Have you encountered a person like this at work? He or she has an excuse for everything.

Didn’t get the report in on time? The individual wasn’t the hold-up; it was the person they were waiting to get the data from.

Didn’t follow up with the customer? The customer said they were going to reach out to the individual.

Didn’t get that promotion? The individual is a victim of office politics again.

Negative elements often take root in our lives because we allow ourselves to get caught up in an endless cycle of excuses instead of taking action. Here are a few ways to take control of your work success.

Prune the word “but” from your vocabulary: It’s just as important to weed your mind as it is your physical surroundings, and the most powerful and effective way to accomplish this is to prune the word but from your vocabulary. Excuses are mental weeds that strangle any chance of new growth regardless of how many seeds you plant. Excuses are virulent vines that strangle everything in their vicinity. Excusatory words can be just as venomous as accusatory ones. Steer clear of both. They are two strains of the same weed.

When you expunge but from your vocabulary an amazing thing happens: where you used to see unfairness and lost chances you will find fortune and opportunity. What you say and what you think affects your circumstances in a very real way. Changing what comes out of your mouth—and what you say to yourself in your head—can give you a whole new outlook. You can create a life of possibility and potential by avoiding that simple three-letter word.

Don’t be an excuse enabler: Excuses come in two categories. The first derives from things we will not do despite the direct negative impact of inaction, such as developing a healthier lifestyle or pursuing a more fulfilling career. These buts are insidious and pervasive when you just don’t care enough about yourself to take action. If you want it bad enough you’ll find a way; if you don’t, you’ll find an excuse. The second category derives from things we will not stop doing. It could be an addiction, or allowing negative people to stay in your life. This but thrives on the guilt-and-fear excuse and an enabling personality. As much as we like to blame others, the fact is that you are the master of what goes on in your own head. That’s right, you. It’s that simple, and it’s that difficult.

There is nothing positive or productive to be gained by making excuses or by repeating them. Repetition gives them credibility and allows them to continue to drain you and others. Let’s face it; life is tough, even for the healthiest and wealthiest of us. Making excuses exiles you to a perpetual rut, while choosing to take responsibility for your happiness and your attitude frees you to move on to bigger and better things.

Learn to recognize cognitive dissonance: Oftentimes the only way to get off your but is when the results become so positive or so painful that you are forced to take action. Psychologists refer to this as the Cognitive Dissonance Theory: either something brings you so much joy or causes you so much pain and sorrow that you have no choice but to change your behavior. If you keep repeating the same excuses rather than taking action then you aren’t at this point yet.

When we allow ourselves to associate with thankless, negative or even unethical people we become poisoned by them. It’s not their fault; it’s ours. When we lack the discipline or self-esteem to break a negative habit, instead clinging to our big buts, we poison ourselves. Better to be silent than to regurgitate the same old thing over and over. For things to change, first you must change, so eliminate the three letter “b” word from your vocabulary because a big but doesn’t look good on anybody.

Source: Tracey C. Jones is a U.S. Air Force veteran, entrepreneur, speaker and publisher. She speaks to audiences across the nation on leadership, accountability, business success and other topics. Her latest book is Beyond Tremendous: Raising the Bar on Life.