--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I attribute my success to this:—I never…" description: "\"“I attribute my success to this:—I never gave or took an excuse.”\" — Florence Nightingale" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9c/florence-nightingale-2561_excuse_i-attribute-my-success-to-this-i-never-g_2219120.png" --- # I attribute my success to this:—I never gave or took an… ![“I attribute my success to this:—I never gave or took an excuse.” quote by Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9c/florence-nightingale-2561_excuse_i-attribute-my-success-to-this-i-never-g_2219120.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9c/florence-nightingale-2561_excuse_i-attribute-my-success-to-this-i-never-g_2219120.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9c/florence-nightingale-2561_excuse_i-attribute-my-success-to-this-i-never-g_2219120.png) > ““I attribute my success to this:—I never gave or took an excuse.”” [Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She credits her achievements to refusing to make or accept excuses, emphasizing personal responsibility. **In simple terms:** Success comes from taking responsibility, not blaming. Key Takeaway Own your actions and avoid excuses. Themes responsibility self‑discipline success personal growth Mood determined inspirational Type advice reflection When to use this quote - career advancement - personal challenges - goal setting Key Concepts Accountability mindset effort Questions to Reflect On - What excuses do you still make? - How can you replace excuses with action? A Different Perspective Excuses can be a coping mechanism for fear. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Excuses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excuses/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [I attribute my success to this - I never gave or took any excuse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/i-attribute-my-success-to-this-i-never-gave-or-took-any-excuse/) [Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/) > [When I started out, I had no idea what I was doing. I was 16, and acting was a new, exciting thing. So, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystle-d-souza/when-i-started-out-i-had-no-idea-what-i-was-doing-i-was-16-and-acting/) [Krystle D'Souza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystle-d-souza/) > [Women attribute their success to working hard, luck, and help from other people. Men will attribute that - whatever success they have, that same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/women-attribute-their-success-to-working-hard-luck-and-help-from/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [I attribute my success on the battlefield to always being on the spot to see and do everything for myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duke-of-wellington/i-attribute-my-success-on-the-battlefield-to-always-being-on-the-spot/) [Duke of Wellington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duke-of-wellington/) > [I think that my biggest attribute to any success that I have had is hard work. There really is no substitute for working hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-bartiromo/i-think-that-my-biggest-attribute-to-any-success-that-i-have-had-is/) [Maria Bartiromo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-bartiromo/) > [An important attribute of success is to be yourself. Never hide what makes you, you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indra-nooyi/an-important-attribute-of-success-is-to-be-yourself-never-hide-what/) [Indra Nooyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indra-nooyi/) > [I was elected a Captain of Volunteers--a success which gave me more pleasure than any I have had since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-was-elected-a-captain-of-volunteers-a-success-which-gave-me-more/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Many of lifes failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/many-of-lifes-failures-are-people-who-did-not-realize-how-close-they/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The 'cash for clunkers' program was a big success in part because it gave people the sense that the economy was moving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cass-sunstein/the-cash-for-clunkers-program-was-a-big-success-in-part-because-it/) [Cass Sunstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cass-sunstein/) > [Many of life's failures are experienced by people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/many-of-life-s-failures-are-experienced-by-people-who-did-not-realize/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/many-of-life-s-failures-are-people-who-did-not-realize-how-close-they/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Obviously, Steve Nash making the NBA and becoming a two-time MVP gave us the hope that if we work hard, we might have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tristan-thompson/obviously-steve-nash-making-the-nba-and-becoming-a-two-time-mvp-gave/) [Tristan Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tristan-thompson/) > [Excuses are the nails used to build a house of failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/excuses-are-the-nails-used-to-build-a-house-of-failure/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [Excuses cost a dime and that's why the poor could afford a lot of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/excuses-cost-a-dime-and-that-s-why-the-poor-could-afford-a-lot-of-it/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [It is impossible to need excuses when the focus of your life shifts from 'What's in it for me?' to 'How can I serve?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/it-is-impossible-to-need-excuses-when-the-focus-of-your-life-shifts/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) ## More by Florence Nightingale > [We know nothing of the principle of health, the positive of which pathology is the negative, except from observation and experience. And nothing but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/we-know-nothing-of-the-principle-of-health-the-positive-of-which/) [Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/) > [The specific disease doctrine is the grand refuge of weak, uncultured, unstable minds, such as now rule in the medical profession. There are no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/the-specific-disease-doctrine-is-the-grand-refuge-of-weak-uncultured/) [Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/) > [It may seem a strange principle to enunciate as the very first requirement in a hospital that it should do the sick no harm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/it-may-seem-a-strange-principle-to-enunciate-as-the-very-first/) [Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/) > [Nursing is a progressive art such that to stand still is to go backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/nursing-is-a-progressive-art-such-that-to-stand-still-is-to-go/) [Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/) > [“It is often thought that medicine is the curative process. It is no such thing; medicine is the surgery of functions, as surgery proper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/it-is-often-thought-that-medicine-is-the-curative-process-it-is-no/) [Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/) > [A hundred struggle and drown in the breakers. One discovers the new world. But rather, ten times rather, die in the surf, heralding the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/a-hundred-struggle-and-drown-in-the-breakers-one-discovers-the-new/) [Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/) > [Newton's law is nothing but the statistics of gravitation, it has no power whatever. Let us get rid of the idea of power from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/newton-s-law-is-nothing-but-the-statistics-of-gravitation-it-has-no/) [Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/) > [The very first requirement in a hospital is that it should do the sick no harm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/the-very-first-requirement-in-a-hospital-is-that-it-should-do-the/) [Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/) > [Every nurse ought to be careful to wash her hands very frequently during the day. If her face, too, so much the better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/every-nurse-ought-to-be-careful-to-wash-her-hands-very-frequently/) [Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/) > [I have learned to know God. I have recast my social belief... All my admirers are married; most of my friends are dead; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/i-have-learned-to-know-god-i-have-recast-my-social-belief-all-my/) [Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/) > [For it may safely be said, not that the habit of ready and correct observation will by itself make us useful nurses, but that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/for-it-may-safely-be-said-not-that-the-habit-of-ready-and-correct/) [Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/) > [I cannot remember the time when I have not longed for death. ... for years and years I used to watch for death as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/i-cannot-remember-the-time-when-i-have-not-longed-for-death-for-years/) [Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/) > [A dark house is always an unhealthy house, always an ill-aired house, always a dirty house. Want of light stops growth and promotes scrofula,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/a-dark-house-is-always-an-unhealthy-house-always-an-ill-aired-house/) [Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/) > [If I could give you information of my life, it would be to show how a woman of very ordinary ability has been led…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/if-i-could-give-you-information-of-my-life-it-would-be-to-show-how-a/) [Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/) > [Variety of form and brilliancy of colour in the objects presented to patients are actual means of recovery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/variety-of-form-and-brilliancy-of-colour-in-the-objects-presented-to/) [Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/) [Explore all 160 Florence Nightingale quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/) ## More Excuse quotes > [The greatest act of courage is to be and to ownall of who you are—without apology, without excuses, without masks to cover the truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-ford/the-greatest-act-of-courage-is-to-be-and-to-ownall-of-who-you-are/) [Debbie Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-ford/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [My non-career. My excuse for a career? Honestly, I never think about the word 'career.' I've had managers, the minute they say it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-verlaine/my-non-career-my-excuse-for-a-career-honestly-i-never-think-about-the/) [Tom Verlaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-verlaine/) > [The number of poor, and poorly prepared, students who succeed in college and beyond undercuts the simplistic notion that economic or educational disadvantage is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-merullo/the-number-of-poor-and-poorly-prepared-students-who-succeed-in/) [Roland Merullo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-merullo/) > [International friendly games are not worth the lives of the silk worms who perish to make the pennants. They do not even have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-baker/international-friendly-games-are-not-worth-the-lives-of-the-silk/) [Danny Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-baker/) > [Win without boasting. Lose without excuse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-payson-terhune/win-without-boasting-lose-without-excuse/) [Albert Payson Terhune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-payson-terhune/) > [And the commitment that I've been giving to the Australian people is that there'll be no surprises and no excuses under a Coalition government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/and-the-commitment-that-i-ve-been-giving-to-the-australian-people-is/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [Dont leave without a reason, and then try to come back with an excuse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dont-leave-without-a-reason-and-then-try-to-come-back-with-an-excuse/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Using, as an excuse, others' failure of common sense is in itself a failure of common sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/using-as-an-excuse-others-failure-of-common-sense-is-in-itself-a/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [I resolutely believe that respect for diversity is a fundamental pillar in the eradication of racism, xenophobia and intolerance. There is no excuse for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rigoberta-menchu/i-resolutely-believe-that-respect-for-diversity-is-a-fundamental/) [Rigoberta Menchu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rigoberta-menchu/) > [I'm not the guy who will sit in a room with somebody who's using a bunch of big words and just act like I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-wahlberg/i-m-not-the-guy-who-will-sit-in-a-room-with-somebody-who-s-using-a/) [Mark Wahlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-wahlberg/) > [Worst Break Up Excuse; 'You deserve so much better.' Translation: They've already moved on whether you like it or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/worst-break-up-excuse-you-deserve-so-much-better-translation-they-ve/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A lie is an excuse guarded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/a-lie-is-an-excuse-guarded/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [Live with No Excuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gyanendra/live-with-no-excuse/) [Gyanendra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gyanendra/) Browse all 2,435 Excuse quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I attribute my success to this:—I never gave or took an excuse.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Florence Nightingale" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/i-attribute-my-success-to-this-i-never-gave-or-took-an-excuse/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Excuse" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/i-attribute-my-success-to-this-i-never-gave-or-took-an-excuse/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9c/florence-nightingale-2561_excuse_i-attribute-my-success-to-this-i-never-g_2219120.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9c/florence-nightingale-2561_excuse_i-attribute-my-success-to-this-i-never-g_2219120.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9c/florence-nightingale-2561_excuse_i-attribute-my-success-to-this-i-never-g_2219120.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I attribute my success to this:—I never gave or took an excuse.” — Florence Nightingale", "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": "Florence Nightingale", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I attribute my success to this:—I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/i-attribute-my-success-to-this-i-never-gave-or-took-an-excuse/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/i-attribute-my-success-to-this-i-never-gave-or-took-an-excuse/#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 } } ] } ```