He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else. ― Benjamin Franklin
Excuses hold people back. I know this because I hear them nearly every day, and I have made plenty myself.
People often insist they aren’t making excuses even as they explain why something can’t be done.
So what exactly is an excuse?
An excuse is a reason or explanation given to defend or justify a fault or failure.
Excuses appear in all parts of life: why someone can’t land a job, why debt remains unpaid, why a new car is “necessary,” or why personal improvement seems out of reach.
I’m not suggesting life is easy or that other people’s problems aren’t real—everyone faces hardship. But excuses are still excuses, and most people make them until they recognize how counterproductive they are.