6 Dumb Things Holding You Back at Work

On the topic of 'Don’t Go to Work Unless It’s Fun Day'—a ridiculously real date in the 2025 calendar—I thought I’d write a newsletter that not only opens your eyes to this bizarre celebration but also gets you thinking. Let’s be honest—if you’re dreading going to work every day, something needs to change. You should never feel like you’re just "showing up" to punch a clock. Work should energise you, challenge you, and even—dare I say—be fun! It’s time to shift your mindset and stop tolerating the negative talk that drags you down.

I’ve worked in a lot of offices.

I’ve heard some brilliant insights… and some of the dumbest comments ever spoken.

Most people just talk for the sake of talking.
They spew out negativity, excuses, and victimhood without even thinking.

And guess what? What comes out of your mouth shapes your mindset.

If you’re always talking like a loser, don’t be surprised when you start living like one.

So, let’s call it out. Here are six of the dumbest things people say at work—and why you need to cut them from your vocabulary ASAP.

🍻 1. “I Can’t Wait for the Weekend.”

Translation: "I hate my life from Monday to Friday."

Seriously, what does this statement even do for you?
Does wishing for the weekend somehow make today more productive?

This is the anthem of the average.

If you’re counting down the days until you can drink away your reality, that’s not a job problem—that’s a YOU problem.

👉🏼 Stop looking forward to the weekend.
👉🏼 Start building a life you don’t want to escape from.

The people who say this also say the next one...

😫 2. “I’ve Got a Case of the Mondays.”

Translation: "I have no purpose, no goals, and no idea why I’m here."

If you hated Mondays less, you’d probably love your life more.

Think about it—if you were making a billion dollars next Monday, would you still complain?
If you were leaving for a dream vacation Monday morning, would you still whine about it?

Of course not.

👉🏼 It’s not Monday that sucks—it’s your attitude towards it.
👉🏼 Get a reason to show up. Find a purpose. Stop wasting time.

Work isn’t a punishment—unless you make it one.

⏳ 3. “I’ll Do It When I Get to It.”

Translation: "I don’t care about your request, and I’m putting it off as long as possible."

Whenever someone says this, what they really mean is:

👉🏼 “This isn’t a priority to me.”
👉🏼 “I’m dragging my feet because I’m overwhelmed.”

Look, just say you’ll handle it.
People who get things done don’t wait for the perfect time—they make the time.

Next time you hear someone say this, call them out with:

"How about you get to it now?"

High-performers move fast. Everyone else makes excuses.

🤷🏼‍♂️ 4. “I’m Only Human.”

Translation: "I’m a screw-up and I’m okay with it."

Yeah, we all make mistakes. But why advertise it?

When you say “I’m only human”, what you’re really saying is:

🚨“I have limits.”
🚨“I can’t create, innovate, or push past my failures.”
🚨“I accept that I’ll never be exceptional.”

Listen, I don’t want to be “only human.”

I want to be Superman, Batman, a machine that gets things done.

Nobody needs to hear you admit you’re a screw-up.

Be unbelievable. Not ordinary.

🥊 5. “I’m a Lover, Not a Fighter.”

Translation: "I won’t fight for myself, my team, or what I believe in."

🚨 News flash: You need fighters in your life.

Not people who sit on the sidelines, hoping things work out.
Not people too afraid to take a stand.

When things get tough, who do you want next to you?

👉🏼 Someone who folds at the first sign of pressure?
👉🏼 Or someone who punches their way through problems?

Success isn’t about being liked—it’s about getting results.

Even the President of the United States has half the country against him.
You don’t need universal approval—you need impact.

🤡 6. “It Is What It Is.”

Translation: "I’m a victim. I have no control over my life."

People say this with so much confidence—like it’s some deep wisdom.

It’s not.

🚨 It’s a loser’s mindset.

These are the people who sit on the bench of life. Spectators.
They don’t make anything happen—so they’ve given up.

The truth?

👉🏼 “It is what you make it.”
👉🏼 “It is what you decide it will be.”
👉🏼 “It is whatever the hell you want it to be.”

Life doesn’t happen to you.
You create it.

🔥 Final Thought: Change Your Words, Change Your Mindset

If negative words keep coming out of your mouth, it’s because you have a negative mindset.

👉🏼 Your words shape your actions.
👉🏼 Your actions shape your results.
👉🏼 Your results shape your life.

Talk like a winner. Think like a winner. Act like a winner.

And soon, you’ll be one.

If you want to level up your mindset, crush it at work, and actually get rich while working for someone else, click here and join my new program.

Until next time,
Matt "No BS" Haycox

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