--- 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 any excuse.\" — Florence Nightingale" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d87/florence-nightingale-2561_excuse_i-attribute-my-success-to-this-i-never-g_2623656.png" --- # I attribute my success to this - I never gave or took any… ![“I attribute my success to this - I never gave or took any excuse.” quote by Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d87/florence-nightingale-2561_excuse_i-attribute-my-success-to-this-i-never-g_2623656.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d87/florence-nightingale-2561_excuse_i-attribute-my-success-to-this-i-never-g_2623656.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d87/florence-nightingale-2561_excuse_i-attribute-my-success-to-this-i-never-g_2623656.png) > “I attribute my success to this - I never gave or took any 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. Excuses are the enemy of success; deny them. **In simple terms:** No excuses, only results. Key Takeaway Eliminate excuses. Themes responsibility success discipline Mood determined balanced Type motivational practical When to use this quote - career growth - academic pursuits - personal goals Key Concepts self‑management ethics Questions to Reflect On - When are excuses justified? - How to balance self‑compassion? A Different Perspective Excuses sometimes protect mental health. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attribute Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attribute-success-2131663/) [Excuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excuse/) [Motivational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Success Gave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success-gave-585066/) [Took Excuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/took-excuse-2131664/) ## Related quotes > [“I attribute my success to this:—I never gave or took an excuse.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/i-attribute-my-success-to-this-i-never-gave-or-took-an-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/) > [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/) > [Most people seek after what they do not possess and are enslaved by the very things they want to acquire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anwar-sadat/most-people-seek-after-what-they-do-not-possess-and-are-enslaved-by/) [Anwar Sadat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anwar-sadat/) ## 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 ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excuse/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I attribute my success to this - I never gave or took any 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-any-excuse/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Excuse" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/i-attribute-my-success-to-this-i-never-gave-or-took-any-excuse/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d87/florence-nightingale-2561_excuse_i-attribute-my-success-to-this-i-never-g_2623656.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d87/florence-nightingale-2561_excuse_i-attribute-my-success-to-this-i-never-g_2623656.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d87/florence-nightingale-2561_excuse_i-attribute-my-success-to-this-i-never-g_2623656.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I attribute my success to this - I never gave or took any 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...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/i-attribute-my-success-to-this-i-never-gave-or-took-any-excuse/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/i-attribute-my-success-to-this-i-never-gave-or-took-any-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 } } ] } ```