--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I never knew a man who was good at making…" description: "\"I never knew a man who was good at making excuses who was good at anything else.\" — Benjamin Franklin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1df/benjamin-franklin-65_dare_i-never-knew-a-man-who-was-good-at-makin_2807424.png" --- # I never knew a man who was good at making excuses who was… ![“I never knew a man who was good at making excuses who was good at anything else.” quote by Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1df/benjamin-franklin-65_dare_i-never-knew-a-man-who-was-good-at-makin_2807424.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1df/benjamin-franklin-65_dare_i-never-knew-a-man-who-was-good-at-makin_2807424.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1df/benjamin-franklin-65_dare_i-never-knew-a-man-who-was-good-at-makin_2807424.png) > “I never knew a man who was good at making excuses who was good at anything else.” [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Excuses are a sign of lacking competence; those who excel focus on solutions, not justifications. **In simple terms:** Excuses indicate weakness; competence shows through action. Key Takeaway Avoid excuses, develop skill. Themes responsibility self‑discipline achievement integrity Mood critical reflective encouraging Type advice philosophical motivational When to use this quote - job performance - education - leadership - conflict resolution Key Concepts Psychology behavioral economics personal development Questions to Reflect On - What habit do you excuse often? - How can you replace excuses with action? A Different Perspective Excuses can sometimes protect mental health; not all avoidance is negative. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Excuses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excuses/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [I wasn't a bad kid. My dad left when I was young, so I didn't have much discipline, not that I'm making excuses. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-dyer/i-wasn-t-a-bad-kid-my-dad-left-when-i-was-young-so-i-didn-t-have-much/) [Danny Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-dyer/) > [Every child can learn, and we mean it... excuses are not good enough, we need results.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-paige/every-child-can-learn-and-we-mean-it-excuses-are-not-good-enough-we/) [Rod Paige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-paige/) > [There are no excuses. There are no good reasons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-thomas/there-are-no-excuses-there-are-no-good-reasons/) [Eric Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-thomas/) > [Don't make excuses, make good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/don-t-make-excuses-make-good/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [He didn't seem to realize that three excuses was as good as no excuse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/he-didn-t-seem-to-realize-that-three-excuses-was-as-good-as-no-excuse/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) > [Look, good government doesn't look for excuses, good government gets on with the job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/look-good-government-doesn-t-look-for-excuses-good-government-gets-on/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [Your excuses will never be as good as the story of how you got it done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-brogan/your-excuses-will-never-be-as-good-as-the-story-of-how-you-got-it-done/) [Chris Brogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-brogan/) > [“There's no excuse for excuses. Many of us are good at finding justification for behavior in men that isn't acceptable. We sometimes let them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daylle-deanna-schwartz/there-s-no-excuse-for-excuses-many-of-us-are-good-at-finding/) [Daylle Deanna Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daylle-deanna-schwartz/) > [A quarrelsome man has no good neighbours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/a-quarrelsome-man-has-no-good-neighbours/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [99% of the failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/99-of-the-failures-come-from-people-who-have-the-habit-of-making/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Stop making excuses, start making changes!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/habeeb-akande/stop-making-excuses-start-making-changes/) [Habeeb Akande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/habeeb-akande/) > [Most of the time, excuses are made out of pure laziness. For people who are constantly making excuses...the negative energy it takes to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/most-of-the-time-excuses-are-made-out-of-pure-laziness-for-people-who/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Not worrying about the future,living in present and stop making excuses for the past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/not-worrying-about-the-future-living-in-present-and-stop-making/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Most people don't reach their goals because reaching their goals requires them to do things that they don't want to do. You might not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/most-people-don-t-reach-their-goals-because-reaching-their-goals/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [“Part of being of a true existentialist is wanting to be what we make ourselves be by the way we choose to act, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-cox/part-of-being-of-a-true-existentialist-is-wanting-to-be-what-we-make/) Gary Cox ## More by Benjamin Franklin > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Think of these things, whence you came, where you are going, and to whom you must account.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/think-of-these-things-whence-you-came-where-you-are-going-and-to-whom/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Give me 26 lead soldiers and I will conquer the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/give-me-26-lead-soldiers-and-i-will-conquer-the-world/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Flowers are the alphabet of angels, whereby they write on the hills and fields mysterious truths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/flowers-are-the-alphabet-of-angels-whereby-they-write-on-the-hills/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [In the affairs of this world, men are saved not by faith, but by the want of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/in-the-affairs-of-this-world-men-are-saved-not-by-faith-but-by-the/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [By heaven we understand a state of happiness infinite in degree, and endless in duration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/by-heaven-we-understand-a-state-of-happiness-infinite-in-degree-and/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [I have thought that wild flowers might be the alphabet of angels, — whereby they write on hills and fields mysterious truths, which it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/i-have-thought-that-wild-flowers-might-be-the-alphabet-of-angels/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [How do you become better tomorrow? By improving yourself, the world is made better. Be not afraid of growing too slowly. Be afraid of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/how-do-you-become-better-tomorrow-by-improving-yourself-the-world-is/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Little leaks sink the ship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/little-leaks-sink-the-ship/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Who is rich? He that is content. Who is that? Nobody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/who-is-rich-he-that-is-content-who-is-that-nobody/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“But on the whole, though I never arrived at the perfection I had been so ambitious of obtaining, but fell far short of it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/but-on-the-whole-though-i-never-arrived-at-the-perfection-i-had-been/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [The good particular men may do separately, in relieving the sick, is small, compared with what they may do collectively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/the-good-particular-men-may-do-separately-in-relieving-the-sick-is/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Love your Neighbour; yet don't pull down your Hedge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/love-your-neighbour-yet-don-t-pull-down-your-hedge/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Take counsel in wine, but resolve afterwards in water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/take-counsel-in-wine-but-resolve-afterwards-in-water/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [He that's secure is not safe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/he-that-s-secure-is-not-safe/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) [Explore all 1,692 Benjamin Franklin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) ## More Dare quotes > [down with ought with because with every brain that thinks it thinks nor dares to feel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/down-with-ought-with-because-with-every-brain-that-thinks-it-thinks/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [This is no time for ease and comfort. It is time to dare and endure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/this-is-no-time-for-ease-and-comfort-it-is-time-to-dare-and-endure/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [Life is more complicated than we think, yet far simpler than anyone dares to imagine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-durrell/life-is-more-complicated-than-we-think-yet-far-simpler-than-anyone/) [Lawrence Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-durrell/) > [I should not dare to call my soul my own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-barrett-browning/i-should-not-dare-to-call-my-soul-my-own/) [Elizabeth Barrett Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-barrett-browning/) > [Nobody calls me a racist when I do redneck jokes. Jeff Foxworthy can do as many 'You might be a redneck jokes' as he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-mencia/nobody-calls-me-a-racist-when-i-do-redneck-jokes-jeff-foxworthy-can/) [Carlos Mencia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-mencia/) > [Dare to dream! Never underestimate the Power of Our Dream!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dare-to-dream-never-underestimate-the-power-of-our-dream/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Why stop now? Seduce me, Brian.I dare you." "I've always found it hard to turn aside a dare.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/why-stop-now-seduce-me-brian-i-dare-you-i-ve-always-found-it-hard-to/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [This moment in which you experience stillness is every moment. Don't let the mind seduce you into the past or future. Stay in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adyashanti/this-moment-in-which-you-experience-stillness-is-every-moment-don-t/) [Adyashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adyashanti/) > [Never can true courage dwell with them, Who, playing tricks with conscience, dare not look At their own vices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/never-can-true-courage-dwell-with-them-who-playing-tricks-with/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [I tend to get reactions just by being on screen, because I guess I'm physically queer-coded or something. Especially with 'Star Wars;' I get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-o-brian/i-tend-to-get-reactions-just-by-being-on-screen-because-i-guess-i-m/) [Katy O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-o-brian/) > [Who would dare assign to art the sterile function of imitating nature?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-baudelaire/who-would-dare-assign-to-art-the-sterile-function-of-imitating-nature/) [Charles Baudelaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-baudelaire/) > [The privilege of prayer to me is one of the most cherished possessions, because faith and experience alike convince me that God himself sees…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilfred-grenfell/the-privilege-of-prayer-to-me-is-one-of-the-most-cherished/) [Wilfred Grenfell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilfred-grenfell/) > [Let a man who has to make his fortune in life remember this maxim: Attacking is the only secret. Dare and the world yields,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/let-a-man-who-has-to-make-his-fortune-in-life-remember-this-maxim/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [The male dares to be different to the degree that he accepts his passivity and his desire to be female, his fagginess. The farthest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-solanas/the-male-dares-to-be-different-to-the-degree-that-he-accepts-his/) [Valerie Solanas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-solanas/) > [I drink, I huff, I strut, look big and stare; And all this I can do, because I dare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theresa-villiers/i-drink-i-huff-i-strut-look-big-and-stare-and-all-this-i-can-do/) [Theresa Villiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theresa-villiers/) Browse all 2,415 Dare quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I never knew a man who was good at making excuses who was good at anything else.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Benjamin Franklin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/i-never-knew-a-man-who-was-good-at-making-excuses-who-was-good-at/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dare" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/i-never-knew-a-man-who-was-good-at-making-excuses-who-was-good-at/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1df/benjamin-franklin-65_dare_i-never-knew-a-man-who-was-good-at-makin_2807424.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1df/benjamin-franklin-65_dare_i-never-knew-a-man-who-was-good-at-makin_2807424.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1df/benjamin-franklin-65_dare_i-never-knew-a-man-who-was-good-at-makin_2807424.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I never knew a man who was good at making excuses who was good at anything else.” — Benjamin Franklin", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Benjamin Franklin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I never knew a man who...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/i-never-knew-a-man-who-was-good-at-making-excuses-who-was-good-at/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/i-never-knew-a-man-who-was-good-at-making-excuses-who-was-good-at/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```