Excuses Schmexcuses

By Greg Fullerton

Hyrum Smith was my first and most influential mentor.

One time I was visiting him at his house and his mother Ruth was there. Ruth was 60 years old at the time.

Talking to her friend, she said, “You know, I think I’m going to go back to the university and get my second degree.”

Her friend responded, “Ruth, that nuts! It will take you five years to get your second degree. In five years you’ll be 65 years old!”

Ruth grinned and said wisely, “In five years I’ll be 65 anyway.”

Profound truth in 7 words.

“Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing ever happened.” -Winston Churchill

Don’t hurry off — ponder the truth in her simple statement.

When you’re looking for an excuse, any one will do.

The day you run out of excuses is the day you start living. Until then, you’re just waiting.

“But I don’t know what I’m doing. No one ever taught me.”

“There is no path. We make one by walking.” -Antonio Machado

“But what if I make a fool of myself?”

“You won’t accomplish the miraculous until you’re willing to attempt the ridiculous.” -Roy H. Williams

“I’ll wait until things are more certain.”

“What is sure, predictable, inevitable – the one certain thing you know concerning your future, and mine? That we shall die. Yes, there’s really only one question that can be answered…and we already know the answer…The only thing that makes life possible is permanent, intolerable uncertainty; not knowing what comes next.”
- Ursula K. Le Guin, from chapter 5 of The Left Hand of Darkness

Afraid people will make fun of you? How about quaking in your boots over the prospect that no one will laugh at you because you won’t do anything worth noticing?

Mocking is what people do when they’re secretly afraid of doing exactly what they’re mocking — and they know they should do.

“And then the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” -Anais Nin

When will that day come for you?

Act. Don’t act. Tomorrow will come regardless. The only difference will be how you feel as you look back on your life.