Monday Morning Pep Talk: Would Mark Cuban Cut You a Check?

“I can’t cut a check to someone who finds excuses …rather than finds the opportunity”  -Mark Cuban

This brilliant line was delivered by Mark Cuban in a recent episode of Shark Tank. Shark Tank is a show where entrepreneurs and small business owners pitch their business ideas before a panel of billion-dollar investors. The hope is that one or more of the investors will choose to fund their idea to the next level.

In a reason episode, I watched one contestant in response to the shark’s questions come up with a list of reasons as to why she couldn’t or didn’t do something that would have positioned her business to be more profitable.

I’m sure she thought she was providing rational, logical reasons. Mark Cuban was quick to define her words as excuses. Not only that – he took it a step further and decided he had no further interest in her business because of the excuses she gave. His response inspired this morning’s pep talk:

Are you making excuses or looking for opportunities.

I admit that sometimes, you have to look hard for the opportunities. It can feel like there is:

• Not enough time not enough money
• Not enough support
• Not enough connection
• Not enough luck
• Not enough of the right things happening at the right time.

It can be easy to look at all the missing things that you think your success depends on and see them as the velvet rope keeping you from the red carpet experiences you want. And more importantly, holding back the light that your gifts and talents were meant to provide others.

Here’s the question to consider – “what if it is you?” What if it is you focusing on the steps on the paths I think are missing, instead of putting in the work to build the path yourself?

• How many opportunities were missed because you didn’t ask for them?
• How many doors stayed closed because you were waiting for someone to open it for you, or give you a key instead of knocking? Or even pushing to see if it was unlocked.

One of my favorite stories to share as a speaker is about my own career journey when I went from earning 40k to 100k in 3 years without becoming a manager. The desire to make changes in my career came out of frustration. The inspiration to take action came from a book by Barbara Stanny, titled Secrets of Six-Figure Women: Surprising Strategies to Up Your Earnings and Change Your Life. One line stuck in my mind: “…Then only reason women don’t make six figures is because they don’t think they can.”

That one thought took me from making excuses ….to seeking out every opportunity. I became the Indiana Jones of opportunity – leaving no stone unturned. In less than three months I had a new job which paid for me to relocate to NYC and increased my salary by 40%. That one step led to other opportunities that eventually took me to a six figure income.

So fast forward to those of us who want to start a business but are not moving…is the main reason that you are stuck because deep down inside you don’t really think you can? Same thing for those of us ready to go from employee to entrepreneur – are you not working on a solid, realistic exit strategy because you don’t really think being your own boss can happen?

Here’s what I think: If you really believed you could – there would be no excuse that could hold your dream hostage.

The remedy: Face the excuses…

1. On one side of the page, write down all the reasons you think you can’t
2. Now on the other side of the page – list three ways you could make each thing happen.
3. Next choose the one thing you will commit to do for the next 60 days.
4. Then tell someone who will keep you accountable. It can be a trusted member, a coach, your best friend…make sure it is someone who can frame support for your commitments without judgment. (Need a coach? Contact me about private coaching).

As long as the excuses stay floating around in your head – they are out there subconsciously displacing the faith and courage required to commit and charge forward.

Choose today to take charge of the excuses and commit to actions that will create the opportunities you need.

So what will it be – will you hunt for excuses or opportunities? The choice and result is yours.

Stay Brilliant!

Tags: advice, mindset, pep talk

Category: Makeover Your Mindset, Monday Morning Pep Talk