--- title: "1 Thing Experience Quotes By Elaine May" description: "1 Thing Experience quotes by Elaine May. Plus more from Elaine May and more Thing Experience sayings from other authors." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f7/elaine-may-30564_determination_the-only-thing-experience-teaches-you-is_1725430.jpg" --- > [The only thing experience teaches you is what you can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-may/the-only-thing-experience-teaches-you-is-what-you-can/) [Elaine May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-may/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f7/elaine-may-30564_determination_the-only-thing-experience-teaches-you-is_1725430.jpg) ## More by Elaine May > [You know, when I was very young, I thought it didn't matter what happened to me when I died, so long as my work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-may/you-know-when-i-was-very-young-i-thought-it-didn-t-matter-what/) [Elaine May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-may/) > [Writing is close to acting. In directing, you control. Acting, you can't control how good you are, and you can't control how good you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-may/writing-is-close-to-acting-in-directing-you-control-acting-you-can-t/) [Elaine May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-may/) > [You know how sometimes you lie in bed at night and think, “What if the law of gravity just wears out and lets go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-may/you-know-how-sometimes-you-lie-in-bed-at-night-and-think-what-if-the/) [Elaine May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-may/) > [Directing is a way of looking at something and then communicating it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-may/directing-is-a-way-of-looking-at-something-and-then-communicating-it/) [Elaine May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-may/) > [Laugh Line' was sort of the way I am at interviews. I could think of nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-may/laugh-line-was-sort-of-the-way-i-am-at-interviews-i-could-think-of/) [Elaine May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-may/) > [The only thing experience teaches you is what you can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-may/the-only-thing-experience-teaches-you-is-what-you-can/) [Elaine May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-may/) > [I'll know when I'm successful. That'll be when Safeway cashes my check without identification.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-may/i-ll-know-when-i-m-successful-that-ll-be-when-safeway-cashes-my-check/) [Elaine May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-may/) > [We have such respect for the English that, when an Englishman says Hollywood sucks, people listen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-may/we-have-such-respect-for-the-english-that-when-an-englishman-says/) [Elaine May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-may/) > [“Quote of the Day “You know how sometimes you lie in bed at night and think, “What if the law of gravity just wears…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-may/quote-of-the-day-you-know-how-sometimes-you-lie-in-bed-at-night-and/) [Elaine May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-may/) > [The only successful person in the world is Bing Crosby. I'm sure he'll be working tomorrow, and that's success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-may/the-only-successful-person-in-the-world-is-bing-crosby-i-m-sure-he-ll/) [Elaine May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-may/) > [The only thing experience teaches you is what you can't do. When you start, you think you can do anything. And then you start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-may/the-only-thing-experience-teaches-you-is-what-you-can-t-do-when-you/) [Elaine May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-may/) > [If all of the people who hate 'Ishtar' had seen it, I would be a rich woman today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-may/if-all-of-the-people-who-hate-ishtar-had-seen-it-i-would-be-a-rich/) [Elaine May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-may/) > [As a woman, they think I want to show that I'm a nice person. I'm no one to be feared. When it comes down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-may/as-a-woman-they-think-i-want-to-show-that-i-m-a-nice-person-i-m-no/) [Elaine May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-may/) > [I feel in opposition to almost everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-may/i-feel-in-opposition-to-almost-everything/) [Elaine May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-may/) > [Luck is very strange. I'm lucky in that I met the guy who said, Go to the University of Chicago, and I hitchhiked there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-may/luck-is-very-strange-i-m-lucky-in-that-i-met-the-guy-who-said-go-to/) [Elaine May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-may/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-experience/elaine-may/#itemlist", "name": "1 Thing Experience Quotes By Elaine May", "numberOfItems": 1, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The only thing experience teaches you is what you can", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Elaine May" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-may/the-only-thing-experience-teaches-you-is-what-you-can/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f7/elaine-may-30564_determination_the-only-thing-experience-teaches-you-is_1725430.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f7/elaine-may-30564_determination_the-only-thing-experience-teaches-you-is_1725430.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f7/elaine-may-30564_determination_the-only-thing-experience-teaches-you-is_1725430.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The only thing experience teaches you is what you can” — Elaine May", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } } ] }, { "@type": "CollectionPage", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-experience/elaine-may/#webpage", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-experience/elaine-may/", "name": "Thing Experience Quotes by Elaine May", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-experience/elaine-may/#itemlist" }, "primaryImageOfPage": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f7/elaine-may-30564_determination_the-only-thing-experience-teaches-you-is_1725430.jpg" }, "description": "1 Thing Experience quotes by Elaine May. 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