--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Bad news is just an excuse." description: "\"Bad news is just an excuse.\" — Neil Young" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29f/neil-young-969_bad-news_bad-news-is-just-an-excuse-1940012_1940012.jpg" --- # Bad news is just an excuse. ![“Bad news is just an excuse.” quote by Neil Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29f/neil-young-969_bad-news_bad-news-is-just-an-excuse-1940012_1940012.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29f/neil-young-969_bad-news_bad-news-is-just-an-excuse-1940012_1940012.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29f/neil-young-969_bad-news_bad-news-is-just-an-excuse-1940012_1940012.jpg) > “Bad news is just an excuse.” [Neil Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-young/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Bad news is used as an excuse to avoid action or responsibility. **In simple terms:** Excuses hide real issues. Key Takeaway Stop using excuses. Themes responsibility excuses accountability truth Mood critical motivational Type self‑help reflective When to use this quote - workplace - personal goals - relationships - politics Key Concepts psychology behavioral patterns Questions to Reflect On - What excuses do you notice in yourself? - How can you confront the underlying issue? A Different Perspective Excuses can be rationalizations for fear. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [News](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/news/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) ## Related quotes > [I needed football - it was just something to do, an excuse to not be at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sam/i-needed-football-it-was-just-something-to-do-an-excuse-to-not-be-at/) [Michael Sam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sam/) > [“Whatever you do, just find an excuse to win!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/navy-seal-drill-sergeant/whatever-you-do-just-find-an-excuse-to-win/) Navy SEAL Drill Sergeant > [I've gotten to the point I won't even watch the 11 o'clock news. You just walk away from it thinking how bad everything is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-foxworthy/i-ve-gotten-to-the-point-i-won-t-even-watch-the-11-o-clock-news-you/) [Jeff Foxworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-foxworthy/) > [If I programmed my own TV network, it would air good news! Just positive stories. Heroic stories. Cute puppy dogs doin' stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-aniston/if-i-programmed-my-own-tv-network-it-would-air-good-news-just/) [Jennifer Aniston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-aniston/) > [“Sometimes history is just an excuse for incompetence at getting along with each other.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandr-voinov/sometimes-history-is-just-an-excuse-for-incompetence-at-getting-along/) [Aleksandr Voinov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-voinov/) > [You cant just 'steal' anyone from anybody...They were probably already prepared to leave, you're just the excuse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-cant-just-steal-anyone-from-anybody-they-were-probably-already/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In the end, photography for me is just an excuse to get to know the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graciela-iturbide/in-the-end-photography-for-me-is-just-an-excuse-to-get-to-know-the/) [Graciela Iturbide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graciela-iturbide/) > [The truth is just an excuse for lack of imagination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/the-truth-is-just-an-excuse-for-lack-of-imagination/) [Nolan Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-bushnell/) > [Being in a rock band is just an excuse not to get a job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-corgan/being-in-a-rock-band-is-just-an-excuse-not-to-get-a-job/) [Billy Corgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-corgan/) > [“If they want to come for you, they will come, and it doesn't matter what you read or what you failed to read. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-thien/if-they-want-to-come-for-you-they-will-come-and-it-doesn-t-matter/) [Madeleine Thien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-thien/) > [Love is just an excuse to getting hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-just-an-excuse-to-getting-hurt/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Tomorrow is just an excuse away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smashing-pumpkins/tomorrow-is-just-an-excuse-away/) [Smashing Pumpkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smashing-pumpkins/) > [“There are only do and don’t; can or can’t is just an excuse.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/there-are-only-do-and-don-t-can-or-can-t-is-just-an-excuse/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [Taking your life is just an excuse to run away from your problems. Permanently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/taking-your-life-is-just-an-excuse-to-run-away-from-your-problems/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The beauty is in finding, not in what you find ; that is just an excuse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/the-beauty-is-in-finding-not-in-what-you-find-that-is-just-an-excuse/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) ## More by Neil Young > [A lot of people that buy vinyl today don’t realise that they’re listening to CD masters on vinyl and that’s because the record companies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-young/a-lot-of-people-that-buy-vinyl-today-don-t-realise-that-they-re/) [Neil Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-young/) > [Let's roll for justice, let's roll for truth. Let's not let our children grow up fearful in their youth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-young/let-s-roll-for-justice-let-s-roll-for-truth-let-s-not-let-our/) [Neil Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-young/) > [Don't feel like Satan, but I am to them. And I try to forgive them anyway I can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-young/don-t-feel-like-satan-but-i-am-to-them-and-i-try-to-forgive-them/) [Neil Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-young/) > [I never knew a man could tell so many lies, he had a different story for every set of eyes. How can he remember…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-young/i-never-knew-a-man-could-tell-so-many-lies-he-had-a-different-story/) [Neil Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-young/) > [It's the woman in you that makes you want to play this game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-young/it-s-the-woman-in-you-that-makes-you-want-to-play-this-game/) [Neil Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-young/) > [Keep it moving. Don't hoard. Money's no good, get rid of it. Turn it into people doing things. Turn it into jobs. Turn it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-young/keep-it-moving-don-t-hoard-money-s-no-good-get-rid-of-it-turn-it-into/) [Neil Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-young/) > [My dad passed away...and suddenly I found myself at the top of the tree and looking at the sky instead of at my mom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-young/my-dad-passed-away-and-suddenly-i-found-myself-at-the-top-of-the-tree/) [Neil Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-young/) > [The Arabic states have to be integrated into the Iraqi reconstruction. We need the help of the Arabic community, which understands its culture. Americans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-young/the-arabic-states-have-to-be-integrated-into-the-iraqi-reconstruction/) [Neil Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-young/) > [Said the condor to the preying mantis, we're gonna lose this place just like we lost Atlantis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-young/said-the-condor-to-the-preying-mantis-we-re-gonna-lose-this-place/) [Neil Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-young/) > [With Crazy Horse, it's all one big, growing, smoldering sound, and I'm part of it. It's like gliding, or some sort of natural surfing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-young/with-crazy-horse-it-s-all-one-big-growing-smoldering-sound-and-i-m/) [Neil Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-young/) > [It doesn't mean that much to me to mean that much to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-young/it-doesn-t-mean-that-much-to-me-to-mean-that-much-to-you/) [Neil Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-young/) > [Cocaine eyes won't hide your face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-young/cocaine-eyes-won-t-hide-your-face/) [Neil Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-young/) > [Now I'm livin' out here on the beach, but those seagulls are still out of reach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-young/now-i-m-livin-out-here-on-the-beach-but-those-seagulls-are-still-out/) [Neil Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-young/) > [I've always been better moving than I am standing still.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-young/i-ve-always-been-better-moving-than-i-am-standing-still/) [Neil Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-young/) > [Don't think. The worst songs I've ever written happen when I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-young/don-t-think-the-worst-songs-i-ve-ever-written-happen-when-i-think/) [Neil Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-young/) [Explore all 317 Neil Young quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-young/) ## More Bad news quotes > [In the wake of such bad news, it was heartening to know that what 'Sense8' stood for meant so much to so many people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-j-smith/in-the-wake-of-such-bad-news-it-was-heartening-to-know-that-what/) [Brian J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-j-smith/) > [“I remember a man, a very lonely man, coming up to me at the end of a reading and looking into my face and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-howe/i-remember-a-man-a-very-lonely-man-coming-up-to-me-at-the-end-of-a/) [Marie Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-howe/) > [In the business world, bad news is usually good news - for somebody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-surowiecki/in-the-business-world-bad-news-is-usually-good-news-for-somebody-else/) [James Surowiecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-surowiecki/) > [You never want to have to give your child bad news of any kind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dee/you-never-want-to-have-to-give-your-child-bad-news-of-any-kind/) [Jonathan Dee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dee/) > [If there's one thing you should know about me it's that I'm utterly unsuited for bureaucracy. I don't know my passwords to anything. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julio-torres/if-there-s-one-thing-you-should-know-about-me-it-s-that-i-m-utterly/) [Julio Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julio-torres/) > [I seem to thrive by destroying the last thing I did, in a kind of cartoon Nietzsche way. Emerson says in "Experience" something like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-chiasson/i-seem-to-thrive-by-destroying-the-last-thing-i-did-in-a-kind-of/) [Dan Chiasson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-chiasson/) > [“The bad news is that, measured in terms of geologic time, if the Earth’s history is an accurate guide, glaciers will soon return to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bernstein/the-bad-news-is-that-measured-in-terms-of-geologic-time-if-the-earth/) [Andrew Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bernstein/) > [I love an underdog. No, I don't necessarily mean the cartoon. I mean like David, as in Goliath, or the Bears, as in The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-lublin/i-love-an-underdog-no-i-don-t-necessarily-mean-the-cartoon-i-mean/) [Nancy Lublin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-lublin/) > [The good news is that economists are intelligent, engaging and often charming folks. The bad news is their work is often of little use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/the-good-news-is-that-economists-are-intelligent-engaging-and-often/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [The flatter the corporate hierarchy, the more likely it is that employees will communicate bad news and act upon it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/the-flatter-the-corporate-hierarchy-the-more-likely-it-is-that/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [The good news may be that Nature is phasing out the white man, but the bad news is that's who She thinks we all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/the-good-news-may-be-that-nature-is-phasing-out-the-white-man-but-the/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [For a long period of time, the media covered rap music and hip hop the same way they cover a lot of black people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-d/for-a-long-period-of-time-the-media-covered-rap-music-and-hip-hop-the/) [Chuck D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-d/) > [“Shifting from a superior/inferior paradigm to a strength-in-difference paradigm was kind of a good news/bad news situation. On the downside, I had to admit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debby-irving/shifting-from-a-superior-inferior-paradigm-to-a-strength-in/) [Debby Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debby-irving/) > [“The best way to mess with the head of your reader is to strategize the delivery of bad news.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-percy/the-best-way-to-mess-with-the-head-of-your-reader-is-to-strategize/) [Benjamin Percy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-percy/) > [“The real secret, though, is that nobody belongs, whether they are natives or not. After expulsion from paradise all humans are in exile. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-codrescu/the-real-secret-though-is-that-nobody-belongs-whether-they-are/) [Andrei Codrescu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-codrescu/) Browse all 691 Bad news quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Bad news is just an excuse.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Neil Young" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-young/bad-news-is-just-an-excuse/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bad news" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-young/bad-news-is-just-an-excuse/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29f/neil-young-969_bad-news_bad-news-is-just-an-excuse-1940012_1940012.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29f/neil-young-969_bad-news_bad-news-is-just-an-excuse-1940012_1940012.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29f/neil-young-969_bad-news_bad-news-is-just-an-excuse-1940012_1940012.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Bad news is just an excuse.” — Neil Young", "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": "Neil Young", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-young/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Bad news is just an excuse.", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-young/bad-news-is-just-an-excuse/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-young/bad-news-is-just-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 } } ] } ```