Results or Excuses: You Only Get to Pick One

There’s a quote that punched me in the gut the other morning—and I mean really landed.

“You can have results or excuses. Not both.”
—Arnold Schwarzenegger

Oof.

It stopped me mid-coffee sip, because it was one of those “yeah… same” moments.

I found myself nodding, not in agreement, but in recognition. Because I do it, too.

When our gym’s monthly scorecard comes in and the numbers aren’t where I want them?

“Well, people are just super busy this time of year…”

When I step on the InBody scanner and see my body fat is up 2%?

“Well, we did go to Disneyland and I was off routine…”

See what’s happening there?

It’s not that these things aren’t true. They are. But they’re not the reason.

They’re the story I tell myself to avoid the sting of missing the mark.

It’s Human to Justify

We all do it. It’s part of protecting our ego. Nobody wants to feel like they’ve failed, so we explain. We defend. We justify.

But here’s the truth I keep coming back to (and what I share often with our members at Shred 27 in Rocklin):

We don’t control the result.
We control the action.

Let that sink in. You don’t get to choose the exact number on the scale, the performance stat, or the outcome on a spreadsheet. But you do get to choose whether or not you showed up for your workout. You do get to choose what went on your plate. You do get to choose if you made the call, asked for help, hit “start,” or hit snooze.

Try This Quick Gut Check

Think of a goal you’ve had lately. Something you say you want.

Got it?

Now ask yourself this:
What’s the first reason that pops into your head for why it hasn’t happened yet?

Look closely. Is that reason about your action?
Or is it a story about your circumstance?

If you didn’t take the step, own it.
If you did, and the result still isn’t there yet, stay in the game. That’s what consistency looks like.

When You Catch Yourself Explaining…

Next time you feel yourself start to drift into explanation mode…“Well, it’s been crazy lately…” or “It’s just hard with my schedule”…try this instead:

1. Pause.

2. Name the story. What are you telling yourself?

3. Name the action. What did you do—or not do?

4. Choose power over protection. You can’t change what you don’t own.

This Isn’t About Blame. It’s About Power.

At Shred 27, our women’s fitness center in Rocklin, we believe that every woman deserves to feel strong and in control of her health without needing to be perfect.

That means we ditch shame and choose awareness.

We focus on effort, not excuses.

We don’t need to beat ourselves up. We just need to look at the scoreboard, ask what actions led us there, and make a better play next time.

Ready to take back your power?

Join us for a risk-free trial at Shred 27. 27 minutes of fun, high-energy group class designed for busy women who want real results (and real community).

Click here to schedule your 14 day trial.

Let’s choose results together.