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Can I do it? I'd rather not try and fail." "That's stupid…

“Can I do it? I'd rather not try and fail." "That's stupid talk, Maya. Every try will not succeed. But if you're going to live, live at all, your business is trying. And if you fail once, so what? Old folks say, Every shuteye ain't sleep and every goodbye ain't gone. You fail, you get up and try…” quote by Maya Angelou
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““Can I do it? I'd rather not try and fail." "That's stupid talk, Maya. Every try will not succeed. But if you're going to live, live at all, your business is trying. And if you fail once, so what? Old folks say, Every shuteye ain't sleep and every goodbye ain't gone. You fail, you get up and try again.””

Maya Angelou

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The passage urges perseverance, emphasizing that failure is part of living fully and that trying is essential despite fear of failure.

In simple terms: Keep trying despite fear of failure.

Key Takeaway

Embrace effort, accept failure as learning.

Themes

perseverance effort resilience

Mood

inspirational encouraging

Type

philosophical motivational

When to use this quote

  • career challenges
  • creative projects
  • personal goals
  • learning new skills

Key Concepts

growth mindset self‑compassion

Questions to Reflect On

  • What does “fail” teach you?
  • How can you celebrate effort over outcome?
A Different Perspective

Failure can undermine confidence if not reframed.

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