I can't

Because I don't want to. The infamous Mister Dave Maynard reminded me of this idea semi recently and it became applicable shortly thereafter. It turns out the only excuse that is valid is, 'I don't want to'.

Every day we're inundated with choices that if we spent any time making those decisions we wouldn't have any time to do anything else. So we make the habit of making easy rules to eliminate choices that we've decided don't make sense. This way we don't need to consider the nonsensical options thus reducing the number of decisions/choices we need to make each day to a manageable number.

For example, Joe Sixpack (credit to Tyre for that one) wakes up in the morning when his alarm goes off. He could reset it for 18, or 19 minutes later, but more likely than not he'll either choose 'snooze' or to get up. What do I wear? Well he's probably already eliminated the options of putting socks on his head or wearing underwear or the family dog as a shirt, so the number of choices has again been reduced. Pants go on the lower half shirts on the the upper half.

In this same way we eliminate 'unreasonable' choices so as not to waste time considering them. Unfortunately this practice has gotten a little out of hand. There are loads of things we 'can't' do that we probably could and should do. We just don't want to so let's not lie about the reasoning. There is no can't, only won't. Once in a while, let's reconsider why we 'can't' do something.

More often than not it's because it makes us uncomfortable. I have found discomfort brings growth, this is a good thing usually. Stagnation is embarrassing.

So in the not so distant past I declined an opportunity to do something I should have done. I had an arsenal of excuses, but I didn't present any because the only real reason is that I didn't want to. Since we're all limited to the same excuse (I don't want to) it should be accepted as unquestionably as any other excuse. Sadly we're usually stuck within the bounds of what is socially acceptable, in this case making an excuse about the weather or traffic would have been acceptable, but I couldn't do that, because I didn't want to.