Avoiding Excuses and Taking Responsibility
From: Margie
Your blame game article brought to mind this quote I ran across somewhere about avoiding excuses. (I don’t know the author.)
“Excuses are monuments of nothing, built upon bridges to nowhere. Those who use this tool of incompetence are masters of nothing.”
I love this quote and its message about avoiding excuses. It really wraps things up into a nut shell doesn’t it? Often, without even thinking, people automatically blame something or someone and simply make excuses when they do something wrong. So be careful and start listening to yourself.
Here’s an example of excuses people make when they play the blame game: A couple arrives late for church and the husband says, “We are late because my wife didn’t put the keys in the right place,” instead of saying, “We are late because I didn’t make sure I knew where the keys were so we could leave in time.”
Can you see the difference? Did you notice how subtly a person’s explanation of an event can shift the blame? Start listening to yourself and see how many times you start your sentences with – this happened because of such and such instead of just saying, “I goofed.” In most situations when we blame someone else, there’s no real pain in admitting our own mistakes and even when there is, you are a better, bolder person for taking responsibility. Besides, the people you know will come to respect you more when you take responsibility for your actions.
Excuses and blame are what destroy people but doing the best you can with what you have, avoiding excuses and not giving up is what leads to success!
-Jill
Photo By: Images Of Money
Jill, thank you for the quote. Feeling as upbeat as I am, I don’t want anyone thinking I’m depressed. I’ve been hurt (as most people have been) by others. They always had a “good excuse” that amounts to plain meaness. I hope to never have to use this quote, but I feel that if hurt again, I have a bit of insurance to fall back upon. Again, thank you.
Fondly, Peg
I know all to many people who give excuses, of which none bother me but myself. Thanks for the quote Jill, it puts things into perspective.
To Mine Is Yours, Chow.
I’ve been trying to take responsibility for my own actions, and it sure isn’t easy. The hardest part seems to be in what I say to myself rather than to others.