What’s your excuse for not getting things done? I hear them all the time.
“I’m too busy.”
“I’m overcommitted.”
“I’m too broke.”
“I’m too old.”
“I’m too young.”
Whatever the excuse is—it doesn’t really matter. Because here’s what I want you to do on this Front-Row Friday: Do a little research on someone who had that exact same excuse…and went on to achieve great results anyway.
When you see proof that someone else overcame what’s holding you back, your excuse loses its power. Let me give you two examples of people who could have used their excuse to not achieve success.
“I’m Too Old”
Some people believe that at a certain age, it’s just too late—to chase a dream, to fulfill a goal, or to cross something off their bucket list. That excuse disappears when you meet George Dawson. George grew up on a farm and had to quit school at a young age so his family could survive. He worked hard his entire life—but he never learned how to read.
Until someone knocked on his door. At 98 years old, George enrolled in an adult education program and learned to read for the very first time. And at 101, he flew to New York City to celebrate the publication of his first book.
Let that sink in. If age has ever been your excuse, George Dawson just took it off the table.
Now let’s flip the script. “I’m Too Young”
Maybe your excuse isn’t being too old—maybe it’s being too young. Not enough experience. Not enough credibility. Not ready yet.
That excuse doesn’t hold up when you look at Alexandra Nechita. As a young child, Alexandra loved to paint—so much so that her parents worried it was obsessive. They took away her coloring books and sent her outside to play.
So, she adapted. She grabbed blank paper and created her own designs—essentially inventing abstract art before she even knew what it was. When she later saw a Picasso in a museum, her response was, “Wow…someone else paints like me.” At eight years old, she sold her first painting for $50. By thirteen, she had sold $1.5 million worth of artwork. Now, her paintings fetch up to $400,000 each with Oprah Winfrey and Whoopie Goldberg as customers. Too young? Not anymore.
Your Front-Row Challenge Here’s my invitation to you today:
1. Identify one excuse you’ve used in the past.
2. Do a little research on someone who had that same excuse.
3. Notice how they didn’t wait for perfect conditions—they moved anyway. There is always evidence out there that your excuse doesn’t have to be the end of your story.
So, let’s let go of what’s been holding us back. Let’s stop sitting in the balcony and let’s take our next Front-Row seat—with courage, curiosity, and confidence. Here’s to fewer excuses and bigger dreams.
Happy Front-Row Friday!
Your Head Usher,
Marilyn
