--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Fear, uncertainty and discomfort are your…" description: "\"Fear, uncertainty and discomfort are your compasses toward growth. If you run you stand a chance of losing, but if you don't run you've already lost.\" ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/170/barack-obama-17_chance_fear-uncertainty-and-discomfort-are-your_1944095.jpg" --- # Fear, uncertainty and discomfort are your compasses toward… ![“Fear, uncertainty and discomfort are your compasses toward growth. If you run you stand a chance of losing, but if you don't run you've already lost.” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/170/barack-obama-17_chance_fear-uncertainty-and-discomfort-are-your_1944095.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/170/barack-obama-17_chance_fear-uncertainty-and-discomfort-are-your_1944095.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/170/barack-obama-17_chance_fear-uncertainty-and-discomfort-are-your_1944095.jpg) > “Fear, uncertainty and discomfort are your compasses toward growth. If you run you stand a chance of losing, but if you don't run you've already lost.” [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Fear and uncertainty guide growth; taking risks is essential, otherwise you for before trying. **In simple terms:** Risk leads to growth. Key Takeaway Embrace uncertainty to grow. Themes risk growth comfort zone motivation Mood inspirational hopeful Type political motivational When to use this quote - career change - entrepreneurship - personal health - creative pursuits Key Concepts Existential psychology behavioral economics Questions to Reflect On - What fear holds you back? - How can you measure calculated risk? A Different Perspective Too much risk can be reckless. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Compass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compass/) [Discomfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discomfort/) [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Growth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growth/) [Inspirational change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational-change/) [Life changing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-changing/) [Life changing inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-changing-inspirational/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Uncertainty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uncertainty/) ## Related quotes > [If you run you stand a chance of losing, but if you don't run you've already lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/if-you-run-you-stand-a-chance-of-losing-but-if-you-don-t-run-you-ve/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [cross that person off your invitation list.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eliot/cross-that-person-off-your-invitation-list/) [John Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eliot/) > [Don't settle, as with all matters of the heart you'll know when you find it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/don-t-settle-as-with-all-matters-of-the-heart-you-ll-know-when-you/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [You're already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/you-re-already-naked-there-is-no-reason-not-to-follow-your-heart/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [If you haven't found it yet, keep looking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/if-you-haven-t-found-it-yet-keep-looking/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/let-things-flow-naturally-forward-in-whatever-way-they-like/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/here-s-to-the-crazy-ones-the-misfits-the-rebels-the-troublemakers-the-2/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [The most difficult thing is the decision to act!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-earhart/the-most-difficult-thing-is-the-decision-to-act/) [Amelia Earhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-earhart/) > [God's love is as objective as light. Because the sun in a sense is light, or the source of light rather than being lit,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/god-s-love-is-as-objective-as-light-because-the-sun-in-a-sense-is/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [All life-changing love is inconvenient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/all-life-changing-love-is-inconvenient/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [One doesn't discover new lands without consenting to lose sight, for a very long time, of the shore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/one-doesn-t-discover-new-lands-without-consenting-to-lose-sight-for-a/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [You can't start the next chapter of your life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcmillian/you-can-t-start-the-next-chapter-of-your-life/) [Michael McMillian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcmillian/) > [What you think you become.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/what-you-think-you-become/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [You become what you believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/you-become-what-you-believe/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [Life is what happens to you while you're planning on doing something else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/life-is-what-happens-to-you-while-you-re-planning-on-doing-something/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) ## More by Barack Obama > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Donald Trump is temperamentally unfit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/donald-trump-is-temperamentally-unfit/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [What we've said to the girls is: 'If you guys ever decide that you're going to get a tattoo, then mommy and me will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/what-we-ve-said-to-the-girls-is-if-you-guys-ever-decide-that-you-re/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Nobody is listening to your telephone calls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/nobody-is-listening-to-your-telephone-calls/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [All of us take offense to anyone who reaps the rewards of living in America without taking on the responsibilities of living in America.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/all-of-us-take-offense-to-anyone-who-reaps-the-rewards-of-living-in/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The world is complicated and full of grays, but there's still truth there to be found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-world-is-complicated-and-full-of-grays-but-there-s-still-truth/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ That is another theme in the book \[Dreams from My Father\]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams-from-my-father-how-do-we/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I can say across Europe that many principles that have been taken for granted here around free speech, and around civil liberties and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-say-across-europe-that-many-principles-that-have-been-taken-for/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-americans-understand-the-costs-of-war-yet-as-a-country-we-will/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I want to thank the Greek people publicly for their humanitarian response to the crisis of so many migrants and refugees seeking safety in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-want-to-thank-the-greek-people-publicly-for-their-humanitarian/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We had a farewell dinner for some of my senior staff, and generally everybody likes to talk about how cool I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-had-a-farewell-dinner-for-some-of-my-senior-staff-and-generally/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ It's good to get fresh legs in \[the White house\]. I think that it refreshes our democracy. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-good-to-get-fresh-legs-in-the-white-house-i-think-that-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Believe it or not, entertainment is part of our American diplomacy, it is part of what makes us exceptional, part of what makes us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/believe-it-or-not-entertainment-is-part-of-our-american-diplomacy-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Explore all 3,624 Barack Obama quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## More Chance quotes > [Before I debuted, it was my goal to make my debut, and afterwards, I aimed at winning champion titles on television music shows, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyuna/before-i-debuted-it-was-my-goal-to-make-my-debut-and-afterwards-i/) [Hyuna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyuna/) > [I understand it's promotion, but no one ever gave me a chance. No one ever thought I'd be the champ, and look where I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stipe-miocic/i-understand-it-s-promotion-but-no-one-ever-gave-me-a-chance-no-one/) [Stipe Miocic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stipe-miocic/) > [I might, by chance, write something just as shoddy; But then I wouldn't show it to everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moliere/i-might-by-chance-write-something-just-as-shoddy-but-then-i-wouldn-t/) [Moliere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moliere/) > [When I get a chance to play golf or go on a boat with good people, take the boat out and put some lobsters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-mac/when-i-get-a-chance-to-play-golf-or-go-on-a-boat-with-good-people/) [Bernie Mac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-mac/) > [The happy medium is television. And if you find a good suitor, you can do it for years. With movies, you roll the dice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-campbell/the-happy-medium-is-television-and-if-you-find-a-good-suitor-you-can/) [Bruce Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-campbell/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I have heard that if you pull a bent breath through the second hole of a harmonica tuned to the key of Georgia while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddy-wakefield/i-have-heard-that-if-you-pull-a-bent-breath-through-the-second-hole/) [Buddy Wakefield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddy-wakefield/) > [There are times when we can feel destiny close around us like a fist around a doorknob. Sure, we can resist. But a knob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/there-are-times-when-we-can-feel-destiny-close-around-us-like-a-fist/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Pain held no terror for him. Pain was, if not friend, then family, something he had grown up with in his crèche, learning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/pain-held-no-terror-for-him-pain-was-if-not-friend-then-family/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [Love changes people, for better or for worse. You could look at it as a chance for you to change. The best kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-changes-people-for-better-or-for-worse-you-could-look-at-it-as-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It's not who, it's when”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-taubas/it-s-not-who-it-s-when/) Alejandro Taubas > [Childhood is Last Chance Gulch for happiness. After that, you know too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/childhood-is-last-chance-gulch-for-happiness-after-that-you-know-too/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [I thought my first few jobs would just be off, off, off, off, off broadway. And by chance and how the world works, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-dorfman/i-thought-my-first-few-jobs-would-just-be-off-off-off-off-off/) [Tommy Dorfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-dorfman/) > [If you’re worrying about the past, you’ve got a good chance of screwing up the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-a-tullman/if-you-re-worrying-about-the-past-you-ve-got-a-good-chance-of/) [Howard A. Tullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-a-tullman/) > [To be successful, one must take chances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-stargell/to-be-successful-one-must-take-chances/) [Willie Stargell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-stargell/) [Browse all 12,460 Chance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Fear, uncertainty and discomfort are your compasses toward growth. 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