If you wish to make progress, lay aside your alibis.
Sam Torode’s “The Manual“ (Enchiridion), Chapter 12
Epictetus is talking about lying to yourself.
Let’s say your car breaks down. You say “it happened because the car is yellow.” Or, “it’s running just fine” when quite evidently there may be a lurking issue. How will you properly respond to the event? Or learn from it?