--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's a great thing when you realize you…" description: "\"It's a great thing when you realize you still have the ability to surprise yourself. Makes you wonder what else you can do that you've forgotten about...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d74/alan-ball-7404_ability_it-s-a-great-thing-when-you-realize-you_956742.jpg" --- # It's a great thing when you realize you still have the… ![“It's a great thing when you realize you still have the ability to surprise yourself. Makes you wonder what else you can do that you've forgotten about.” quote by Alan Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d74/alan-ball-7404_ability_it-s-a-great-thing-when-you-realize-you_956742.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d74/alan-ball-7404_ability_it-s-a-great-thing-when-you-realize-you_956742.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d74/alan-ball-7404_ability_it-s-a-great-thing-when-you-realize-you_956742.jpg) > “It's a great thing when you realize you still have the ability to surprise yourself. Makes you wonder what else you can do that you've forgotten about.” [Alan Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-ball/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑surprise shows untapped potential, encouraging continual growth. **In simple terms:** You can still surprise yourself. Key Takeaway Explore forgotten abilities. Themes creativity self‑discovery growth Mood inspirational curious Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career pivots - hobbies - learning new skills - personal challenges Key Concepts potential self‑efficacy exploration Questions to Reflect On - What hidden talents could you revive? - How does surprise fuel motivation? A Different Perspective Fear of failure may limit experimentation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty/) [Great things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-things/) [Self -awareness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-awareness/) [Self discovery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-discovery/) [Surprise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surprise/) [Wonder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonder/) ## Related quotes > [It's a great thing when you realize you still have the ability to surprise yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burnham/it-s-a-great-thing-when-you-realize-you-still-have-the-ability-to/) [Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burnham/) > [The essence of comedy, drama, and horror is surprise. I have an uncanny ability to surprise people because they look at my face, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/the-essence-of-comedy-drama-and-horror-is-surprise-i-have-an-uncanny/) [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) > [“These world-class performers don’t have superpowers. The rules they’ve crafted for themselves allow the bending of reality to such an extent that it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/these-world-class-performers-don-t-have-superpowers-the-rules-they-ve/) [Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/) > [“The living, thank heaven, retain the ability to surprise and to disappoint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/the-living-thank-heaven-retain-the-ability-to-surprise-and-to/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“The more absurd, the more “impossible” the question, the more profound the answers. Take, for instance, a question that serial billionaire Peter Thiel likes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/the-more-absurd-the-more-impossible-the-question-the-more-profound/) [Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/) > [“Error sometimes supplies the surprise that makes life interesting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-liu/error-sometimes-supplies-the-surprise-that-makes-life-interesting/) Aimee Liu > [Surprise makes a joke funny. I love it when someone tells me something I couldn't possibly have expected; you've been led along one path…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-long/surprise-makes-a-joke-funny-i-love-it-when-someone-tells-me-something/) Josie Long > [The idea of surprise is part of what makes something funny, or what gets a reaction. At least when I'm an audience member, after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlyne-yi/the-idea-of-surprise-is-part-of-what-makes-something-funny-or-what/) [Charlyne Yi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlyne-yi/) > [“Unexpected ideas are more likely to stick because surprise makes us pay attention and think.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-heath/unexpected-ideas-are-more-likely-to-stick-because-surprise-makes-us/) [Chip Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-heath/) > [“It tugs at something deep inside me, makes me wonder, when I never wonder. Makes me want, when I never want.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-wolff/it-tugs-at-something-deep-inside-me-makes-me-wonder-when-i-never/) [Tracy Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-wolff/) > [The ballet makes us look at those bodies, it makes us listen to that music, it makes us wonder at the geometry, of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-guare/the-ballet-makes-us-look-at-those-bodies-it-makes-us-listen-to-that/) [John Guare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-guare/) > [Everything is made in china, makes me wonder if I was made in china too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diego-vargas/everything-is-made-in-china-makes-me-wonder-if-i-was-made-in-china-too/) Diego Vargas > [“It makes you wonder. All the brilliant things we mght have done with our lives if only we suspected we knew how.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/it-makes-you-wonder-all-the-brilliant-things-we-mght-have-done-with/) [Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/) > [CHANGES, is a word that MAKES US WONDER WHY.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyssa/changes-is-a-word-that-makes-us-wonder-why/) [ALYSSA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyssa/) > [I can see it. This one moment when you know you’re not a sad story. You’re alive. And you stand up and see the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/i-can-see-it-this-one-moment-when-you-know-you-re-not-a-sad-story-you-2/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) ## More by Alan Ball > [The important thing is that he shook hands with us over the phone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-ball/the-important-thing-is-that-he-shook-hands-with-us-over-the-phone/) [Alan Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-ball/) > [“Well did you call the hypothetical hardware store and buy a theoretical chainsaw?-- Pam to Jessica, True Blood”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-ball/well-did-you-call-the-hypothetical-hardware-store-and-buy-a/) [Alan Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-ball/) > [“Pam: I don't know what it is about me that makes people think I want to hear their problems. Maybe I smile too much.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-ball/pam-i-don-t-know-what-it-is-about-me-that-makes-people-think-i-want/) [Alan Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-ball/) > [Television viewing has become for me a completely different experience, because I don't watch shows on a weekly basis. I wait until the DVD…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-ball/television-viewing-has-become-for-me-a-completely-different/) [Alan Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-ball/) > [I don't really know what it is about vampires that makes them such a powerful symbol, metaphor, whatever in people's consciousness. But I do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-ball/i-don-t-really-know-what-it-is-about-vampires-that-makes-them-such-a/) [Alan Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-ball/) > [I am a little suspicious of industry paradigms. I feel like so many movies and TV shows feel so familiar because of over-reliance on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-ball/i-am-a-little-suspicious-of-industry-paradigms-i-feel-like-so-many/) [Alan Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-ball/) > [“I had always heard your entire life flashes in front of your eyes the second before you die. First of all, that one second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-ball/i-had-always-heard-your-entire-life-flashes-in-front-of-your-eyes-the/) [Alan Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-ball/) > [I'm 53. I don't care about high school students. I find them irritating and uninformed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-ball/i-m-53-i-don-t-care-about-high-school-students-i-find-them-irritating/) [Alan Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-ball/) > [Beauty is in the strangest places. A piece of garbage floating in the wind. And that beauty exists in America. It exists everywhere. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-ball/beauty-is-in-the-strangest-places-a-piece-of-garbage-floating-in-the/) [Alan Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-ball/) > [The difference between film and TV is the pace. You don't have the leisure of time in television.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-ball/the-difference-between-film-and-tv-is-the-pace-you-don-t-have-the/) [Alan Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-ball/) > ['Six Feet Under' was about repressing our deepest, most primal impulses, and 'True Blood' is about giving full sway to them all the time.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-ball/six-feet-under-was-about-repressing-our-deepest-most-primal-impulses/) [Alan Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-ball/) > [I'd seen 'Interview with A Vampire' and saw Dracula movies growing up, but I never thought, 'I love vampires; I have to do a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-ball/i-d-seen-interview-with-a-vampire-and-saw-dracula-movies-growing-up/) [Alan Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-ball/) > [“The idea of celibate vampires is ridiculous. To me, vampires are sex. I don't get a vampire story about abstinence. I don't care about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-ball/the-idea-of-celibate-vampires-is-ridiculous-to-me-vampires-are-sex-i/) [Alan Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-ball/) > [As a writer, it's fun to create. And once you get into a long-running show with very established characters and a very established tone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-ball/as-a-writer-it-s-fun-to-create-and-once-you-get-into-a-long-running/) [Alan Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-ball/) > [I'm from the South, so while I personally find it impossible to live there, I still have a fondness for it as a geographical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-ball/i-m-from-the-south-so-while-i-personally-find-it-impossible-to-live/) [Alan Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-ball/) [Explore all 91 Alan Ball quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-ball/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's a great thing when you realize you still have the ability to surprise yourself. 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