--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can make it your excuse, or you can…" description: "\"You can make it your excuse, or you can make it your story.\" — Isaiah Austin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bc/isaiah-austin-67003_excuse_you-can-make-it-your-excuse-or-you-can-m_2056379.png" --- # You can make it your excuse, or you can make it your story. ![“You can make it your excuse, or you can make it your story.” quote by Isaiah Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bc/isaiah-austin-67003_excuse_you-can-make-it-your-excuse-or-you-can-m_2056379.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bc/isaiah-austin-67003_excuse_you-can-make-it-your-excuse-or-you-can-m_2056379.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bc/isaiah-austin-67003_excuse_you-can-make-it-your-excuse-or-you-can-m_2056379.png) > “You can make it your excuse, or you can make it your story.” [Isaiah Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaiah-austin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choosing to view challenges as narratives empowers agency rather than victimhood. **In simple terms:** Turn obstacles into personal stories. Key Takeaway Reframe setbacks as stories. Themes agency resilience mindset Mood motivational empowering Type inspirational psychological When to use this quote - career setbacks - academic struggles - personal loss - team dynamics Key Concepts narrative psychology self‑determination Questions to Reflect On - How can you rewrite a recent difficulty? - What narrative limits you? A Different Perspective Stories can oversimplify complex issues; not all situations allow easy reframing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Excuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excuse/) [Excuse Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excuse-make-827309/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Make Excuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-excuse-615163/) [Make Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-story/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) ## Related quotes > [There is hardly any man so strict as not to vary a little from truth when he is to make an excuse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-george-savile-8th-baronet/there-is-hardly-any-man-so-strict-as-not-to-vary-a-little-from-truth/) [Sir George Savile, 8th Baronet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-george-savile-8th-baronet/) > [Saying that you're too busy, that there's no time left for a workout is just an excuse - one must make time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neha-dhupia/saying-that-you-re-too-busy-that-there-s-no-time-left-for-a-workout/) [Neha Dhupia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neha-dhupia/) > [Make the decision that you'll no longer use excuses to keep you from what you know is in your best interest. Today, act on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/make-the-decision-that-you-ll-no-longer-use-excuses-to-keep-you-from/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [Every excuse you make pushes you further away from your goal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/every-excuse-you-make-pushes-you-further-away-from-your-goal/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [Why do people use being drunk as an excuse to make a ass of themselves...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-do-people-use-being-drunk-as-an-excuse-to-make-a-ass-of-themselves/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“An excuse is what you make after the deed is done, while a justification is what you offer before.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/an-excuse-is-what-you-make-after-the-deed-is-done-while-a/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“Excuses prologue productivity and blessings from the work of your hands. So when you make an excuse the only person you're hurting is you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelica-stevenson/excuses-prologue-productivity-and-blessings-from-the-work-of-your/) [Angelica Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelica-stevenson/) > [A loss is not a failure until you make an excuse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/a-loss-is-not-a-failure-until-you-make-an-excuse/) [Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/) > [I'm never going to make an excuse even when it's handed to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-smith/i-m-never-going-to-make-an-excuse-even-when-it-s-handed-to-me/) [Anthony Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-smith/) > [“Never make an excuse for going to the pub, save it for leaving.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benny-bellamacina/never-make-an-excuse-for-going-to-the-pub-save-it-for-leaving/) [Benny Bellamacina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benny-bellamacina/) > [You'll either find a way or make an excuse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/you-ll-either-find-a-way-or-make-an-excuse/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [If someone wants to see you they'll make time, if not they'll make an excuse. Excuses aren't a good sign. Sometimes it is better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-someone-wants-to-see-you-they-ll-make-time-if-not-they-ll-make-an/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It turns out that the more you repeat the same action, no matter how reprehensible, the more you can make an excuse for it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/it-turns-out-that-the-more-you-repeat-the-same-action-no-matter-how/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [I learned from great coaches like Phil Jackson that you need to know when to take time out when all hell is breaking loose.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-jackson/i-learned-from-great-coaches-like-phil-jackson-that-you-need-to-know/) [Mark Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-jackson/) > [So, it's up to you now. We could let time pass away. I'll make an excuse to play but, it's up to you now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afrojack/so-it-s-up-to-you-now-we-could-let-time-pass-away-i-ll-make-an-excuse/) [Afrojack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afrojack/) ## More by Isaiah Austin > [You can touch lives or you can be a quitter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaiah-austin/you-can-touch-lives-or-you-can-be-a-quitter/) [Isaiah Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaiah-austin/) > [My mom always tells me that... Nobody is going to remember you for the great basketball player you are but they will remember you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaiah-austin/my-mom-always-tells-me-that-nobody-is-going-to-remember-you-for-the/) [Isaiah Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaiah-austin/) > [God has really blessed me. He could've allowed me to keep playing, but instead he saved my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaiah-austin/god-has-really-blessed-me-he-could-ve-allowed-me-to-keep-playing-but/) [Isaiah Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaiah-austin/) [Explore all 4 Isaiah Austin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaiah-austin/) ## 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": "You can make it your excuse, or you can make it your story.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Isaiah Austin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaiah-austin/you-can-make-it-your-excuse-or-you-can-make-it-your-story/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Excuse" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaiah-austin/you-can-make-it-your-excuse-or-you-can-make-it-your-story/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bc/isaiah-austin-67003_excuse_you-can-make-it-your-excuse-or-you-can-m_2056379.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bc/isaiah-austin-67003_excuse_you-can-make-it-your-excuse-or-you-can-m_2056379.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bc/isaiah-austin-67003_excuse_you-can-make-it-your-excuse-or-you-can-m_2056379.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You can make it your excuse, or you can make it your story.” — Isaiah Austin", "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": "Isaiah Austin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaiah-austin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You can make it your excuse,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaiah-austin/you-can-make-it-your-excuse-or-you-can-make-it-your-story/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaiah-austin/you-can-make-it-your-excuse-or-you-can-make-it-your-story/#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 } } ] } ```