The Grasshopper must be feeling the emergence of spring because he’s dropping seeds everywhere. Here’s one of his plantings from yesterday: “Actions account for your success, excuses insure your failure.”

On second blush, his message wasn’t much different from the one my 4th grade teacher Miss Wagner gave us: “You can have what you want or your reasons why not.”

Based on my experience, we live in a magic bullet society. We are looking for the shortcut or the pixie dust that makes all the work go away. It doesn’t exist. Action is your ally; armchair is your ass getting fat.

I’m reminded of a large family member whom I will describe as leading an academic life. His head is forever buried in a book. The books offer him explanations why his life is not working. He can explain away with a “prodigious” vocabulary why things aren’t coming his way.

The problem: He can easily explain the 7-Steps to Success, but he never takes one.

The answers may be referenced in a book but only actions will take you to where the answers actually live.

Knowing the answer and arriving at it’s destination is a matter of movement.

Back to my relative: I’m certain he’s read and can cite chapter and verse “Declutter Your Home: 20 Tips for Keeping Things Simple” in the latest version of the AARP Bulletin. I’m equally sure he tripped on something on his way to the magazine rack.

My family member is mythical but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t exist a bit in all of us.

Look for the evidence of any success you’ve had. Unless it was pure luck, it was a process. There were actions taken to move you in the direction of success.

Explaining away our shortcomings can go on for a lifetime. If there is a real shortcut towards success, you can bet your entire library that it’s wrapped up in one word: Action!

All the best,

John