As a realist, I have always been frustrated by hypothetical questions about one’s outlook on life. For example, I look at the whole debate about the cup of water being half full or half empty, and I think; “If you’re thirsty, shut up and drink the water all ready.”

I look at life in much the same way. I don’t think life is either bad or good; it is simply what you make of it. In fact, I would say to be fully filled, you need both good and bad times in life. It is the bad times that give context to the good times. Without hardships and trials, all the good things in life would become mundane and could even cease to be good.

But here is where so many people go wrong, myself included: they let the hard parts of life control them. So many of us live in such fear of the bad that we never stop to enjoy the good. We let a negative outlook on life dictate our decisions and interactions with the world. I don’t think we mean to, but it just sort of creeps up on us and, before we know it, all we can see are the possibilities of what could go wrong.

Oddly enough, it is always at this point in our life or business that nothing seems to ever go right. Of course, I don’t think that is a coincidence. If we want things to go right in our lives, we have to look for ways to make the best out of any given situation. We have to operate from a state of constant improvement.

Before I went back to school for my MBA, I debated the idea with myself for three years. I thought it was just too big of a commitment and it would take too long. Once I started, it only took me 18 months to complete. That means it took almost twice as long for me to make a long-term commitment as the commitment itself.

The point is, if you’re thirsty, shut up and drink the water. Stop counting the cost of walking towards your dreams as too high. We put so much effort into making the right decision that often times we would rather make no decision at all. So three years from today, where will you be if you don’t start walking? More importantly, where will you be if you start walking? I can guarantee you that you will be further along than if you stay put.

Let’s all learn to live life without excuses.