On a cool December day in 2014, I did a quick search to find hiking trails within 5-10 miles of where I live in Texas. Since new experiences often take a little extra time, I had planned to be gone for a few hours. I figured I’d take a break, do some hiking, and work late into the evening to make up for my mid-afternoon excursion.
It took 10 minutes to get to the trail, another hour and change to walk the loop and take a few pictures, and 10 minutes to drive back. In all, I spent around an hour and a half. On my way home, I felt relaxed, energized, and more creative.
Every day we make thousands of choices, many of which are influenced by our perception of time. Whether it’s a trip to the gym, a phone call to a friend, or cooking dinner instead of eating out, I’ve learned that I inflate my perception of time to accommodate excuses. How long does that phone call or meal prep really take? I bet you’d be surprised. Looking for a restaurant, traveling there, waiting for a table, eating, and leaving can take far more time than buying and cooking something from the grocery store.
[Tweet “Train yourself to challenge your excuses.”]
I had planned to take three hours to go on a lunch-hour excursion. It ended up taking about as much time as a long lunch break. Now I regularly take my ‘lunch’ on a hike or bike trail. Train yourself to challenge your excuses. It’s freeing. It will inspire you. It will constantly remind you that you’re capable of doing more.