--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you're good at making excuses, it's…" description: "\"When you're good at making excuses, it's hard to excel at anything else.\" — John Landis Mason" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d9/john-landis-mason-51629_excuse_when-you-re-good-at-making-excuses-it-s_2853315.jpg" --- # When you're good at making excuses, it's hard to excel at… ![“When you're good at making excuses, it's hard to excel at anything else.” quote by John Landis Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d9/john-landis-mason-51629_excuse_when-you-re-good-at-making-excuses-it-s_2853315.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d9/john-landis-mason-51629_excuse_when-you-re-good-at-making-excuses-it-s_2853315.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d9/john-landis-mason-51629_excuse_when-you-re-good-at-making-excuses-it-s_2853315.jpg) > “When you're good at making excuses, it's hard to excel at anything else.” [John Landis Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-landis-mason/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Excuse-making hinders progress; mastering discipline is essential for achievement. **In simple terms:** Excuses block success. Key Takeaway Eliminate excuses, pursue excellence. Themes discipline personal growth responsibility Mood motivational reflective Type self-help inspirational When to use this quote - career advancement - academic pursuits - fitness goals Key Concepts self-sabotage habit formation Questions to Reflect On - What excuses do you use most often? - How can you replace excuses with actions? A Different Perspective Excuses can sometimes protect mental health; not always negative. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Excuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excuse/) [Excuses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excuses/) [Excuses Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excuses-hard-3809230/) [Good Making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-making-454985/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Making excuses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-excuses/) [No excuses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/no-excuses/) [Recipe for success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recipe-for-success/) [Road to success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/road-to-success/) ## Related quotes > [There's an entrepreneur right now, scared to death, making excuses, saying, 'It's not the right time just yet.' There's no such thing as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-plank/there-s-an-entrepreneur-right-now-scared-to-death-making-excuses/) [Kevin Plank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-plank/) > [I found it easier to get rich than I did to make excuses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/i-found-it-easier-to-get-rich-than-i-did-to-make-excuses/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [“He who is good at making excuses is seldom good at anything else.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/he-who-is-good-at-making-excuses-is-seldom-good-at-anything-else/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Excuses are the tools with which persons with no purpose in view build for themselves great monuments of nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-grayhm/excuses-are-the-tools-with-which-persons-with-no-purpose-in-view/) [Steven Grayhm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-grayhm/) > [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/) > [“Be less focused about making excuses and focus more on making moves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/be-less-focused-about-making-excuses-and-focus-more-on-making-moves/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [If you put in the work, put in the time, put in the effort, you're going to reap the benefits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-sherman/if-you-put-in-the-work-put-in-the-time-put-in-the-effort-you-re-going/) [Richard Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-sherman/) > [A lot of people notice when you succeed, but they don't see what it takes to get there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-staley/a-lot-of-people-notice-when-you-succeed-but-they-don-t-see-what-it/) [Dawn Staley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-staley/) > [The key of success is for you to set one big, challenging goal and then to pay any price, overcome any obstacle and persist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/the-key-of-success-is-for-you-to-set-one-big-challenging-goal-and/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [You can listen to what people say, sure. But you will be far more effective if you listen to what people do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/you-can-listen-to-what-people-say-sure-but-you-will-be-far-more/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [Epic things start with small humble steps. Pay respect to your beginnings. And if you're just starting out, know that it's OK to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vishen-lakhiani/epic-things-start-with-small-humble-steps-pay-respect-to-your/) [Vishen Lakhiani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vishen-lakhiani/) > [Every successful person in life began by pursuing a passion, usually against all odds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/every-successful-person-in-life-began-by-pursuing-a-passion-usually/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [The strength of character and emotional intelligence to face your failures and learn from them are at the core of success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/the-strength-of-character-and-emotional-intelligence-to-face-your/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [I had a mother who taught me there is no such thing as failure. It is just a temporary postponement of success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddy-ebsen/i-had-a-mother-who-taught-me-there-is-no-such-thing-as-failure-it-is/) [Buddy Ebsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddy-ebsen/) > [Business is always a struggle. There are always obstacles and competitors. There is never an open road, except the wide road that leads to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kirubi/business-is-always-a-struggle-there-are-always-obstacles-and/) [Chris Kirubi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kirubi/) ## More by John Landis Mason > [Indifference, lukewarmness, and neutrality are always attached to failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-landis-mason/indifference-lukewarmness-and-neutrality-are-always-attached-to/) [John Landis Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-landis-mason/) > [Only those who do not expect anything are never disappointed. Only those who never try, never fail. Anyone who is currently achieving anything in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-landis-mason/only-those-who-do-not-expect-anything-are-never-disappointed-only/) [John Landis Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-landis-mason/) > [The wonder of imagination is this: It has the power to light its own fire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-landis-mason/the-wonder-of-imagination-is-this-it-has-the-power-to-light-its-own/) [John Landis Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-landis-mason/) > [Never take direction for your personal life from a crowd.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-landis-mason/never-take-direction-for-your-personal-life-from-a-crowd/) [John Landis Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-landis-mason/) > [Gain control of your time, and you will gain control of your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-landis-mason/gain-control-of-your-time-and-you-will-gain-control-of-your-life/) [John Landis Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-landis-mason/) > [While an original is always hard to find, he is easy to recognize.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-landis-mason/while-an-original-is-always-hard-to-find-he-is-easy-to-recognize/) [John Landis Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-landis-mason/) [Explore all 7 John Landis Mason quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-landis-mason/) ## 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": "When you're good at making excuses, it's hard to excel at anything else.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Landis Mason" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-landis-mason/when-you-re-good-at-making-excuses-it-s-hard-to-excel-at-anything-else/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Excuse" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-landis-mason/when-you-re-good-at-making-excuses-it-s-hard-to-excel-at-anything-else/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d9/john-landis-mason-51629_excuse_when-you-re-good-at-making-excuses-it-s_2853315.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d9/john-landis-mason-51629_excuse_when-you-re-good-at-making-excuses-it-s_2853315.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d9/john-landis-mason-51629_excuse_when-you-re-good-at-making-excuses-it-s_2853315.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When you're good at making excuses, it's hard to excel at anything else.” — John Landis Mason", "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": "John Landis Mason", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-landis-mason/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When you're good at making excuses,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-landis-mason/when-you-re-good-at-making-excuses-it-s-hard-to-excel-at-anything-else/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-landis-mason/when-you-re-good-at-making-excuses-it-s-hard-to-excel-at-anything-else/#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 } } ] } ```