--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I can't live my life under the sort of \"I…" description: "\"I can't live my life under the sort of \"I cannot fail\" philosophy, because then every time I do fail, which feels more inevitable than me being perfect..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/613/damon-lindelof-6799_crush_i-can-t-live-my-life-under-the-sort-of-i_1503098.jpg" --- # I can't live my life under the sort of "I cannot fail"… ![“I can't live my life under the sort of "I cannot fail" philosophy, because then every time I do fail, which feels more inevitable than me being perfect all the time, it's going to be soul crushing. And more importantly, I'll never take any risks.” quote by Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/613/damon-lindelof-6799_crush_i-can-t-live-my-life-under-the-sort-of-i_1503098.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/613/damon-lindelof-6799_crush_i-can-t-live-my-life-under-the-sort-of-i_1503098.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/613/damon-lindelof-6799_crush_i-can-t-live-my-life-under-the-sort-of-i_1503098.jpg) > “I can't live my life under the sort of "I cannot fail" philosophy, because then every time I do fail, which feels more inevitable than me being perfect all the time, it's going to be soul crushing. And more importantly, I'll never take any risks.” [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Fear of failure can paralyze creativity, leading to risk‑averse choices that stifle growth. **In simple terms:** Fear of failure blocks risk‑taking. Key Takeaway Embrace failure as a learning tool. Themes creativity risk self‑esteem Mood introspective motivational Type inspirational psychological When to use this quote - writing - entrepreneurship - personal development - team leadership Key Concepts growth mindset psychology innovation Questions to Reflect On - What risks have you avoided? - How can you reframe failure? A Different Perspective Some failure is necessary; not all risks pay off. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Crush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crush/) [Crushing Importantly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crushing-importantly-5516071/) [Fail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fail/) [Fail Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fail-feels-5516070/) [Fail Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fail-philosophy-5516069/) [Failing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failing/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Feels Inevitable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels-inevitable-400640/) [Inevitable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inevitable/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Live My Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-my-life/) [Living my life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living-my-life/) [Perfect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfect/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Risk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risk/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) ## Related quotes > [ \[ Oval House\] director, Peter Oliver, gave you the right to fail. He had a philosophy that came from Winston Churchill that you go… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ratzenberger/oval-house-director-peter-oliver-gave-you-the-right-to-fail-he-had-a/) [John Ratzenberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ratzenberger/) > [My goal is always to make something unpredictable that feels inevitable in the end. It's getting harder to do that. Audiences are so sophisticated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/my-goal-is-always-to-make-something-unpredictable-that-feels/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > [“My soul feels lighter at the mere sight of him. Complicated feels simple. Unlikely feels inevitable. Only he makes me feel this way -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-derouen/my-soul-feels-lighter-at-the-mere-sight-of-him-complicated-feels/) [J.A. Derouen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-derouen/) > [It's always very important to me to try to create a story that feels unpredictable. You can't jump ahead and see what's coming, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/it-s-always-very-important-to-me-to-try-to-create-a-story-that-feels/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > [I'm gonna live my life. I won't watch the time go by. I won't keep it inside. Freak out, let it go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avril-lavigne/i-m-gonna-live-my-life-i-won-t-watch-the-time-go-by-i-won-t-keep-it/) [Avril Lavigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avril-lavigne/) > [To hell with your cancer. I've been living with cancer for the better part of a year. Right from the start, it's a death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-white/to-hell-with-your-cancer-i-ve-been-living-with-cancer-for-the-better/) [Walter White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-white/) > [I'm going to live my life. It's nobody else's decision, but mine. I think there are a lot worse things I could be doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-stewart/i-m-going-to-live-my-life-it-s-nobody-else-s-decision-but-mine-i/) [Tony Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-stewart/) > [I just want to live my life the best way I can and enjoy the moment that I have off the court because you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grigor-dimitrov/i-just-want-to-live-my-life-the-best-way-i-can-and-enjoy-the-moment/) [Grigor Dimitrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grigor-dimitrov/) > [I began to see myself as someone who can help others understand diversity rather than feeling like a social outcast. Ellen taught me to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/portia-de-rossi/i-began-to-see-myself-as-someone-who-can-help-others-understand/) [Portia de Rossi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/portia-de-rossi/) > [The way I would live my life is: never do something in real life that I would not want to write about in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddharth-katragadda/the-way-i-would-live-my-life-is-never-do-something-in-real-life-that/) [Siddharth Katragadda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddharth-katragadda/) > [In green old gardens, hidden away From sight of revel and sound of strife, Here I have leisure to breathe and move, And to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/violet-fane/in-green-old-gardens-hidden-away-from-sight-of-revel-and-sound-of/) [Violet Fane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/violet-fane/) > [I live my life, breathless... A life of constant motion and excitement. A life that many will envy and most would avoid!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-burdon/i-live-my-life-breathless-a-life-of-constant-motion-and-excitement-a/) [Eric Burdon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-burdon/) > [I try to live my life where I end up at a point where I have no regrets. So I try to choose the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-aronofsky/i-try-to-live-my-life-where-i-end-up-at-a-point-where-i-have-no/) [Darren Aronofsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-aronofsky/) > [I have to live my life, and it is the only one I’ll ever have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/i-have-to-live-my-life-and-it-is-the-only-one-i-ll-ever-have/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [My mom was an enthusiastic, positive, glass-is-half-full type of person and that is how I live my life and I owe that to her.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kliff-kingsbury/my-mom-was-an-enthusiastic-positive-glass-is-half-full-type-of-person/) [Kliff Kingsbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kliff-kingsbury/) ## More by Damon Lindelof > [I make no distinction between writing and storytelling; I've always wanted to tell stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/i-make-no-distinction-between-writing-and-storytelling-i-ve-always/) [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) > [I've always believed that a good twist is one that, when it is presented to the audience, half of them say, 'I saw that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/i-ve-always-believed-that-a-good-twist-is-one-that-when-it-is/) [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) > [I'll never be immune to criticism, and that's okay, and I'm very comfortable with that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/i-ll-never-be-immune-to-criticism-and-that-s-okay-and-i-m-very/) [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) > [I don't think anybody wants to see a dour 'Star Trek' movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/i-don-t-think-anybody-wants-to-see-a-dour-star-trek-movie/) [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) > [There is a reason behind life. There is some connectivity between living beings. Whether you want to call that 'God' or 'The Force' or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/there-is-a-reason-behind-life-there-is-some-connectivity-between/) [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) > [I remember what it was like to be doing 'Lost' and how creatively immersive it was. I just couldn't really engage on anything else,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/i-remember-what-it-was-like-to-be-doing-lost-and-how-creatively/) [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) > [My father - until the day that my dad died - didn't know how many points you scored in a touchdown. He could say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/my-father-until-the-day-that-my-dad-died-didn-t-know-how-many-points/) [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) > [Look, we can definitively agree that cable is far superior to network. That isn't to say that there can't be a great network drama…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/look-we-can-definitively-agree-that-cable-is-far-superior-to-network/) [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) > [I feel like great TED Talks are ones that are a little bit subject to interpretation, that do provoke further conversation - and potentially…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/i-feel-like-great-ted-talks-are-ones-that-are-a-little-bit-subject-to/) [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) > [I love the 'Lost' ending. I stand by it, but there are a lot of people out there who hate it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/i-love-the-lost-ending-i-stand-by-it-but-there-are-a-lot-of-people/) [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) > [You can watch an episode of Friends or an episode of Law & Order and just drop in, but you're not going to in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/you-can-watch-an-episode-of-friends-or-an-episode-of-law-order-and/) [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) > [Michael Arndt, that guy - you're just supposed to say nice things about other writers, but I worship Michael Arndt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/michael-arndt-that-guy-you-re-just-supposed-to-say-nice-things-about/) [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) > [The interpretive element of 'Lost' - the fact that you immediately need, as soon as the episode is over, to seek out a community…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/the-interpretive-element-of-lost-the-fact-that-you-immediately-need/) [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) > [Star Wars' is a galaxy a long time ago, far, far away. 'Star Wars' is not about our future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/star-wars-is-a-galaxy-a-long-time-ago-far-far-away-star-wars-is-not/) [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) > [I felt like if I said something positive on Twitter, it got no play. But if I said something negative on Twitter, it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/i-felt-like-if-i-said-something-positive-on-twitter-it-got-no-play/) [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) [Explore all 97 Damon Lindelof quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) ## More Crush quotes > [Mortals are such fragile things. Just tender feelings walking around exposed in their delicate shells...Easy to crush.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-marr/mortals-are-such-fragile-things-just-tender-feelings-walking-around/) [Melissa Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-marr/) > [Each child’s story is worthy of telling. There shouldn’t be a sliding scale of death. The weight of it is crushing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anderson-cooper/each-child-s-story-is-worthy-of-telling-there-shouldn-t-be-a-sliding/) [Anderson Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anderson-cooper/) > [I wish that I coul be her. but in the mean time dont forget about me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenzie-ann/i-wish-that-i-coul-be-her-but-in-the-mean-time-dont-forget-about-me/) [Kenzie-ann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenzie-ann/) > [I had to smile when stories emerged questioning whether I was gay. Obviously I knew I wasn't but people were curiously desperate to suggest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-radcliffe/i-had-to-smile-when-stories-emerged-questioning-whether-i-was-gay/) [Daniel Radcliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-radcliffe/) > [I already know that u know that I like u, the question is Wat r u going to do with that information.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/i-already-know-that-u-know-that-i-like-u-the-question-is-wat-r-u/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [“My mom believed that you make your own luck. Over the stove she had hung these old, maroon painted letters that spell out, “MANIFEST.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmy-laybourne/my-mom-believed-that-you-make-your-own-luck-over-the-stove-she-had/) [Emmy Laybourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmy-laybourne/) > [I'm very disturbed to find out that the leader of the Townies has a soul and I'm beginning to develop a bit of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/i-m-very-disturbed-to-find-out-that-the-leader-of-the-townies-has-a/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [“Connor Crane was currently the secret crush of half the female HHH population. And a couple of the males, too.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gemma-halliday/connor-crane-was-currently-the-secret-crush-of-half-the-female-hhh/) [Gemma Halliday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gemma-halliday/) > [My dream would be to hear rocks at my window n to look out and see u just standing there, in the pouring rain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blondie/my-dream-would-be-to-hear-rocks-at-my-window-n-to-look-out-and-see-u/) [Blondie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blondie/) > [Tireless passion, fierce jealousy, longing to possess and crush-these alone were left of all his love for Rosalind; these remained to him as payment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/tireless-passion-fierce-jealousy-longing-to-possess-and-crush-these/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [He sank into the rocking chair, the same one in which Rebecca had sat during the early days of the house to give embroidery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/he-sank-into-the-rocking-chair-the-same-one-in-which-rebecca-had-sat/) [Gabriel Garcia Marquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [...It's an unmeetable level of writing. But even if it's something I feel like I can't ever attain, it doesn't crush my spirit. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-banks/it-s-an-unmeetable-level-of-writing-but-even-if-it-s-something-i-feel/) [Paul Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-banks/) > [Life appears to me too short to be spent in nursing animosity, or registering wrongs. With this creed, revenge never worries my heart, degradation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/life-appears-to-me-too-short-to-be-spent-in-nursing-animosity-or/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [Hold tenderly that which you cherish, for it is precious and a tight grip may crush it. Do not let the fear of dropping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-alberti/hold-tenderly-that-which-you-cherish-for-it-is-precious-and-a-tight/) [Bob Alberti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-alberti/) > [In love, making your crush jealous is not going to help it would just make it more complicated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-valdez/in-love-making-your-crush-jealous-is-not-going-to-help-it-would-just/) [Sarah Valdez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-valdez/) [Browse all 2,147 Crush quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crush/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I can't live my life under the sort of \"I cannot fail\" philosophy, because then every time I do fail, which feels more inevitable than me being perfect all the time, it's going to be soul crushing. 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