Can you imagine walking everywhere leading with your butt? Just picture that for a second, walking into a room butt first. How ridiculous would that be? Some people seem to lead into every conversation talking out of this, but that is a matter for a different post. It is obvious that you would not want to lead with your butt in life. It would really make it difficult to see where you are going. It would also create several obstacles where there should be none. Think about trying to open a door butt first. This would be difficult, if not impossible. How about driving butt first? Not only very dangerous, but could be fatal. All of these, and more, would be so much easier if we would just leave the butt where it belongs – behind us.

Other than highlighting things that would be comical or dangerous to be done being led by your posterior, and providing some comic relief in your day, what does all of this have to do with living an amazing life? Before I answer that question, let me share that looking up “Images of a butt” to write this blog is not something you would want to do in a public space…say like Starbucks. The reason we are discussing this today is far too many of us to go through life leading with our butt. Before you stop me and say although you have seen people driving who resemble a butt, they are usually facing the right way, we are not talking about the body part.

Today we are talking about people who are led by the word, and worse the thought, ‘but’. You know the people I am talking about. The ones who say, “I could have a better job, BUT” or “I would take better care of my health BUT” They are leaving room for their excuses. I understand that in life there are plenty of obstacles. It can be easy to through out a ‘but’ here and there to excuse our lack of progress, or even sometimes lack of effort.

When it comes to any project or goal we are pursuing, if we lead with a ‘but’ we are no likely to succeed than that poor individual trying to open the door with the seat given to them by mother nature. When we begin with a ‘but’ we are highlighting our obstacles and short-circuiting our success. Yes, there will be challenges along the way. However, using them as an excuse will have us looking like the young man on the toilet in the picture above. Do not lead with your butt. Much like the physical example, doing so in word and thought will create obstacles where there was none and make every situation more difficult.

Get the ‘buts’ out of your life. If you find yourself uttering this phrase, or thinking this way, too often, realize that you cannot lead with your butt. Picture our friend trying to open the door, people facing the wrong way behind the wheel or even our toddler confused in the restroom. They all look really silly, and so will you. Do not let ‘but’ ruin your chance for success. Just like when you are walking through life, make sure the ‘buts’ stay where they belong – behind you.