--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The thing is you never know what you can…" description: "\"The thing is you never know what you can do until you try it. Even if you try, you still may fail, but that's when you have to go and prepare because i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe7/booker-t-5410_fail_the-thing-is-you-never-know-what-you-can_1903007.jpg" --- # The thing is you never know what you can do until you try… ![“The thing is you never know what you can do until you try it. Even if you try, you still may fail, but that's when you have to go and prepare because if you're not prepared, you're preparing to fail.” quote by Booker T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe7/booker-t-5410_fail_the-thing-is-you-never-know-what-you-can_1903007.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe7/booker-t-5410_fail_the-thing-is-you-never-know-what-you-can_1903007.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe7/booker-t-5410_fail_the-thing-is-you-never-know-what-you-can_1903007.jpg) > “The thing is you never know what you can do until you try it. Even if you try, you still may fail, but that's when you have to go and prepare because if you're not prepared, you're preparing to fail.” [Booker T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/booker-t/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. You discover your abilities only by attempting; preparation turns potential failure into success. **In simple terms:** Try to know what you can do; prepare to succeed. Key Takeaway Attempt, then prepare for outcomes. Themes effort preparation resilience Mood reflective determined Type inspirational cautionary When to use this quote - entrepreneurship - sports competition - academic exams Key Concepts self‑efficacy growth mindset Questions to Reflect On - What can you prepare for now? - When does preparation become overthinking? A Different Perspective Over‑preparation can cause anxiety and indecision. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fail/) [Fail Prepare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fail-prepare-1110404/) [Go](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/go/) [Know Try](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-try/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [Prepare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prepare/) [Preparing Fail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preparing-fail-669048/) [Preparing to fail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preparing-to-fail/) [Still](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/still/) [Try](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/try/) [Try Fail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/try-fail/) ## Related quotes > [Those who fail to prepare are preparing to fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karim-seddiki/those-who-fail-to-prepare-are-preparing-to-fail/) [Karim Seddiki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karim-seddiki/) > [“By failing to prepare, you a preparing to fail.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-franklin/by-failing-to-prepare-you-a-preparing-to-fail/) [Ben Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-franklin/) > [By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/by-failing-to-prepare-you-are-preparing-to-fail/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [The one who fails to prepare is preparing to fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/the-one-who-fails-to-prepare-is-preparing-to-fail/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Failing To Prepare is To Preparing To Fail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/failing-to-prepare-is-to-preparing-to-fail/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/failing-to-prepare-is-preparing-to-fail/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [Don't measure yourself by what you have accomplished, but by what you should have accomplished with your ability. Do not let what you cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/don-t-measure-yourself-by-what-you-have-accomplished-but-by-what-you-2/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [Failure to prepare is preparing to fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-murdock/failure-to-prepare-is-preparing-to-fail/) [Mike Murdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-murdock/) > [If you're fail to prepare, you're prepared to fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-spitz/if-you-re-fail-to-prepare-you-re-prepared-to-fail/) [Mark Spitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-spitz/) > [“Don't be so distracted with the fascination of winning that you fail to prepare well to sustain it when it comes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinonye-j-chidolue/don-t-be-so-distracted-with-the-fascination-of-winning-that-you-fail/) [Chinonye J. Chidolue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinonye-j-chidolue/) > [Though there will be times in our lives that we may try and fail, we must know to try and keep trying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/though-there-will-be-times-in-our-lives-that-we-may-try-and-fail-we/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [Confidence - Poise and confidence are not possible unless you have prepared correctly. Failing to prepare is preparing to fail. Poise and confidence are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/confidence-poise-and-confidence-are-not-possible-unless-you-have/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [“Always have a backup plan in case you fail. Prepare for another business.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ehab-atalla/always-have-a-backup-plan-in-case-you-fail-prepare-for-another/) [Ehab Atalla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ehab-atalla/) > [If you fail to prepare you prepare to fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-burns/if-you-fail-to-prepare-you-prepare-to-fail/) [Donnie Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-burns/) > [“However, if you fail to prepare, you will either go through stress to win your race or you may quit when the battle becomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/however-if-you-fail-to-prepare-you-will-either-go-through-stress-to/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) ## More by Booker T > [Baltimore is a great wrestling town.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/booker-t/baltimore-is-a-great-wrestling-town/) [Booker T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/booker-t/) > [I know I'm not going to be working with the WWE forever. That's why I'm going to be the Mayor of the city of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/booker-t/i-know-i-m-not-going-to-be-working-with-the-wwe-forever-that-s-why-i/) [Booker T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/booker-t/) > [People say, 'Respect your elders,' but I always go, 'Respect your young people because they are our future.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/booker-t/people-say-respect-your-elders-but-i-always-go-respect-your-young/) [Booker T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/booker-t/) > [Most people who are not of color, their parents didn't need to tell them how to act around police or what to do if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/booker-t/most-people-who-are-not-of-color-their-parents-didn-t-need-to-tell/) [Booker T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/booker-t/) > [We, as a people, we gotta know when it's time to speak up and when it's time to shut up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/booker-t/we-as-a-people-we-gotta-know-when-it-s-time-to-speak-up-and-when-it-s/) [Booker T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/booker-t/) > [That's what cool about me being here and still being in the wrestling business. I can still give back, even being in the announcer's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/booker-t/that-s-what-cool-about-me-being-here-and-still-being-in-the-wrestling/) [Booker T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/booker-t/) > [At the end of the day, it is about taking care of your family. Going out and doing the job like Stevie Ray would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/booker-t/at-the-end-of-the-day-it-is-about-taking-care-of-your-family-going/) [Booker T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/booker-t/) > [Me personally, I know I've made mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/booker-t/me-personally-i-know-i-ve-made-mistakes/) [Booker T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/booker-t/) > [I do not see Dean Ambrose leaving WWE to go somewhere else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/booker-t/i-do-not-see-dean-ambrose-leaving-wwe-to-go-somewhere-else/) [Booker T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/booker-t/) > [You can become a star overnight, guys. You can be on the street walking one day, and you're on your way to the corner…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/booker-t/you-can-become-a-star-overnight-guys-you-can-be-on-the-street-walking/) [Booker T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/booker-t/) > [Muhammad Ali was my idol, and I always say, if Muhammad Ali had told me the exact same thing my mother, the principal, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/booker-t/muhammad-ali-was-my-idol-and-i-always-say-if-muhammad-ali-had-told-me/) [Booker T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/booker-t/) > [The nWo almost singlehandedly ruined the business as far as good guys, bad guys, cowboys, and Indians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/booker-t/the-nwo-almost-singlehandedly-ruined-the-business-as-far-as-good-guys/) [Booker T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/booker-t/) > [If we truly want to make America great, we need to fix this racial inequality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/booker-t/if-we-truly-want-to-make-america-great-we-need-to-fix-this-racial/) [Booker T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/booker-t/) > [Oh, man, first part of my career was awesome: having my big brother Steve Ray - he's my blood brother, my real brother -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/booker-t/oh-man-first-part-of-my-career-was-awesome-having-my-big-brother/) [Booker T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/booker-t/) > [Personally, I'm not a Republican, and I'm not a Democrat. People need to stop focusing on becoming part of a party and instead voting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/booker-t/personally-i-m-not-a-republican-and-i-m-not-a-democrat-people-need-to/) [Booker T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/booker-t/) [Explore all 101 Booker T quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/booker-t/) ## More Fail quotes > [God's love never fail :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-s-love-never-fail/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Would you like a side of epic with that fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabi/would-you-like-a-side-of-epic-with-that-fail/) [Gabi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabi/) > [Apologies are not pass/fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/apologies-are-not-pass-fail/) [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) > [My willingness to fail gives me the ability to succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinod-khosla/my-willingness-to-fail-gives-me-the-ability-to-succeed/) [Vinod Khosla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinod-khosla/) > [If you have a good idea you must explain it or you will fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/if-you-have-a-good-idea-you-must-explain-it-or-you-will-fail/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [We can't afford any president to fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-beck/we-can-t-afford-any-president-to-fail/) [Glenn Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-beck/) > [What I want is to be willing to fail rather than stagnate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dickey/what-i-want-is-to-be-willing-to-fail-rather-than-stagnate/) [James Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dickey/) > [“If you die, I will find you. I will never leave you. I will never let you go. I will not let you fall,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thea-harrison/if-you-die-i-will-find-you-i-will-never-leave-you-i-will-never-let/) [Thea Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thea-harrison/) > [“The worst outcome of not trying is never getting to fail.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillip-gary-smith/the-worst-outcome-of-not-trying-is-never-getting-to-fail/) [Phillip Gary Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillip-gary-smith/) > [“Many people fail in their career, business and relationship, and others get stuck because of their inability to make quality decisions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nkem-mpamah/many-people-fail-in-their-career-business-and-relationship-and-others/) [Nkem Mpamah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nkem-mpamah/) > [“Quitters don’t gain what they have started working on; waiters don’t start what they could have gained. What is common there is failure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/quitters-don-t-gain-what-they-have-started-working-on-waiters-don-t/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [This is my most important role. If I fail at this, I fail at everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-wahlberg/this-is-my-most-important-role-if-i-fail-at-this-i-fail-at-everything/) [Mark Wahlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-wahlberg/) > [Sunscreen is something that I think a lot of people fail to incorporate into their beauty routines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-zegler/sunscreen-is-something-that-i-think-a-lot-of-people-fail-to/) [Rachel Zegler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-zegler/) > [Never give up on something just because you think you might fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-lee-reed-jr/never-give-up-on-something-just-because-you-think-you-might-fail/) [Jimmy Lee Reed Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-lee-reed-jr/) > [The main thing that endears the United Nations to member governments, and so enables it to survive, is its proven capacity to fail, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-cruise-o-brien/the-main-thing-that-endears-the-united-nations-to-member-governments/) [Conor Cruise O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-cruise-o-brien/) [Browse all 2,202 Fail quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fail/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The thing is you never know what you can do until you try it. 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