The research center that I lead has the mission of helping our member companies go faster through their digital transformation than what they would do without our help. That means that I as well as my fellow researchers are always pushing the companies to implement change faster and dragging themselves into the 21st century. As I’ve been doing this for well over a decade now, I have heard my fair share of excuses for why things are not changing. I am not saying that change is easy (it isn’t) nor am I saying that we all have the power to implement the changes that we are needed (we don’t), but I have noticed that certain excuses, once used by one individual in the organization tend to be echoed all over the company and consequently become self-fulfilling prophecies. These so called shadow beliefs are incredibly dangerous as progress and change is halted and everyone happily keeps doing what they’ve always been doing, basking in the warmth of the comfort zone. Until the rude awakening happens and the company is disrupted by a competitor or new entrant who did realize that what we thought was immutable actually is not. So, next time you decline to implement a change, ask yourself if it is the right thing to do or if it’s an excuse?