It is wise to direct your anger towards problems—not people, to focus your energies on answers—not excuses.
—William Arthur Ward (1921–94) American Author
The only man who is really free is the one who can turn down an invitation to dinner without giving an excuse.
—Jules Renard (1864–1910) French Writer, Diarist
We are all manufacturers – some make good, others make trouble, and still others make excuses.
—Unknown
Bad men excuse their faults; good men will leave them.
—Ben Jonson (1572–1637) English Dramatist, Poet, Actor
Don’t do what you’ll have to find an excuse for.
—Common Proverb
Excuses are the nails used to build a house of failure.
—Jim Rohn (1930–2009) American Entrepreneur, Author, Motivational Speaker
Several excuses are always less convincing than one.
—Aldous Huxley (1894–1963) English Humanist, Pacifist, Satirist, Short Story Writer
Don’t make excuses—make good.
—Elbert Hubbard (1856–1915) American Writer, Publisher, Artist, Philosopher
An excuse is worse and more terrible than a lie; or an excuse is a lie guarded.
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744) English Poet
It’s a good rule in life never to apologize. The right sort of people don’t want apologies, and the wrong sort take a mean advantage of them.
—P. G. Wodehouse (1881–1975) British Novelist, Short-story Writer, Playwright
Apologizing.—A very desperate habit,—one that is rarely cured. Apology is only egotism wrong side out. Nine times out of ten, the first thing a man’s companion knows of his shortcoming is from his apology. It is mighty presumptuous on your part to suppose your small failures of so much consequence that you must make a talk about them.
—Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. (1809–94) American Physician, Essayist
A lie is an excuse guarded.
—Jonathan Swift (1667–1745) Irish Satirist
Usually, terrible things that are done with the excuse that progress requires them are not really progress at all, but just terrible things.
—Russell Baker (1925–2019) American Journalist, Humorist, Television Host
The person who really wants to do something finds a way; the other person finds an excuse.
—Unknown
Of all vain things excuses are the vainest.
—Charles Buxton (1823–71) British Politician, Writer
Pessimism is an excuse for not trying and a guarantee to a personal failure.
—Bill Clinton (b.1946) American Head of State, Lawyer, Public Speaker
Bad excuses are worse than none.
—Thomas Fuller (1608–61) English Cleric, Historian
Two wrongs don’t make a right, but they make a good excuse.
—Thomas Szasz (1920–2012) Hungarian-American Psychiatrist, Psychoanalyst
We excuse our sloth under the pretext of difficulty.
—Quintilian (c.35–c.100 CE) Roman Rhetorician, Literary Critic
Every vice has its excuse ready.
—Publilius Syrus (fl.85–43 BCE) Syrian-born Roman Latin Writer
He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
Don’t make excuses, make good.
—Elbert Hubbard (1856–1915) American Writer, Publisher, Artist, Philosopher
The best job goes to the person who can get it done without passing the buck or coming back with excuses.
—Napoleon Hill (1883–1970) American Author, Journalist, Attorney, Lecturer
Success is a tale of obstacles overcome, and for every obstacle overcome, an excuse not used.
—Robert Brault
To offer the complexities of life as an excuse for not addressing oneself to the simpler, more manageable (trivial) aspects of daily existence is a perversity often indulged in by artists, husbands, intellectuals—and critics of the Women’s Movement.
—Barbara Grizzuti Harrison (1934–2002) American Writer, Essayist, Critic
Justifying a fault doubles it.
—French Proverb
Any excuse will serve a tyrant.
—Aesop (620–564 BCE) Greek Fabulist
Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anybody else expects of you. Never excuse yourself. Never pity yourself. Be a hard master to yourself—and be lenient to everybody else.
—Henry Ward Beecher (1813–87) American Clergyman, Writer
It is better to offer no excuse than a bad one.
—George Washington (1732–99) American Head of State, Military Leader
Friendship isn’t a big thing—it’s a million little things.
—Anonymous
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