smile at every point.
Bon Iver – Inspiration
Into the Wild – Inspiration
Your Words – Inspiration
Thank you,
Peace
Your blogs make me want to be a better person. A better woman, if you will.
We have to make an effort, it’s for the best!
Well, it all makes sense now – my butt is because of my but. Thanks for the inspirational post – it makes me want to go to the gym!
Oops, I meant the War of Art!!! Different books!! By Steven Pressfield
Very inspirational, we need to remain positive in these days just to get by. Thank you.
I am currently on a flight to AZ, rereading Art of War. It is ALL about Resistance, your very topic. Love your blog post. I have recommended that book to you before; if you haven’t read it before I HIGHLY recommend it, in all of your pursuits, but especially writing. Thanks again for a wonderful post!
Reblogged this on becomeawomanofstrength and commented:
This is a topic that has been on my mind a lot lately. I could not have said this any better! Become a woman of strength by cutting down on the amount of excuses that keep you derailed from the path you have chosen.
Great post – thanks! I feel motivated to get my BUT shifting…
Some people may not recognize T.R. but Teddy Roosevelt, one of the figures on Mt. Rushmore, was a man of many talents and even when he was President of the United States. This quote in its entirety is very inspiring.
Nice post.
one of my fave movies is Into The Wild, where I got to know Chris Mcandless..amazing write up! so so inspiring!
No buts about it, you are an awesome man! Keep writing as I know your
thoughts are a gift to others when you post. I know they are to me!
God bless.
There is a lot of good in this post, though (a good substitute for “but”) I get the idea that you should spend some more time thinking about it before you decide on a definite course of action. The reason is that “but” has its place in our language. We just use it too often for our excuses. That makes excuses the real enemy.
I wouldn’t bring this up, but your topic has been on my mind lately, enough that I may even include a link to this in my post today or tomorrow. You should do whatever you feel is right, but here are my thoughts, shared in the hopes that they may help you on your path.
I’ve considered elimination as well, but have visited such a path before, with the word “I” (the idea is that the more you say it, the more self-centered you are. Of course, we are all self-centered – it may just be the way we are wired). My experience was learning that all words (my opinion) have been created for us, none of them are inherently bad, it’s only how we use them. From there, I made the choice to reduce the word in my speech and watch for it in my writings.
The turn I’ve chosen is onto a road that involves asking whether my use of the word “but” is for good reason, or just another excuse!
Again, that’s my current position, but we all have to make our own journey, and no one can do it for you! Not to mention the fact that I could be completely full of BS. After all, this is a new path for me, and not enough time has been spent on it to say whether it’s a good choice or not.
i love a man who quotes anything from ‘into the wild’. here’s another great quote on critics for you. i, for one, always remember it. “a critic is a man who enters the battlefield after the battle is done and shoots the wounded.” in other words, what an a**hole! lol. i enjoyed the post.
Love the Bon Iver video combined with the “Into the Wild” quote. That alone is great food to ponder, and your thoughts on big buts, the icing.
Thank you for this today! Sometimes we all need a kick like this to get us back up and going!
Love this post! perfect timing for what I am feeling today. I really enjoy your blog, very inspiring!
VERY inspiring. And I love the speech at the end. Gave me goosebumps. This post really hit me because I found an excuse to not go to the gym this morning. After going to bed earlier than usual and getting up half hour earlier in hopes that I would jump out of bed ready for my day, I remembered that I have a foot problem and it might be better to not go. I went yesterday (the first day in at least a month.) My foot does hurt, and I am supposed to be getting x-rays to see if it’s just a bruise or something else. But there is always something to do besides cardio. I could’ve done weights maybe? Thank you for this inspiring post!
Kim
There is a lot of wisdom in what you wrote today. We as mere mortals do our selves in at every turn with our negativity. Instead of putting our energy into why we can’t do something, lets place in in the positive mode.
Reblogged this on jermj and commented:
Awesome motivational post. My second time reading it. “my body doesn’t want to…but I do…let’s crush it!”
I’m taking the buts out, no excuses!
You inspire me. You keep me going on the right path. You make me realize all of this work I’ve done in the last year has been totally worth it. I will keep working at this life, at my health, at my future. Keep going sir, keep going!