How Dirty Pigs Can Change Your Attitude

The Word of the Day

Last week I was reading a blog discussing the habit of reading. The writer asserted that the most common excuse for not reading more is time.

“I would love to read more, I just don’t know how to fit it in.”

“I just don’t have enough time in my day.”

His response to these excuses? HOGWASH!

The word is incredible.

It quickly became my word of the day. I used it every time I was tempted to give in. To do less.

The word invokes the image of the dirtiest animals on the planet being cleaned and scrubbed and polished.

When the cleaning process is complete, hogwash is the mess left in the floor.

I am the fatther of four, so I know a little bit about kidwash.

Kidwash is bad. It is dirty. It leaves things scattered everywhere. It is a filth that can only be made through a combination of pure joy in playing and a lack of concern of what anybody thinks of you.

But hogwash. That has to be awful. A filthy, stinking, gross mess.

photo by counterclockwise (Creative Commons)

The Perfect Word

It is the perfect word to describe the excuses we make.

Not going to make goals this year? Hogwash.

Not going to dream big? Hogwash.

Not going to get out of bed today and get started? Hogwash.

Thinking about watching TV instead of doing something worthwhile such as exercising or reading? Hogwash.

Thinking about playing it safe instead of taking risk? Hogwash.

I could never accomplish something great. Hogwash.

I’ll work on that big dream tomorrow instead of today. Hogwash.

Going to settle for less? Hogwash.

The Hogwash Challenge

I have a challenge for you today. You only have to do it one day, but try it for the entire day.

I challenge you to use the word “hogwash” whenever you are tempted to make excuses.

Use it when the Resistance suggests that you let yourself off the hook.

Use it whenever you are considering settling and giving up on your dreams.

What are you going to say hogwash to today? Encourage the rest of us by sharing.