Excuses Quote by Jean-Paul Sartre
““For many have but one resource to sustain them in their misery, and that is to think, “Circumstances have been against me, I was worthy to be something much better than I have been. I admit I have never had a great love or a great friendship; but that is because I never met a man or a woman who were worthy of it; if I have not written any very good books, it is because I had not the leisure to do so; or, if I have had no children to whom I could devote myself it is because I did not find the man I could have lived with. So there remains within me a wide range of abilities, inclinations and potentialities, unused but perfectly viable, which endow me with a worthiness that could never be inferred from the mere history of my actions.” But in reality and for the existentialist, there is no love apart from the deeds of love; no potentiality of love other than that which is manifested in loving; there is no genius other than that which is expressed in works of art.””
About This Quote
Source Philosophy: Existentialism, 1940s, Sartre’s writings
The quote argues that personal worth and love are realized only through actions and creations, not through unfulfilled desires or imagined potentials.
In simple terms: Worth comes from deeds, not wishes.
Act to create value.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- career
- artistic projects
- relationships
- personal development
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What actions can you take to realize your abilities?
- How do you define love through deeds?
Without action, potential remains meaningless.