--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Excuses are tools of incompetence that…" description: "\"Excuses are tools of incompetence that build monuments of nothingness and those who specialize in them seldom do anything else.\" — Thomas J Smith" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db6/thomas-j-smith-282978_excuses_excuses-are-tools-of-incompetence-that-b_3181432.jpg" --- # Excuses are tools of incompetence that build monuments of… ![“Excuses are tools of incompetence that build monuments of nothingness and those who specialize in them seldom do anything else.” quote by Thomas J Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db6/thomas-j-smith-282978_excuses_excuses-are-tools-of-incompetence-that-b_3181432.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db6/thomas-j-smith-282978_excuses_excuses-are-tools-of-incompetence-that-b_3181432.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db6/thomas-j-smith-282978_excuses_excuses-are-tools-of-incompetence-that-b_3181432.jpg) > “Excuses are tools of incompetence that build monuments of nothingness and those who specialize in them seldom do anything else.” [Thomas J Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-smith/) ## 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 tools of incompetence that create emptiness, and those who rely on them rarely achieve anything. **In simple terms:** Excuses create emptiness and hinder achievement. Key Takeaway Eliminate excuses. Themes responsibility productivity incompetence self‑criticism motivation Mood critical motivational Type advice critical When to use this quote - workplace performance - personal goals - academic work Key Concepts accountability growth efficacy Questions to Reflect On - Why do we make excuses? - How can we replace excuses with action? A Different Perspective Excuses can sometimes protect self‑esteem. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Excuses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excuses/) [Excuses Are Tools Of Incompetence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excuses-are-tools-of-incompetence-223638/) [Excuses Tools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excuses-tools-531322/) [Incompetence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incompetence/) [Monuments Nothingness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monuments-nothingness-531321/) [Tools Incompetence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tools-incompetence-5830620/) ## Related quotes > [EXCUSES ARE THE TOOLS OF INCOMPETENT THEY BUILD MONUMENTS OF NOTHINGNESS THOSE WHO DWELL UPON THEM ARE SELDOM GOOD FOR ANYTHING ELSE](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loveleelatanya-kendrick/excuses-are-the-tools-of-incompetent-they-build-monuments-of/) [Loveleelatanya Kendrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loveleelatanya-kendrick/) > [Excuses are tools of the incompetent used to build bridges to nowhere and monuments of nothingness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/excuses-are-tools-of-the-incompetent-used-to-build-bridges-to-nowhere/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [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/) > [Excuses are tools of the incompetent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tomlin/excuses-are-tools-of-the-incompetent/) [Mike Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tomlin/) > [Everyone rises to their level of incompetence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/everyone-rises-to-their-level-of-incompetence/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [Sometimes incompetence is useful. It helps you keep an open mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-cavalli/sometimes-incompetence-is-useful-it-helps-you-keep-an-open-mind/) [Roberto Cavalli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-cavalli/) > [The problem that we have is the President himself- a President who prides himself on his own weakness and incompetence and whose love of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/femi-fani-kayode/the-problem-that-we-have-is-the-president-himself-a-president-who/) [Femi Fani-Kayode](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/femi-fani-kayode/) > [“Expecting accountability from the UN system was akin to expecting a blind dog to catch a flying Frisbee.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-soussan/expecting-accountability-from-the-un-system-was-akin-to-expecting-a/) [Michael Soussan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-soussan/) > [“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/) > [All I am in private life is a literary critic and historian, that's my job...And I'm prepared to say on that basis if anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/all-i-am-in-private-life-is-a-literary-critic-and-historian-that-s-my/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Where incompetence is prized, it is ever-present.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masha-gessen/where-incompetence-is-prized-it-is-ever-present/) [Masha Gessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masha-gessen/) > [You basically have a group of four spies who are chosen for a mission they feel for the fact of how competent they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-leblanc/you-basically-have-a-group-of-four-spies-who-are-chosen-for-a-mission/) [Matt LeBlanc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-leblanc/) > [In the lead up to the Iraq war and its later conduct, I saw at a minimum, true dereliction, negligence and irresponsibility, at worse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-zinni/in-the-lead-up-to-the-iraq-war-and-its-later-conduct-i-saw-at-a/) [Anthony Zinni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-zinni/) > [You are senile old fool, and because of your impudence, I cannot fathom how you still live!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-are-senile-old-fool-and-because-of-your-impudence-i-cannot-fathom/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A bad artist almost always tries to conceal his incompetence by whooping up a new formula.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/a-bad-artist-almost-always-tries-to-conceal-his-incompetence-by/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) ## More Excuses quotes > [You will find that the more successful the individual, the less inclined he is to make excuses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-joseph-schwartz/you-will-find-that-the-more-successful-the-individual-the-less/) [David Joseph Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-joseph-schwartz/) > [I wasn't a bad kid. My dad left when I was young, so I didn't have much discipline, not that I'm making excuses. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-dyer/i-wasn-t-a-bad-kid-my-dad-left-when-i-was-young-so-i-didn-t-have-much/) [Danny Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-dyer/) > [Sometimes you don't need to hear their excuses or what they have to say for themselves because their actions already spoke the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittany/sometimes-you-don-t-need-to-hear-their-excuses-or-what-they-have-to/) [Brittany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittany/) > [Most people don't reach their goals because reaching their goals requires them to do things that they don't want to do. You might not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/most-people-don-t-reach-their-goals-because-reaching-their-goals/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [Existence of emotions also are nothing without excuses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/existence-of-emotions-also-are-nothing-without-excuses/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [The only thing stopping you from getting it done is your excuses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/the-only-thing-stopping-you-from-getting-it-done-is-your-excuses/) [SONYA PARKER](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [I'm not a sympathetic guy when I see people throwing their lives away and using their life's obstacles as excuses to fail. I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dabo-swinney/i-m-not-a-sympathetic-guy-when-i-see-people-throwing-their-lives-away/) [Dabo Swinney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dabo-swinney/) > [It is impossible to need excuses when the focus of your life shifts from 'What's in it for me?' to 'How can I serve?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/it-is-impossible-to-need-excuses-when-the-focus-of-your-life-shifts/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [Excuses cost a dime and that's why the poor could afford a lot of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/excuses-cost-a-dime-and-that-s-why-the-poor-could-afford-a-lot-of-it/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [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/) > [I will never attempt to even begin to make excuses for what I did in football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-storey/i-will-never-attempt-to-even-begin-to-make-excuses-for-what-i-did-in/) [Peter Storey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-storey/) > [“If they want to be in your life, they'll find a way to be in your life. Otherwise they'll find excuses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-hale/if-they-want-to-be-in-your-life-they-ll-find-a-way-to-be-in-your-life/) [Mandy Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-hale/) > [“Your explanation is good, but your herring doesn't fry, as we say in Ramaldah," he exploded.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-ashling/your-explanation-is-good-but-your-herring-doesn-t-fry-as-we-say-in/) [Andrew Ashling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-ashling/) > [“To recklessly excuse a failure is to believe that I’ve effectively erased it from the story of my life, when I’ve actually imprinted it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/to-recklessly-excuse-a-failure-is-to-believe-that-i-ve-effectively/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [“I’ve got to stop this. Stop worrying about the why. Stop forcing what was happening into the realm of impossible. Stop hiding behind excuses.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deatri-king-bey/i-ve-got-to-stop-this-stop-worrying-about-the-why-stop-forcing-what/) [Deatri King-Bey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deatri-king-bey/) [Browse all 1,069 Excuses quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excuses/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Excuses are tools of incompetence that build monuments of nothingness and those who specialize in them seldom do anything else.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas J Smith" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-smith/excuses-are-tools-of-incompetence-that-build-monuments-of-nothingness/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Excuses" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-smith/excuses-are-tools-of-incompetence-that-build-monuments-of-nothingness/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db6/thomas-j-smith-282978_excuses_excuses-are-tools-of-incompetence-that-b_3181432.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db6/thomas-j-smith-282978_excuses_excuses-are-tools-of-incompetence-that-b_3181432.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db6/thomas-j-smith-282978_excuses_excuses-are-tools-of-incompetence-that-b_3181432.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Excuses are tools of incompetence that build monuments of nothingness and those who specialize in them…” — Thomas J Smith", "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": "Thomas J Smith", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-smith/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Excuses are tools of incompetence that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-smith/excuses-are-tools-of-incompetence-that-build-monuments-of-nothingness/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-smith/excuses-are-tools-of-incompetence-that-build-monuments-of-nothingness/#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 } } ] } ```