There are many reasons why I don’t like excuses. And having just used the words “reasons” and “excuses” in the same sentence, I’m reminded of the main reason, which is that no excuse is good enough to be called a reason.
Many times throughout my career I had to listen to lame excuses, which almost always diminished the reputation of the person spouting them far more than if they had taken responsibility for a mistake. I respect reasons; I don’t respect excuses.
People who really want to do something figure out how to do it; people who really want to not do something figure out excuses.
We all have faults, but inferior people make excuses for them while superior people correct them. The simple fact is that people who spend all their time blaming others usually don’t have enough time left to solve their problems and get things done.
Winners find a way, losers find excuses, and it’s impossible to improve by making excuses.
People who are very good at making excuses are rarely very good at anything else.
This is the shortest column I’ve ever posted, for which I make no excuse.