To stop using excuses as exemptions, name the constraint, the action it blocks, and the action it leaves available. If nothing feasible remains, the appropriate next step may be support or a revised commitment.
A worked situation: No transport
Fictional example. A reader cannot travel to a meeting because transport is unavailable. Sending the relevant document or asking for a remote option may remain possible; travel itself is still genuinely blocked.
Work through these questions: No transport
| Question or field | Fictional completed example |
|---|---|
| Constraint? | No transport |
| Blocked step? | Attend in person |
| Available option? | Ask for remote access |
| Support needed? | Accessible meeting link |
| Revised commitment? | Send the document if attendance fails |
Revise the commitment around the real constraint
State what the constraint prevented and what it did not prevent. If the original promise was no longer feasible, communicate the change and request the missing decision or support. An available smaller step may still be useful. Kerub’s alibi lens should lead to an accurate action or update, not to denying the obstacle or promising impossible control.