3 Lies We Tell Ourselves That Ruin Our Chances At Productivity

Admit it: We've all lied. It's never a good thing, under any circumstance. In many cases, we do it more harm to ourselves than we realize. We're the perpetrators of the fibs, so we don't see the repercussions.

I'd like to bring three of the biggest lies we tell ourselves (sometimes on a daily basis) to your attention. These definitely hinder our progress and prevent us from reaching our definitions of success:

1. "I don't have time."

This is, without a doubt, the most heinous of them all and worthy of being at the top. If you're awake, have a heartbeat and oxygen in your lungs, you do have time.

There are no two ways around it. Whenever I hear someone utter these words, I'm forced to think they're full of it.

Heck, if you disagree with me, you'll be compelled to comment on this post once you're done reading it, and guess what? You'll make time for it (which will undoubtedly prove my point).

If losing weight is important to your general health and overall well-being, you'll do your best to exercise on a daily basis and watch what you eat.

If getting a promotion at work is something you're striving to snag, you'll be more than willing to come in early and stay after everyone leaves.

If being a better parent is necessary to you, you'll play catch with your kid and help with his or her homework.

In other words, people train their brains to do the necessary things to improve their lives. If you're sitting on a couch, eating chips all day, playing hooky at work or canceling on your children, you can't sit there and tell me you're trying to be better.

Actions DO speak louder than words, and we make time for the things we feel are important in our lives. This is why prioritizing matters.

When you're seen participating in certain activities, you're indirectly showing the world where your priorities reside. This discrepancy makes us think that the world doesn't give us 24 hours like everyone else when, in reality, we're all equally rich in that department.

Time differentiates a CEO from a cubicle employee, a restaurateur from a waiter and a lieutenant colonel from a private first class.

How well you manage your time dictates much of the triumphs you'll experience in life. If I were to give you an extra hour a day, what would you do with it? Bottom line: Prioritize your time.

2. "I'm fine."

The alternative to this one is "good, and you?" We speak these words nonchalantly every day when running into our friends and family.

As a social experiment, the next time someone asks me how I'm doing, I might actually respond with, "Now that you mention it..." Then, I would proceed to speak honestly about my day, just to get a reaction.

You and I both know we're hardly ever "fine." There's always something to be addressed, on our minds or bothering us. Why do we hide it so often? Why do we keep it from others? It can almost be categorized as a defense mechanism for many of us.

We all have our reasons to remain quiet, but as a life coach, I always recommend my clients not to bottle their emotions because it's unhealthy on so many levels.

Next thing you know, you're drowning in a sea of thoughts that interferes with everything else happening around you.

You definitely don't want to feel overwhelmed when there's no reason for it. You can control that. Talk things out. Ask a trustworthy individual, "Hey, do you have a minute? There's something on my mind and I've been meaning to get it off my chest." There's nothing wrong with that. Nothing.

What we keep inside has the potential to rot our minds and hearts with regret, negativity, doubt and many other sentiments that will do us no good whatsoever. Think of words you want to say, but don't. You wouldn't want to swallow those, would you? I didn't think so.

Bottom line: Whenever you get a chance to speak your mind, take it

3. "I'm going to..."

Do this. Do that. Change this. Change that. This phrase controls many of our lives. I assume you're like me and wake up early in the morning. While having breakfast, I make a "to-do" list with all the things I'd like to accomplish for the day.

The phrase "I'm going to" is ringing in my ears before I finish putting it on paper. "I'm going to do my laundry." "I'm going to see a client." "I'm going to workout." I embed it in my head and do not go to bed unless those things get done. Let's take things a step further, shall we?

From this moment forward, try using the phrase "I should." Why? The word should carries a much less stressful connotation and serves as an incentive to get things done; it's almost as if there's something in it for us. For example, "I should do my laundry because I have nothing to wear."

"I should see a client because she needs me in her life and I want to be there for her." "I should go workout because I enjoy feeling and looking great." See where I'm going with this?

If you say you'll do something, you better do it. That's how discipline is attained, and discipline is the foundation for great habits. We cannot complain about results when we're not putting in the work required to attain what we want. It's asinine.

Let's face it: The Average Joe tends to get sidetracked easily with distractions; he's literally the only difference between ordinary and extraordinary. Bottom line: Be like Nike and just do it.

Be honest with yourself.

Photo Courtesy: We Heart It