My Plate is Full Another Weasel Word Excuse and Is Not a Motivational Strategy

How many times have you heard the following: "My Plate is Full?" If you are like me, maybe you are becoming tired of this excuse that promotes failure to take action or personal responsibility. These phrases are the new Weasel Words of Life in the 21st century and create a self-fulfilling prophecy of can't do attitudes.

Years ago, at a national conference, I heard for the first time the phrase Weasel Words from David Herdlinger a close friend and colleague speaking about the obstacles to personal motivation and human potential. Weasel words are:

• Would of


• Could of


• Should of


• Maybe


• Might


• Think


• Try

These words limit the human potential because individuals choose not to open the front door of life and stepping out to experience life's successes as well as failures. What happens instead is that these individuals go out the back door because they are fearful of what might happen. Weasel Words give individuals permission not to take risks and explore the innate human potential residing within them.

Lately in my business consulting and coaching practice, I hear this phrase more and more especially when people are asked to take responsibility. When I first heard these words, I literally envisioned a plate full of meat and vegetables. The picture was quite accurate because sometimes life is full of a lot of stuff. However, now the phrase has become an excuse not to take action and acts against possibility of success.

Given the brain is wired either to fight or flight, this new Weasel Word phrase is giving permission to fly away from new challenges and opportunities. Individuals who actively use this word have started a self-fulfilling prophecy where can't do attitudes become the primary thought and this belief is now demonstrated through their behaviors.

If you hear yourself saying or thinking that "My plate is full," then maybe it is time to start either discarding some of that stuff off your plate or taking action by actually "eating some of it."