--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Many a man has walked up to the…" description: "\"Many a man has walked up to the opportunity for which he has long been preparing himself, looked it full in the face, and then begun to get cold feet....." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c30/b-c-forbes-2124_betting_many-a-man-has-walked-up-to-the-opportun_922542.jpg" --- # Many a man has walked up to the opportunity for which he… ![“Many a man has walked up to the opportunity for which he has long been preparing himself, looked it full in the face, and then begun to get cold feet... when it comes to betting on yourself and your power to do the thing you know you must do or write yourself down a failure, you're a…” quote by B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c30/b-c-forbes-2124_betting_many-a-man-has-walked-up-to-the-opportun_922542.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c30/b-c-forbes-2124_betting_many-a-man-has-walked-up-to-the-opportun_922542.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c30/b-c-forbes-2124_betting_many-a-man-has-walked-up-to-the-opportun_922542.jpg) > “Many a man has walked up to the opportunity for which he has long been preparing himself, looked it full in the face, and then begun to get cold feet... when it comes to betting on yourself and your power to do the thing you know you must do or write yourself down a failure, you're a chicken-livered coward if you hesitate.” [B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Preparing creates opportunity, but fear of failure can paralyze action, leading to self‑sabotage. **In simple terms:** Preparation meets fear; hesitation equals failure. Key Takeaway Act despite fear; trust your preparation. Themes confidence fear self‑efficacy risk failure Mood determined anxious Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career decisions - entrepreneurship - creative projects - public speaking - investments Key Concepts psychology motivation self‑sabotage Questions to Reflect On - What would you risk if fear vanished? - How can you turn preparation into decisive action? A Different Perspective Even with preparation, doubt can dominate, making success unlikely without boldness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Betting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/betting/) [Chickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chickens/) [Cold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cold/) [Cold feet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cold-feet/) [Coward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coward/) [Coward Hesitate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coward-hesitate-1439064/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Feet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feet/) [Hesitate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hesitate/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Livered Coward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/livered-coward-1439066/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [Preparing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preparing/) [Walked Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/walked-opportunity-1439065/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [When it comes to betting on yourself... you're a chicken-livered coward if you hesitate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/when-it-comes-to-betting-on-yourself-you-re-a-chicken-livered-coward/) [B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/) > [“It was in December. I stood in the back of the tram, all the way in the back. It drove through the country and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nescio/it-was-in-december-i-stood-in-the-back-of-the-tram-all-the-way-in-the/) [Nescio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nescio/) > [I had been offered other shows, before 'Meri Awaaz...' but honestly, the very thought of long and grueling working hours of TV shows gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amrita-rao/i-had-been-offered-other-shows-before-meri-awaaz-but-honestly-the/) [Amrita Rao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amrita-rao/) > [She the shit, She the one. She got cold feet, my love will be the sun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wale/she-the-shit-she-the-one-she-got-cold-feet-my-love-will-be-the-sun/) [Wale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wale/) > [“Before I was born she had bought herself a new home health care book. It was large and expensive, and it was a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/before-i-was-born-she-had-bought-herself-a-new-home-health-care-book/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) > [“Pull yourself together, Detective. You're embarrassing yourself, and more imprtant, you're embarrassing me." "They're going to do it outside. In public." "So the fuck…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-robb/pull-yourself-together-detective-you-re-embarrassing-yourself-and/) [J.D. Robb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-robb/) > [When I first got back from the war, I said, 'I'm gonna write the Great American Novel about the Vietnam War.' So I sat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marlantes/when-i-first-got-back-from-the-war-i-said-i-m-gonna-write-the-great/) [Karl Marlantes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marlantes/) > [“You are gone silence screams in my ears I have cold feet Stepping out of my bed that morning was the hardest thing I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sakshi-narula/you-are-gone-silence-screams-in-my-ears-i-have-cold-feet-stepping-out/) [Sakshi Narula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sakshi-narula/) > [You never know when some crazed rodent with cold feet could be running loose in your pants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/you-never-know-when-some-crazed-rodent-with-cold-feet-could-be/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [When I was 14, sippin on my OE. Tryna marry money but that bitch kept getting cold feet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-miller/when-i-was-14-sippin-on-my-oe-tryna-marry-money-but-that-bitch-kept/) [Mac Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-miller/) > [I have been a part of stage shows, but yes, I do get cold feet when I think that every move of mine will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amruta-khanvilkar/i-have-been-a-part-of-stage-shows-but-yes-i-do-get-cold-feet-when-i/) [Amruta Khanvilkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amruta-khanvilkar/) > [“(This is from a tribute poem to Ronnie James Dio: Former lead vocalist of the band Rainbow, Black Sabbath. This is written with all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/munia-khan/this-is-from-a-tribute-poem-to-ronnie-james-dio-former-lead-vocalist/) [Munia Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/munia-khan/) > [What was great about 'Cold Feet' is that although it flew off down all different avenues, it was really based on believing the reality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-baxendale/what-was-great-about-cold-feet-is-that-although-it-flew-off-down-all/) [Helen Baxendale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-baxendale/) > [“My grandfather once told her if you couldn't read with cold feet, there wouldn't be a literate soul in the state of Maine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/my-grandfather-once-told-her-if-you-couldn-t-read-with-cold-feet/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) > [You cannot warm the hearts of people with God's love if they have an empty stomach and cold feet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-booth/you-cannot-warm-the-hearts-of-people-with-god-s-love-if-they-have-an/) [William Booth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-booth/) ## More by B. C. Forbes > [Our future and our fate lie in our wills more than in our hands, for our hands are but the instruments of our wills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/our-future-and-our-fate-lie-in-our-wills-more-than-in-our-hands-for/) [B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/) > [What one thing does the world need most today-apart, that is, from the all-inclusive thing we call righteousness? Aren't you inclined to agree that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/what-one-thing-does-the-world-need-most-today-apart-that-is-from-the/) [B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/) > [Are soft-hearted people handicapped in business? You have heard a businessman say of someone else, He's all right, but he's too soft-hearted… To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/are-soft-hearted-people-handicapped-in-business-you-have-heard-a/) [B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/) > [Search and you will find that at the base and birth of every great business organization was an enthusiast, man consumed with earnestness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/search-and-you-will-find-that-at-the-base-and-birth-of-every-great/) [B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/) > [A big business man was telling Henry Ford about a coach driver of super-expertness with his whip. The driver was telling how he could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/a-big-business-man-was-telling-henry-ford-about-a-coach-driver-of/) [B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/) > [Better to be occasionally cheated than perpetually suspicious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/better-to-be-occasionally-cheated-than-perpetually-suspicious/) [B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/) > [Honesty pays dividends both in dollars and in peace of mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/honesty-pays-dividends-both-in-dollars-and-in-peace-of-mind/) [B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/) > [Timing is everything. Tell me how a young man spends his evenings and I will tell you how far he is likely to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/timing-is-everything-tell-me-how-a-young-man-spends-his-evenings-and/) [B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/) > [To succeed, we must have the will to succeed, we must have stamina, determination, backbone, perseverance, self-reliance, and faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/to-succeed-we-must-have-the-will-to-succeed-we-must-have-stamina/) [B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/) > [There are two brands of discontent: the brand that merely fosters greed and snarling and back-biting, and the brand that inspires greater and greater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/there-are-two-brands-of-discontent-the-brand-that-merely-fosters/) [B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/) > [Which class is happiest, the rich, the middle class or the poor? A very successful executive of a large organization touches upon this vital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/which-class-is-happiest-the-rich-the-middle-class-or-the-poor-a-very/) [B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/) > [Are your desires purely selfish? Do your tastes run to a grand home, automobiles, fine clothes, an abundance of amusements, and so forth? If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/are-your-desires-purely-selfish-do-your-tastes-run-to-a-grand-home/) [B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/) > [When you delve deep enough, you find that practically every great fortune and great enterprise in America have sprung from the courageous enterprise of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/when-you-delve-deep-enough-you-find-that-practically-every-great/) [B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/) > [It can be set down as a broad, general principle that we cannot indulge in idleness and abundance during both the first and second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/it-can-be-set-down-as-a-broad-general-principle-that-we-cannot/) [B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/) > [The Christmas spirit brings home to us-or should bring home to us-the profound Biblical truth that it is more blessed to give than to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/the-christmas-spirit-brings-home-to-us-or-should-bring-home-to-us-the/) [B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/) [Explore all 184 B. C. Forbes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/) ## More Betting quotes > [Once the war began, the government could do anything 'necessary' to win it; so it was with the 'final solution of the Jewish problem,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-mayer/once-the-war-began-the-government-could-do-anything-necessary-to-win/) [Milton Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-mayer/) > [In most betting shops you will see three windows marked 'Bet Here', but only one window with the legend 'Pay Out'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-bernard/in-most-betting-shops-you-will-see-three-windows-marked-bet-here-but/) [Jeffrey Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-bernard/) > [Betting on football had been banned and, if anything, things got worse. I'd bet on horses instead. I knew absolutely nothing about horses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-lafferty/betting-on-football-had-been-banned-and-if-anything-things-got-worse/) [Kyle Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-lafferty/) > [“Winning is never about luck alone — it's about timing, patience, and trusting the game.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pkbook99/winning-is-never-about-luck-alone-it-s-about-timing-patience-and/) [PKBook99](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pkbook99/) > [Markets are constantly in a state of uncertainty and flux and money is made by discounting the obvious and betting on the unexpected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/markets-are-constantly-in-a-state-of-uncertainty-and-flux-and-money/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [Can you make fancy patterns of water that actually have some computation power? I'm betting that fluids are complex enough to do this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-tao/can-you-make-fancy-patterns-of-water-that-actually-have-some/) [Terence Tao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-tao/) > [I hope that my 'Jeopardy' run helps destigmatize sports betting because I have certainly dealt with some stigmas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-holzhauer/i-hope-that-my-jeopardy-run-helps-destigmatize-sports-betting-because/) [James Holzhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-holzhauer/) > [The financial crisis of 2008 was not caused by investment banks betting against the housing market in 2007. It was caused by the fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-surowiecki/the-financial-crisis-of-2008-was-not-caused-by-investment-banks/) [James Surowiecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-surowiecki/) > [If you're betting all the time, everything is just another bet. You don't even think about the money after you've made the arrangements. You're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-riggs/if-you-re-betting-all-the-time-everything-is-just-another-bet-you-don/) [Bobby Riggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-riggs/) > [When I'm introspective about the last few years I think the biggest mistake that we made, as a company, is betting too much on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-zuckerberg/when-i-m-introspective-about-the-last-few-years-i-think-the-biggest/) [Mark Zuckerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-zuckerberg/) > [When you talk about locker room betting, we bet on everything... It's no different than anyone else's office pool. Money changes hands in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-belle/when-you-talk-about-locker-room-betting-we-bet-on-everything-it-s-no/) [Albert Belle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-belle/) > [In betting on races, there are two elements that are never lacking - hope as hope, and an incomplete recollection of the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-v-lucas/in-betting-on-races-there-are-two-elements-that-are-never-lacking/) [E. V. Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-v-lucas/) > [Hold'em - like life itself - has its defining moment. It's the flop. When you see the flop, you're looking at 71 percent of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-krieger/hold-em-like-life-itself-has-its-defining-moment-it-s-the-flop-when/) [Lou Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-krieger/) > [The trading rules I live by are: 1. Cut losses. 2. Ride winners. 3. Keep bets small. 4. Follow the rules without question. 5.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-seykota/the-trading-rules-i-live-by-are-1-cut-losses-2-ride-winners-3-keep/) [Ed Seykota](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-seykota/) > [We are far betting dealing with the big losses-death, divorce, debt, and debilitating illness-than with the daily onslaught of little losses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ban-breathnach/we-are-far-betting-dealing-with-the-big-losses-death-divorce-debt-and/) [Sarah Ban Breathnach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ban-breathnach/) [Browse all 223 Betting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/betting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Many a man has walked up to the opportunity for which he has long been preparing himself, looked it full in the face, and then begun to get cold feet... when it comes to betting on yourself and your power to do the thing you know you must do or write yourself down a failure, you're a chicken-livered coward if you hesitate.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "B. C. Forbes" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/many-a-man-has-walked-up-to-the-opportunity-for-which-he-has-long/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Betting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/many-a-man-has-walked-up-to-the-opportunity-for-which-he-has-long/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c30/b-c-forbes-2124_betting_many-a-man-has-walked-up-to-the-opportun_922542.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c30/b-c-forbes-2124_betting_many-a-man-has-walked-up-to-the-opportun_922542.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c30/b-c-forbes-2124_betting_many-a-man-has-walked-up-to-the-opportun_922542.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Many a man has walked up to the opportunity for which he has long been preparing himself, looked it full in…” — B. C. Forbes", "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": "B. C. Forbes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Many a man has walked up...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/many-a-man-has-walked-up-to-the-opportunity-for-which-he-has-long/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/many-a-man-has-walked-up-to-the-opportunity-for-which-he-has-long/#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 } } ] } ```