My students, my colleagues, everyone seems to be experiencing it—even me. (I’m not immune!)

It’s getting “behind” on something and then profusely apologizing about being behind, then feeling guilty, then apologizing more, then still not moving forward.

Example: Let’s say you intended to reach out to 10 potential customers this week to invite them to buy your product/service/book/script—whatever.

At the end of the week, you realize that you only reached out to 2 people. Not 10.

You sit down with your business mentor, or you log into your online accountability group, and you start apologizing.

“I’m sorry I didn’t get it done like I was supposed to. I got distracted. I got stuck. I forgot. I am lowest being on Earth. I will never prevail. I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry. I suck!!!!!”

Everyone chimes in love and hearts and tells you, “It’s OK!!!”

But you continue to apologize more—or you pummel yourself internally, telling yourself that you are basically a human garbage can. And not a sleek, aluminum garbage can that was designed in Sweden. Just a scummy plastic one with weird smelly liquid pooling at the bottom.

All that self-directed negativity and sorry-sorry-sorrying? Guess what? It’s not helping you to get your work done.

Look, we ALL get behind. Even the President. Even Beyonce. Nobody is a nonstop productivity machine.

The next time you fall behind or don’t finish something and you’re about say “I’m sorry…”

STOP.

Breathe.

It’s cool. Things didn’t roll out as planned. Skip the apologies. Apologizing is a waste of your time and energy. Instead of apologizing, take action to get back on track and turn things around.

Turn that “sorry” into:

“#sorrynotsorry world… I’m awesome. And I gotta go because I’ve got tons of amazing work to do. See ya!”

Then bounce off and get your work done.

Give your customers, clients, readers and fans—and the world—your best effort, not your best apologies.