--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You take a chance to do something and you…" description: "\"You take a chance to do something and you realize in your heart it's either going to be the greatest thing that ever happened or the worst thing that e..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/898/ben-e-king-14975_chance_you-take-a-chance-to-do-something-and-yo_1787238.png" --- # You take a chance to do something and you realize in your… ![“You take a chance to do something and you realize in your heart it's either going to be the greatest thing that ever happened or the worst thing that ever happened. It won't be an in between, I almost made a hit. It will be an instant flop or an instant success.” quote by Ben E. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/898/ben-e-king-14975_chance_you-take-a-chance-to-do-something-and-yo_1787238.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/898/ben-e-king-14975_chance_you-take-a-chance-to-do-something-and-yo_1787238.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/898/ben-e-king-14975_chance_you-take-a-chance-to-do-something-and-yo_1787238.png) > “You take a chance to do something and you realize in your heart it's either going to be the greatest thing that ever happened or the worst thing that ever happened. It won't be an in between, I almost made a hit. It will be an instant flop or an instant success.” [Ben E. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-e-king/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He explains that taking risks leads to outcomes that are either extreme successes or failures, with no middle ground. **In simple terms:** Risk yields all‑or‑nothing results. Key Takeaway Embrace risk, accept possible outcomes. Themes risk creativity success failure Mood anxious excited Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - entrepreneurship - artistic projects - investment decisions Key Concepts binary outcomes decision making Questions to Reflect On - Are you comfortable with total failure? - How to mitigate risk? A Different Perspective All‑or‑nothing can be stressful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Chance Realize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance-realize-1914388/) [Happened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happened/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Instant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instant/) [Instant Flop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instant-flop-1914387/) [Instant Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instant-success-1368598/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Realizing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realizing/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Take a chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/take-a-chance/) [Thing Happened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-happened/) [Worst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worst/) [Worst thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worst-thing/) [Worst things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worst-things/) ## Related quotes > [Your first mistake was leaving me. Your second mistake was giving me the chance to realize I could live without you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-first-mistake-was-leaving-me-your-second-mistake-was-giving-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Your first mistake was leaving me. The second mistake was giving me the chance to realize I could live without you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-first-mistake-was-leaving-me-the-second-mistake-was-giving-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Give me one more chance to realize, give me one more chance to make you mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/give-me-one-more-chance-to-realize-give-me-one-more-chance-to-make/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Your first mistake was letting me go. Your second mistake was giving me the chance to realize that I am happier now without you,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-rowe/your-first-mistake-was-letting-me-go-your-second-mistake-was-giving/) [Rashida Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-rowe/) > [The worst thing that's ever happened to you is not the worst thing that's ever happened to anybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-grodstein/the-worst-thing-that-s-ever-happened-to-you-is-not-the-worst-thing/) [Lauren Grodstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-grodstein/) > [My mother believed he would be healed. She counted on God, and the worst thing happened. The impact of that error in theology, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/my-mother-believed-he-would-be-healed-she-counted-on-god-and-the/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) > [Two things bring instant success in life; how you MANAGE when you have nothing and how you BEHAVE when you have everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya/two-things-bring-instant-success-in-life-how-you-manage-when-you-have/) [Divya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya/) > [Everybody is looking for instant success, but it doesn't work that way. You build a successful life one day at a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/everybody-is-looking-for-instant-success-but-it-doesn-t-work-that-way/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) > [We're not one of those groups who have one song on the radio and, boom, they're an instant success. We worked hard from day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-jonas/we-re-not-one-of-those-groups-who-have-one-song-on-the-radio-and-boom/) [Kevin Jonas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-jonas/) > [Instant success are seldom instant and if you talk to the people behind these successes, you'll find out that they came after months of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/instant-success-are-seldom-instant-and-if-you-talk-to-the-people/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [I think sometimes people will look at the 'X Factor' winners or they will look at reality TV shows and they will think actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicky-morgan/i-think-sometimes-people-will-look-at-the-x-factor-winners-or-they/) [Nicky Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicky-morgan/) > [“His lullaby was an instant success not because it was incomparably original, but because it offered a familiar melody in an original setting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-thompson/his-lullaby-was-an-instant-success-not-because-it-was-incomparably/) [Derek Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-thompson/) > [Everyone wants instant everything, and they want instant success, but I always think you should treat things in the arts like a garden, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-keith/everyone-wants-instant-everything-and-they-want-instant-success-but-i/) [Penelope Keith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-keith/) > [Instant Success has a magical quality; it can vanish in an instant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikas-pillai/instant-success-has-a-magical-quality-it-can-vanish-in-an-instant/) [Vikas Pillai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikas-pillai/) > [Anything edgy won't see instant success. That's why one will have to learn to wait. You're going to see a lot of failures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-tewari/anything-edgy-won-t-see-instant-success-that-s-why-one-will-have-to/) [Naveen Tewari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-tewari/) ## More by Ben E. King > [He was a manager, one of the singers, I guess talent coordinator for the local talent in Harlem. His name was Lover Patterson. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-e-king/he-was-a-manager-one-of-the-singers-i-guess-talent-coordinator-for/) [Ben E. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-e-king/) > [Many times I've gone on tours with Paul Anka. He would have someone sitting behind him to keep people from even talking to him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-e-king/many-times-i-ve-gone-on-tours-with-paul-anka-he-would-have-someone/) [Ben E. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-e-king/) > [I think that the song, the song "Stand By Me" is one of those songs that... and someone asked me, what was you thinking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-e-king/i-think-that-the-song-the-song-stand-by-me-is-one-of-those-songs-that/) [Ben E. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-e-king/) > [Of course, the kids who had never heard of a person called Ben E. King were then aware of the name associated with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-e-king/of-course-the-kids-who-had-never-heard-of-a-person-called-ben-e-king/) [Ben E. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-e-king/) > [I'm a songwriter. So I'm OK. But when I wrote "Stand By Me" as a song and to know that the song will probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-e-king/i-m-a-songwriter-so-i-m-ok-but-when-i-wrote-stand-by-me-as-a-song-and/) [Ben E. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-e-king/) > [And, because there was an honesty about all that was going on. It connected with the people in the street.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-e-king/and-because-there-was-an-honesty-about-all-that-was-going-on-it/) [Ben E. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-e-king/) > [I would imagine after the first recording session with Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller and Atlantic Records I began to realize that this is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-e-king/i-would-imagine-after-the-first-recording-session-with-jerry-leiber/) [Ben E. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-e-king/) > [I don't care what studio I'm in, I don't care what producers is producing it and I don't care what song it is because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-e-king/i-don-t-care-what-studio-i-m-in-i-don-t-care-what-producers-is/) [Ben E. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-e-king/) > [If the sky that we look upon should tumble and fall. Or the mountain should crumble to the sea. I won't cry, no I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-e-king/if-the-sky-that-we-look-upon-should-tumble-and-fall-or-the-mountain/) [Ben E. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-e-king/) > [Yeah. I've been pretty fortunate to travel I guess, all around the place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-e-king/yeah-i-ve-been-pretty-fortunate-to-travel-i-guess-all-around-the-place/) [Ben E. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-e-king/) > [I do a lot of Vegas work and work with the comedians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-e-king/i-do-a-lot-of-vegas-work-and-work-with-the-comedians/) [Ben E. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-e-king/) > [It never dawned on me at any particular time of my life that people are paid tremendous money to sing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-e-king/it-never-dawned-on-me-at-any-particular-time-of-my-life-that-people/) [Ben E. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-e-king/) > [When we took on the name The Drifters, we became the new Drifters, and signed a contract to be put on salary, which I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-e-king/when-we-took-on-the-name-the-drifters-we-became-the-new-drifters-and/) [Ben E. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-e-king/) > [We were doing things with a hundred per cent feeling. It wasn't programmed. It wasn't asked for. It wasn't structured. It was just there.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-e-king/we-were-doing-things-with-a-hundred-per-cent-feeling-it-wasn-t/) [Ben E. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-e-king/) > [The movie is actually from a book by Stephen King called The Body. When they were gonna put it to a motion picture, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-e-king/the-movie-is-actually-from-a-book-by-stephen-king-called-the-body/) [Ben E. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-e-king/) [Explore all 44 Ben E. King quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-e-king/) ## 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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": "You take a chance to do something and you realize in your heart it's either going to be the greatest thing that ever happened or the worst thing that ever happened. It won't be an in between, I almost made a hit. It will be an instant flop or an instant success.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ben E. 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