The day you stop blaming your upbringing, parents, education, staff, competition, customers, government, or the state of the world is the day you start making real progress.
Over the course of my career and businesses, across multiple sectors and countries, one truth has remained constant: excuses are the number one killer of growth.
Excuses are easy, and costly
As a mentor, I’m often brought in to review strategies, assess missed targets, help people understand and remove limiting beliefs, and get momentum back. But the first thing I hear is rarely facts. It’s excuses.
“Our competitors are undercutting us.”
“Government policy is killing our margins.”
“The economy’s shot.”
“Our people just don’t care.”
I’ve heard every version of it.
What’s usually missing? Ownership.
Rarely does someone open with:
“I misjudged the market.”
“We didn’t deliver.”
“I take responsibility. Here’s how we’ll fix it.”
But that’s exactly what separates the top performers. Not that they don’t face problems. They face more. The difference is, they don’t waste time blaming. They take responsibility and move.
They understand that not everything is your fault, but everything is your responsibility.
Growth starts where excuses stop
My book Failure Breeds Success came from lived experience and watching others.
Edison. Dyson. Branson.
They all faced doubt, rejection, and failure.
But they didn’t blame markets, mentors, or timing. They looked inward and asked:
What can I learn?
What can I change?
How do I grow?
Excuses feel comfortable. But they strip away your power. When you blame, you hand your control over to someone or something else. But when you accept ownership, you put the power back in your hands.
You can’t control the economy.
You can’t stop competitors.
You can’t rewrite policy.
But you can change your mindset.
You can change your strategy.
You can act.
And through action, you get clarity, strength, and results.
Responsibility is a growth mindset in motion
I often run what I call “honesty sessions” with leaders or business owners. At first, people squirm because responsibility can be uncomfortable. But then something shifts. They feel relief.
It’s powerful to realise that the solution lies within your control. When people stop making excuses, they gain traction fast. And yes, you might still need help from a coach or mentor, but now you’re ready for it.
Responsibility is the entry point to transformation.
One of my favourite sayings is:
“If there were an 11th commandment, it would be: Thou shalt not kid thyself.”
Because deep down, we often know where we’re cocking it up. The sooner we own it, the sooner we grow through it.
Set off and course correct
Too many leaders wait for the perfect timing, plan, team, and never move. But perfection is a myth.
The real path?
Set off and course correct.
Start where you are. Change what you can. Evolve on the move.
Even if it looks perfect at the start, once you get going, you’ll quickly see what needs adapting. The journey gives you the answers.
Experience, not theory.
Failure, not fantasy.
Movement, not mulling.
Leadership isn’t about having the answers
Leadership isn’t about being right. It’s about asking the right questions, facing reality, and staying accountable.
And with experience, the wisest leaders realise something else:
“The more I know, the more I know I know nothing.”
(A thought often attributed to Socrates, but echoed by many since.)
That humility, paired with ownership, is what fuels real leadership.
Excuses delay success. Responsibility accelerates it.
Whether you’re a solo founder, a small business owner, or leading a global team, the rule is the same:
Own your role.
Drop the excuses.
Lead by example.
When you do, others follow. Progress speeds up. And you start building a future based on action, not avoidance.
