"Do You Use These Alibis?"

Napoleon Hill,
Think & Grow Rich, p. 289

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People who do not succeed have one distinguishing trait in common. They know all the reasons for failure and have what they believe to sir-tight alibis to explain away their own lack of achievement.

  • If only I had time…

  • If times were better…

  • If other people understood…

  • If conditions around me were only different…

  • If I could live my life over again…

  • If I did not fear what "They" would say…

  • If I had been given a chance…

  • If I were only younger…

  • If I had the talent that some people have…

  • If I dared assert myself…

  • If only I had someone to help me…

  • If I could just get started…

  • If my talents were known…

  • If I could just get a "break"…

  • If I didn't have so many worries…

  • If I were sure of myself…

  • If luck were not against me…

  • If I didn't have to work so hard…

  • If I didn't have a past…

  • If other people would only listen to me…

  • If—and this is the greatest of them all—if I had the courage to see myself as I really am…

Building alibis with which to explain away failure is a national pastime. The habit is as old as the human race and is fatal to success!