The Excuse Audit

In this episode, Dr. Leelo Bush addresses the hidden power of excuses, showing how they silently derail our God-given potential. She explains the neuroscience behind excuse-making, the difference between boundaries and excuses, and how to dismantle these mental barriers through ownership. With scriptural encouragement from Philippians 4:13 and 2 Timothy 1:7, listeners are guided toward living a life aligned with their calling—excuse-free.

• How to recognize the subtle language of excuses

• Why excuses feel justified and the brain science behind them

• The difference between boundaries and excuses

• How to replace “I can’t” with ownership statements

• Practical strategies to retrain your mind toward courage and action

• Scriptural truths to overcome fear and avoidance

“Ownership is the difference between a life lived by default and a life lived by design.”

• Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

• Proverbs 26:13 – “The sluggard says, ‘There is a lion in the road, a fierce lion roaming the streets.’”

• 2 Timothy 1:7 – “For God gave us a spirit not of fear, but of power and love and self-control.”

• Professional Christian Coaching and Counseling Academy: PCCCA.org/courses

• Private Facebook group: Courageous Christian Coaching Tribe

Transcript

Let's be honest. Making excuses can be cringeworthy. It's awkward for the person saying it and just as uncomfortable for the person hearing it—especially when we both know better. Yet we still do it, wrapping fear or procrastination in pretty words and hoping no one notices. It's been a while, but I've done it. How about you? Today we're going to pull back the curtain, audit those excuses, and replace them with ownership, because nothing feels better than living aligned with your calling—excuse free.

Welcome to the Christian Coaching School podcast. I'm your host, Dr. Leelo Bush. I'm a master coach, author, curriculum creator, and the number one authority on Spirit-led Christian coaching. I've trained tens of thousands worldwide since 2003. And if you are ready to up-level your skills, find greater fulfillment, and employ the most powerful coaching available to mankind—let's go.

Welcome back. I'm Dr. Leelo Bush, and today we're cutting through the "can't because" clutter. I've trained and certified thousands of coaches worldwide over the last 22 years, and as a result, I have watched many people rise to great heights. But unfortunately, too many people with God-given potential stay stuck because of a handful of worn-out excuses.

Entering a new school year, I thought the timing of this episode would be perfect if you are stuck with excuses. We will do an audit and end their bondage today. Excuses look harmless, but they are silent dream killers. They feel justified. They can sound logical and keep you stuck. Today we're going to expose them, dismantle them, and replace them with unstoppable ownership.

Since school is back in session, it's your turn. If you've been feeling the nudge to step into your calling as a Christian life coach, counselor, or specialty coach, the Professional Christian Coaching and Counseling Academy—otherwise lovingly called PCCCA—has world-class training for you to help you get there. I encourage you to visit PCCCA.org/courses where you will find all the details, because the future you are praying for isn't going to build itself.

Excuses are not harmless. They quietly chip away at your confidence. They limit your opportunities and shrink the vision that God has placed in your heart. An explanation tells the truth and points toward a solution. An excuse stops the conversation, locks the door, and throws away the key. The cost of excuse-making is massive. You lose opportunities you can't get back. You delay callings God already equipped you to fulfill. And you settle for a smaller life than the one you were created to live.

Here's the dangerous part: most excuses feel justified. You're tired. You've been hurt. You don't have time, money, or support. But when you stop there, you have given the excuse the final word. Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” If Christ is your strength, the excuse has no authority.

I remember when my daughter was in elementary school and taking ballet classes. She was really talented, and the teacher gave her solo lessons to do a solo dance in the recital. But she was terrified. When we talked about it, we decided that whenever she felt afraid, she would repeat, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” And to this day, if she feels unsure about moving forward, she goes back to that scripture. We all get those feelings, but the Word has power—not because of who says it, but because it is the Word of God.

We have to remember that excuses have a language, and once we recognize it, we will hear it everywhere. “I'm too busy.” “I'm not ready.” “I'm waiting for the right time.” Those can sound harmless, but they are all code for avoiding action. Look for patterns. Do you use the same excuse in your health, relationships, finances, or spiritual growth? If so, it's not circumstantial—it's habitual.

Proverbs 26:13 says, “The sluggard says, ‘There is a lion in the road, a fierce lion roaming the streets.’” Excuses are just imaginary lions keeping us from moving forward.

But what's beneath the excuse? Excuses don't live in our words—they live in the mind and heart, wired into the brain. Every excuse we make is really a protective response from our nervous system, rooted in emotion. At the core, excuses are survival tools—the brain's way of avoiding perceived threats to our safety, identity, or sense of belonging.

When you're faced with a challenge that feels overwhelming, the amygdala—the part of your brain constantly scanning for danger—lights up like a warning siren. Its job is to keep you safe, but sometimes it overreacts. It doesn't know the difference between stepping onto a stage to share your testimony and stepping in front of a hungry lion. It just says “danger” and looks for the fastest escape route. That's where excuses are born.

The brain then recruits the prefrontal cortex, our reasoning center. But when you're stressed or anxious, your prefrontal cortex gets hijacked. Instead of helping you move forward, it starts manufacturing logical-sounding reasons to avoid the risk. And because those reasons sound rational, you accept them without question. This is why excuses often feel justified—they are supported by your brain's best lawyer, even when built on fear, not fact.

Your brain’s default wiring has three goals: avoid pain, increase pleasure, and conserve energy. This was useful when survival meant escaping predators and finding food. But in modern life, that wiring resists discomfort, challenge, or the unfamiliar—even when those lead to growth.

Then there’s your identity network—the deep wiring of beliefs about who you are and what’s possible for you. If your internal story says, “I’m not the kind of person who succeeds at this,” your brain will work to protect that story, even if it limits you. Most people base their sense of what’s possible on the past, not the future. But the past is not a good indicator of possibility. If it were, we’d never have developed planes, mobile phones, or countless other advances.

People often confuse excuses with boundaries. Boundaries protect your values and priorities, coming from clarity and love. Excuses protect your comfort zone. One brings peace and alignment, the other brings guilt and frustration. Boundaries leave you feeling empowered; excuses leave you feeling smaller.

Second Timothy 1:7 says, “For God gave us a spirit not of fear, but of power and love and self-control.” That’s your wiring in Christ—the Spirit designed you for power, love, and sound judgment.

Every time you challenge an excuse, you weaken the old fear pathway and strengthen the neural circuit for courage and action. This is proven neuroscience.

Here’s how to shift:

• Name your choices out loud. Instead of “I can’t because,” say “I choose not to because.” This admits you have the power to change it.

• If you don’t like the choice, change it on the spot.

• Interrupt excuses as they form by asking, “What’s the real truth here?”

• Upgrade your self-talk. Replace “I don’t have time” with “I haven’t made time yet.” Replace “I’m bad with money” with “I haven’t learned money skills yet.”

Create an ownership anchor—a quick physical trigger like snapping your fingers, tapping your chest, or standing taller—to remind yourself to move from retreat to responsibility. Track your wins. Progress, even small, proves you’re rewriting your story.

Taking ownership isn’t about perfection—it’s about refusing to give your excuses the final word. Every shift reclaims more territory from fear, delay, and self-sabotage, moving you closer to the life God has for you.

You don’t need another year with the same old excuses. God’s calling on your life is too important to keep hitting snooze. Ownership is freedom. Excuses are chains.

If today’s episode gave you a breakthrough or fresh perspective, share it with a friend. Subscribe so you never miss an episode. And leave a review—it helps more people find this message. The best next step is to keep growing. Find your next course at PCCCA.org/courses and step boldly into the future God has prepared for you. I’m Dr. Leelo Bush, and I’ll meet you in the next episode.

Before you go, I invite you to join our private Facebook group, The Courageous Christian Coaching Tribe. This is where bold, Spirit-led coaches and aspiring coaches gather to grow, get equipped, and stay encouraged. Inside, you’ll find exclusive tips, training, and kingdom-minded conversations you won’t find elsewhere.

If you feel called to coach or want to stay sharp in your calling, this is your place. Our culture is “each one, bring one,” so invite a friend. The more the merrier. Visit facebook.com/groups/courageouschristiancoachingtribe or tap the link in the show notes. Join now so we can start pouring into you. I’ll see you inside the tribe.