---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Don't make the mistake of doing nothing…"
description: "\"“Don't make the mistake of doing nothing. Standing still is not an acceptable option. You can be like a deer on the highway caught in the headlights--f..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/901/art-berg-16759_failure_don-t-make-the-mistake-of-doing-nothing_410895.jpg"
---

#  Don't make the mistake of doing nothing. Standing still is…

![“Don't make the mistake of doing nothing. Standing still is not an acceptable option. You can be like a deer on the highway caught in the headlights--freezing in your tracks until life passes you by--or you can move. If you move, you increase the odds of living longer and better.” quote by Art Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/901/art-berg-16759_failure_don-t-make-the-mistake-of-doing-nothing_410895.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/901/art-berg-16759_failure_don-t-make-the-mistake-of-doing-nothing_410895.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/901/art-berg-16759_failure_don-t-make-the-mistake-of-doing-nothing_410895.jpg)

> ““Don't make the mistake of doing nothing. Standing still is not an acceptable option. You can be like a deer on the highway caught in the headlights--freezing in your tracks until life passes you by--or you can move. If you move, you increase the odds of living longer and better.””

[Art Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-berg/)

## About This Quote

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

Inaction leads to stagnation; taking movement improves life outcomes.

**In simple terms:** Doing nothing hurts; moving helps.

Key Takeaway

Take action to improve your life.

Themes

motivation action life improvement

Mood

determined energetic

Type

inspirational motivational

When to use this quote

- career advancement
- health
- personal projects
- relationships

Key Concepts

personal growth decision making risk assessment

Questions to Reflect On

- What small step can you take today?
- How do you overcome fear of moving forward?

A Different Perspective

Movement alone doesn't guarantee success; effort matters.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Doing Standing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-standing-1749357/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living/) [Living Longer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living-longer-495639/) [Longer Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/longer-better-3664061/) [Standing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/standing/)

## Related quotes

> [We can all live longer, better, than we ever could before. You don't have to retire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-burstyn/we-can-all-live-longer-better-than-we-ever-could-before-you-don-t/)

[Ellen Burstyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-burstyn/)

> [You don't put out music unless you have a sense that people will maybe like what you're doing or you're standing for something artistically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-bruno/you-don-t-put-out-music-unless-you-have-a-sense-that-people-will/)

[Aaron Bruno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-bruno/)

> [If you're considered a beauty, it's hard to be accepted doing anything but standing around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cybill-shepherd/if-you-re-considered-a-beauty-it-s-hard-to-be-accepted-doing-anything/)

[Cybill Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cybill-shepherd/)

> [I think everything that happens to you becomes a part of what you end up doing and being and standing for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-grey/i-think-everything-that-happens-to-you-becomes-a-part-of-what-you-end/)

[Joel Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-grey/)

> [I sometimes think, 'What am I doing standing on this red carpet?' It's hard to believe. You just tell yourself, 'Just play along and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-heaton/i-sometimes-think-what-am-i-doing-standing-on-this-red-carpet-it-s/)

[Charlie Heaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-heaton/)

> [“He thought of the old commonplace about how giving up vices didn’t make you live longer, but just made it feel as though you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-connolly/he-thought-of-the-old-commonplace-about-how-giving-up-vices-didn-t/)

[John Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-connolly/)

> [Living longer is about loving longer, learning longer, teaching longer, connecting longer, if we figure out the supports and infrastructure to make all of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-jen-poo/living-longer-is-about-loving-longer-learning-longer-teaching-longer/)

[Ai-jen Poo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-jen-poo/)

> [We don't beat the reaper by living longer, we beat the reaper by living well and living fully.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/we-don-t-beat-the-reaper-by-living-longer-we-beat-the-reaper-by/)

[Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/)

> [I do believe that we baby-boomers are reinventing ageing as we enter it. We're living longer and expecting more from life; the success of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-moggach/i-do-believe-that-we-baby-boomers-are-reinventing-ageing-as-we-enter/)

[Deborah Moggach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-moggach/)

> [We all understand that we are living longer, and we are more likely to spend more years as frail, elderly people who can't work.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/we-all-understand-that-we-are-living-longer-and-we-are-more-likely-to/)

[Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/)

> [A lot of people aren't saving enough. And incidentally, people are living longer now, and health care is improving. You might end up retired…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-shiller/a-lot-of-people-aren-t-saving-enough-and-incidentally-people-are/)

[Robert J. Shiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-shiller/)

> [Family caregiving has become a predictable crisis. Americans are living longer and longer but dying slower and slower.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-sheehy/family-caregiving-has-become-a-predictable-crisis-americans-are/)

[Gail Sheehy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-sheehy/)

> [The quality of health care continues to improve, and people are living longer, but these developments mean that we're likely to eventually find ourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/the-quality-of-health-care-continues-to-improve-and-people-are-living/)

[Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/)

> [If the American people have their health care paid for by the government, depending on their age and their condition, they will be subject…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-hentoff/if-the-american-people-have-their-health-care-paid-for-by-the/)

[Nat Hentoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-hentoff/)

> [“In other words, we’re living longer, but we’re living sicker.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-greger/in-other-words-we-re-living-longer-but-we-re-living-sicker/)

[Michael Greger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-greger/)

## More by Art Berg

> [“You have the power to think whatever you choose to allow into your head. If something just "pops" into your head, you have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-berg/you-have-the-power-to-think-whatever-you-choose-to-allow-into-your/)

[Art Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-berg/)

> [“If we ignore pain long enough, it will eventually go away. But by the time it does, we may have caused lasting and permanent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-berg/if-we-ignore-pain-long-enough-it-will-eventually-go-away-but-by-the/)

[Art Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-berg/)

> [“The longer you continue the journey, the more exciting it becomes, because of the chance you have to learn about who you really are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-berg/the-longer-you-continue-the-journey-the-more-exciting-it-becomes/)

[Art Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-berg/)

> [“You will know what steps to take to move up in your life, what to do when conflict develops, and most important, how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-berg/you-will-know-what-steps-to-take-to-move-up-in-your-life-what-to-do/)

[Art Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-berg/)

> [“Is that you? When you fail, are you too humiliated or ashamed to ask for help? When you suffer, are you too embarrassed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-berg/is-that-you-when-you-fail-are-you-too-humiliated-or-ashamed-to-ask/)

[Art Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-berg/)

> [“Even if projects and new ventures do not work out, even if you undergo more disappointment or more suffering, at least you had the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-berg/even-if-projects-and-new-ventures-do-not-work-out-even-if-you-undergo/)

[Art Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-berg/)

> [“Even if all the changes don't work the way you hope, you are doing wonders for yourself just by actively engaging in change. Every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-berg/even-if-all-the-changes-don-t-work-the-way-you-hope-you-are-doing/)

[Art Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-berg/)

> [“It seems so impossible to believe that your best time in life exists at no other time and in no other place than the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-berg/it-seems-so-impossible-to-believe-that-your-best-time-in-life-exists/)

[Art Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-berg/)

> [“I'm not saying people should not be held accountable for their hurtful behavior. But the only thing blaming does is to keep the focus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-berg/i-m-not-saying-people-should-not-be-held-accountable-for-their/)

[Art Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-berg/)

> [“In fact, when you're trying to change, it is sometimes preferable not to rely so much on your experience. In today's world of change,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-berg/in-fact-when-you-re-trying-to-change-it-is-sometimes-preferable-not/)

[Art Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-berg/)

> [“I discovered a long time ago that my happiness is not a condition of my circumstances. Rather, happiness is a choice, and I make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-berg/i-discovered-a-long-time-ago-that-my-happiness-is-not-a-condition-of/)

[Art Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-berg/)

> [“Does the Lord really expect us to be grateful when things aren't going well? Even though He said we should grateful "in all things,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-berg/does-the-lord-really-expect-us-to-be-grateful-when-things-aren-t/)

[Art Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-berg/)

> [“Never forget that God has given every single one of us the most astonishing uniqueness. There's no one in the world who can do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-berg/never-forget-that-god-has-given-every-single-one-of-us-the-most/)

[Art Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-berg/)

> [“Try this exercise: Make a list of whatever is going wrong in your life, from the biggest events to the most trivial items, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-berg/try-this-exercise-make-a-list-of-whatever-is-going-wrong-in-your-life/)

[Art Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-berg/)

> [“Just as a good chief executive officer keeps looking for ways to change because he or she knows that nothing will be the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-berg/just-as-a-good-chief-executive-officer-keeps-looking-for-ways-to/)

[Art Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-berg/)

[Explore all 39 Art Berg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-berg/)

## More Failure quotes

> [When you do things they're absolutely right at that time for you and it can always teach you something about yourself. You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-marsh/when-you-do-things-they-re-absolutely-right-at-that-time-for-you-and/)

[Kym Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-marsh/)

> [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/failures-happen-you-can-t-cry-over-them-you-just-take-it-in-your/)

[Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/)

> [No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/no-one-is-completely-unhappy-at-the-failure-of-his-best-friend/)

[Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/)

> [“Rhiannon's Law #28: If you're going to fuck up, be sure to fuck up good and proper. Nothing makes failure acceptable, so you might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/rhiannon-s-law-28-if-you-re-going-to-fuck-up-be-sure-to-fuck-up-good/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Failure is a part of life and you have to learn to deal with it. Failure is something that is part of life's cycle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/failure-is-a-part-of-life-and-you-have-to-learn-to-deal-with-it/)

[Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/)

> [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/)

[Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/)

> [First action was a mistake. What about the second? third? fourth and fifth?...Mehn you are bad...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/first-action-was-a-mistake-what-about-the-second-third-fourth-and/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [God's love never fail :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-s-love-never-fail/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Don’t you just hate nights like that, when you think over every mistake you’ve made, every hurt you’ve received, every bit of meanness you’ve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlaine-harris/don-t-you-just-hate-nights-like-that-when-you-think-over-every/)

[Charlaine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlaine-harris/)

> [“Our failure to understand another being's inner reality doesn't make that reality any less real, or any less valuable to that being. (p.255)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-schulz/our-failure-to-understand-another-being-s-inner-reality-doesn-t-make/)

[Kathryn Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-schulz/)

> [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/)

[Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/)

> [Don't take too much comfort in the fact that you're successful today because tomorrow could bring failure. There's no surety in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-savage/don-t-take-too-much-comfort-in-the-fact-that-you-re-successful-today/)

[Michael Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-savage/)

> [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/)

[Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/)

> [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/)

[Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/)

> [As we are coming to the end of the year, I want you to forget about the past, the failure, the negative thoughts or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-we-are-coming-to-the-end-of-the-year-i-want-you-to-forget-about/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

[Browse all 27,498 Failure quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Don't make the mistake of doing nothing. Standing still is not an acceptable option. You can be like a deer on the highway caught in the headlights--freezing in your tracks until life passes you by--or you can move. If you move, you increase the odds of living longer and better.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Art Berg"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-berg/don-t-make-the-mistake-of-doing-nothing-standing-still-is-not-an/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Failure"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-berg/don-t-make-the-mistake-of-doing-nothing-standing-still-is-not-an/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/901/art-berg-16759_failure_don-t-make-the-mistake-of-doing-nothing_410895.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/901/art-berg-16759_failure_don-t-make-the-mistake-of-doing-nothing_410895.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/901/art-berg-16759_failure_don-t-make-the-mistake-of-doing-nothing_410895.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Don't make the mistake of doing nothing. Standing still is not an acceptable option. You can be like a deer…” — Art Berg",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Art Berg",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-berg/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Don't make the mistake of doing...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-berg/don-t-make-the-mistake-of-doing-nothing-standing-still-is-not-an/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-berg/don-t-make-the-mistake-of-doing-nothing-standing-still-is-not-an/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
