How many times a day do you apologize for something?
The words, “I’m sorry” have become so natural to people that the real meaning has been lost.
Again and again, we get caught up in the moment and apologize for something without thinking twice about it.
Unless you’ve done something that’s truly wrong, you don’t owe anyone an apology.
Society has trained us to believe that it’s polite to apologize.
But if you’re saying sorry for things that you’re not at fault for, it may be due to a lack of confidence. It’s a definite sign of a basic insecurity that you need to move past.
You are not a second-class citizen who needs to accept blame for everything that goes wrong in the world or apologize for the actions of others.
You should recognize the top habits of highly confident people, and learn from their actions.
Don’t get me wrong—I’m not saying that you should never apologize. But there are certain things that you don’t have to apologize for.
If you think you’re apologizing too much on a daily basis, this guide is perfect for you.
Even if you don’t think you’re saying sorry that often, you will still benefit from reviewing this list.
You may be surprised by these things that you never need to apologize for again.
1. Wanting More
Never settle.
Winners win, and losers lose. Who you are, you must choose.
One thing that separates winners from losers is the mindset of always wanting more. You need to always want more if you want to win.
If you say you can’t, then you can’t.
These are the most important questions of winning.
- What’s next?
- What’s the next level?
Things can always be better.
If you don’t know there’s a car, then you don’t know there’s a Porsche. If you don’t know there’s a Porsche, then you don’t know there’s a Bugatti.
This analogy doesn’t just apply to things of monetary value.
You’re allowed to want more in your life when it comes to your health, mind, and happiness.
2. Being Disciplined
(Image Source: https://mmalife.com/full-contact-karate-styles/)
Discipline and self-management are directly correlated.
People who are disciplined win and keep winning.
Part of staying disciplined means that you stick to your routine at all costs.
You go to bed at a certain time and set your alarm for the same time each morning.
All of your workouts, meals, meetings, and spare time are all scheduled.
If you can’t do something because it breaks your disciplined routine, there is no reason to apologize for that.
Your life and your choices are nobody’s business but your own.
In addition to not owing anyone an apology for being disciplined, you also don’t owe them an explanation.
I’m not saying that you need to be rude, but don’t feel as though you’re obligated to explain yourself to others.
3. Your Beliefs
What do you believe in?
Everyone has beliefs that drive their actions.
It’s not a matter of whether or not you have faith; it’s a matter of what you have faith in.
I believe that there is someone in control—the person who created you and everything else. He is called God.
He will not force you to believe in Him because He gives you free will and the freedom to choose.
Everyone can be a Serial Winner, or as the Bible calls them in the Book of Revelation, “overcomers.”
I will never apologize for my beliefs. Neither should you.
[bctt tweet=”I will never apologize for my beliefs. Neither should you. ” username=”LarryWeidel”]
Make a decision that you will never allow anyone to intimidate you into apologizing for believing in something you know to be true.
That’s the mark of a bully, and you must stand up to bullies and make them back off. Otherwise, they will continue to go through life bullying others who might not have the moral strength to stand up to them like you do.
4. Failure
To avoid failure, you need to learn the best ways to train your mind for success.
There is a fine line between mediocrity and greatness.
The world is full of people who almost do things.
Failure is going 98%, mediocrity is going 99%, and greatness means going 100% of the way.
With all of that said, we all have tons of times when we have failures in life because that’s part of trying new things and finding out areas we need to improve in.
For example, let’s say you’re starting a new business.
Research from the US Small Business Association shows that roughly half of new businesses survive for five years. Only about one-third of these businesses survive ten years.
The others fail. These are the top reasons why startups fail.
(Image Source: https://www.cbinsights.com/research/startup-failure-reasons-top/)
If your business fails, you don’t need to apologize. Just recognize what went wrong and figure out how to correct it the next time around.
5. Saying “No”
Believe it or not, you’re allowed to say no.
You’re under no obligation to do everything that someone asks you to do.
Sure, there are times where saying no may not be in your best interest.
For example, let’s say your boss at work assigns you a task that you either absolutely do not have time for or are not comfortable doing. You’re still allowed to speak up and express yourself and find a workaround.
You don’t have to mindlessly cave in and try to do the impossible or force yourself to do something you aren’t comfortable with.
If there are unpleasant consequences, so what? That’s not the place you need to be anyway.
I’m mostly referring to saying no in your personal life.
If you don’t want to do something, don’t do it—it’s as simple as that.
[bctt tweet=”If you don’t want to do something, don’t do it.” username=”LarryWeidel”]
We spend so much of our lives adjusting to other people. Sometimes it’s okay to let them adjust to us.
Don’t apologize for saying no. You did nothing wrong.
I understand that this may be a bit uncomfortable for some of you at first.
But with time, you’ll realize that saying no to things isn’t that big of a deal, and it doesn’t warrant an apology.
6. Asking Questions
You should never be afraid to ask questions. How else would you know how to do something?
Spend time around those who know the things you don’t so you can learn from them. This will help you keep learning and growing.
If you have a question, don’t apologize for it. Even if you’ve already asked the question before.
[bctt tweet=”If you have a question, don’t apologize for it. ” username=”LarryWeidel”]
For example, don’t say, “Sorry to make you repeat yourself, but how do you . . . ?” Just come right out with it and ask the question.
I understand that some of you may want to acknowledge the fact that the person is repeating themselves, which is fine.
In this case, you could say something like, “I know you said this, but I was wondering if you could repeat it so I can make sure I really understand it?”
Notice that there was no apology in there. Why?
It’s unnecessary.
7. Trusting Your Instincts
(Image Source: https://www.theoutbound.com/los-angeles/hiking/hike-iron-mountain-via-heaton-flats)
Trust your gut. Follow your instincts.
Even if this means you’re veering onto a different path than others, you don’t need to apologize for this.
If you want to become elite, don’t limit yourself by deciding in advance how good you can be.
Don’t sell yourself short. Don’t take other people’s word for it—find out for yourself.
You should always chase your potential.
Even if your instincts lead you to the “wrong” decision, you still shouldn’t feel obligated to apologize.
8. Your Opinion
You are entitled to your opinion. No one can take that away from you.
[bctt tweet=”You are entitled to your opinion. No one can take that away from you.” username=”LarryWeidel”]
If you have an opposing viewpoint than someone else, don’t apologize for this. Don’t change your opinion just to please others.
I’m not saying that it’s wise to get into an argument or be confrontational with people who don’t have the same opinion as you.
Also, it’s worth mentioning that there are times when you should keep your opinion to yourself.
9. Other People
Stop apologizing for other people. They are not your responsibility.
Even if you’re in a position of power in the workplace, you don’t need to apologize for your subordinates.
Set people who work with you up for success. Give them achievable projects and tasks to complete.
Allow them to build confidence.
As a leader, you need to recognize what they’re good at and find ways to give them more of that kind of work. That’s where they can help you the most, and their other weaknesses will improve.
Don’t flatter them and give them empty praise, but appreciate their specific high achievements.
Notice when they do a good job and comment on it.
10. Being Organized
Winners stay organized.
Disorganized people have no plan, and it hurts their chances of succeeding.
Just look at how being unorganized can kill productivity in the workplace.
(Image Source: https://graphicspedia.net/the-value-of-staying-organized-at-work-infographic/)
Staying organized gives you an advantage over everyone else who is wasting their time on mundane tasks.
Don’t apologize for this.
There is a big difference between being busy and being productive.
If your home, office, and vehicle are a mess and you can never find what you’re looking for, it will clutter your mind.
But if you’re organized and know where everything is in your life, it will boost your productivity.
11. Business Decisions
In business, there are times when you’re going to make some tough decisions.
For example, maybe you’ve been buying materials from a supplier for more than a decade. Over time, you built a personal relationship with this person. But if someone else is offering you better prices than your current supplier can’t match, you have to do what’s best for your company.
Or maybe you have an employee who has been with you for 15 years. They show up on time every day and never call out sick.
They do their job well, but they don’t go above and beyond. So you decide to promote someone else who has only been working for you for three years, but they’re highly qualified for the promotion.
In each of these hypothetical scenarios, you don’t owe anyone an apology.
You don’t have to apologize to the supplier who you cut off or to the employee who didn’t get the promotion.
12. Telling the Truth
The truth will set you free. This is a reality, not a theory.
Never apologize for being truthful.
Life is like a game. It’s your choice how you approach this game.
You’ll either follow the truth, or you will follow your feelings.
13. Being Yourself
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Everyone is different. Don’t compromise what makes you unique.
Stay true to yourself.
You should never feel like you have to a be a different person than who you are. That’s the way that you were born.
Even if you have certain characteristics that society deems as a deviation from the norm, you should never have to apologize for this.
If you want to dance, then dance. If you want to travel the world, then go.
None of these actions require an apology.
14. Honest Mistakes
We all make mistakes. This is something in life that is unavoidable.
But unless you made a mistake that hurt someone, you don’t necessarily need to apologize because we all make unintentional mistakes.
For example, let’s say you bump into someone at a coffee shop and spill a hot drink all over their lap. In this case, there is nothing wrong with saying sorry, and you definitely should.
But honest mistakes are something that you accidentally did wrong because you didn’t know any better.
Instead of apologizing, you can be blunt and simply say, “It was an honest mistake.”
15. Your Priorities
This relates back to what we talked about earlier in terms of never apologizing for being disciplined.
Part of being disciplined means having your priorities in order.
If we’re referring to tasks, then you can use the priority matrix to help you determine the hierarchy of importance.
(Image Source: https://appfluence.com/productivity/prioritization-matrix/)
But if we’re referring to your life in general, then you can simply list your priorities from top to bottom.
For example, your family, faith, and health may all be prioritized over your job.
So if you have a family emergency that causes you to miss work, you shouldn’t have to apologize for sticking to your priorities.
16. Following Your Heart
Follow your own path. Stay in your lane.
Whatever track you’re following and wherever you’re headed, you need to have a plan that fits your values. This plan will also fit your personality.
[bctt tweet=”You need to have a plan that fits your values. ” username=”LarryWeidel”]
There is no reason to apologize for this.
Do something that you believe in and know will work. That way you can stay on it, refine it, develop it, and improve it.
Stay on that track forever. Do what works 10 out of 10 times.
Don’t Apologize Unless It’s Warranted
Stop apologizing for things so often. As you can see from the list above, there are so many circumstances when an apology is unnecessary.
But with that said, sometimes you will need to apologize.
Don’t have the mindset that you’re never in the wrong. That’s for the foolish.
All the foolish man cares about is himself and what he wants at any given moment. If he feels he’s right, he can’t be wrong, right? No . . . wrong!
The wise man pursues profit. He wants his life to count, and he wants to make a difference.
In life, you’re going to make decisions every day. There are times when other people won’t approve of these decisions and your actions.
That doesn’t that mean that you should be sorry.
Next time you think you need to apologize, keep this list in mind.
