--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If at first you don't succeed, remove all…" description: "\"“If at first you don't succeed, remove all evidence you ever tried. ”\" — David Brent" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7d/david-brent-71090_evidence_if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-remove-all_405051.jpg" --- # If at first you don't succeed, remove all evidence you… ![“If at first you don't succeed, remove all evidence you ever tried.” quote by David Brent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7d/david-brent-71090_evidence_if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-remove-all_405051.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7d/david-brent-71090_evidence_if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-remove-all_405051.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7d/david-brent-71090_evidence_if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-remove-all_405051.jpg) > ““If at first you don't succeed, remove all evidence you ever tried. ”” David Brent ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Failure can be hidden by denying attempts, but evidence of effort remains essential for growth. **In simple terms:** Don’t erase proof of trying when you fail. Key Takeaway Accept failure, learn, and keep evidence of attempts. Themes failure humor self‑awareness growth Mood humorous self‑critical Type motivational reflective When to use this quote - performance reviews - personal development - creative projects Key Concepts denial accountability learning from mistakes Questions to Reflect On - How do you document your attempts? - What can you learn from a failed effort? A Different Perspective Erasing evidence may prevent learning from past mistakes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you ever tried.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-mckeeby/if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-destroy-all-evidence-that-you-ever-tried/) Phoebe McKeeby > [“If at first you don’t succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried.” - Chloe Traeger”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-shalvis/if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-destroy-all-evidence-that-you-tried-3/) [Jill Shalvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-shalvis/) > [If at first you don't succeed, erase all evidence that you tried.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-erase-all-evidence-that-you-tried/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If at first you don't succeed, erase all evidence that you ever tried.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-erase-all-evidence-that-you-ever-tried/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If u dnt succeed at first,hide all evidence that u tried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/femxzie/if-u-dnt-succeed-at-first-hide-all-evidence-that-u-tried/) [FemxZie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/femxzie/) > [If at first you dont succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-at-first-you-dont-succeed-destroy-all-evidence-that-you-tried/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried." From Head Over Heels, by Jill Shalvis”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-shalvis/if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-destroy-all-evidence-that-you-tried-2/) [jill shalvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-shalvis/) > [If you don't succeed at first, hide all evidence that you tried.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-don-t-succeed-at-first-hide-all-evidence-that-you-tried/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-destroy-all-evidence-that-you-tried/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If at first you dont succeed,.. Destroy all evidence that you even tried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-faw/if-at-first-you-dont-succeed-destroy-all-evidence-that-you-even-tried/) Amber Faw > [A motto I've adopted is, if at first you don't succeed, hide all evidence that you ever tried.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-collins/a-motto-i-ve-adopted-is-if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-hide-all/) [Billy Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-collins/) > [Be neither too early in the fashion, nor too long out of it, nor too precisely in it; what custom hath civilized is become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/be-neither-too-early-in-the-fashion-nor-too-long-out-of-it-nor-too/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [The truth is, of course, that the curtness of the Ten Commandments is an evidence, not of the gloom and narrowness of a religion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-truth-is-of-course-that-the-curtness-of-the-ten-commandments-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by David Brent > [“You think you can see the light at the end of the tunnel, but it’s only some bugger with a torch bringing you more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brent/you-think-you-can-see-the-light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel-but-it-s/) David Brent > [“So my motto would be, 'Be careful,'cause there's always someone ready to step into your shoes ... and do your job better ... than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brent/so-my-motto-would-be-be-careful-cause-there-s-always-someone-ready-to/) David Brent > [“Eagles may soar high, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brent/eagles-may-soar-high-but-weasels-don-t-get-sucked-into-jet-engines/) David Brent Explore all 4 David Brent quotes ## More Evidence quotes > [The truth is, of course, that the curtness of the Ten Commandments is an evidence, not of the gloom and narrowness of a religion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-truth-is-of-course-that-the-curtness-of-the-ten-commandments-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [Be neither too early in the fashion, nor too long out of it, nor too precisely in it; what custom hath civilized is become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/be-neither-too-early-in-the-fashion-nor-too-long-out-of-it-nor-too/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) > [“What you owe your critics are your RESULTS not explanations not defence just RESULTS.Evidence terminates Arguments.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fela-durotoye/what-you-owe-your-critics-are-your-results-not-explanations-not/) [Fela Durotoye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fela-durotoye/) > [“Dogmatism compensates for evidence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-wallace/dogmatism-compensates-for-evidence/) Dana Wallace > [“Cops aren't really your friends, they are trying to be your friends but they are not… - They are searching evidence to PIN YOU.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deyth-banger/cops-aren-t-really-your-friends-they-are-trying-to-be-your-friends/) Deyth Banger > [There's overwhelming evidence... circumstantial and otherwise, to suggest a connection between Iraq and al Qaeda.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/there-s-overwhelming-evidence-circumstantial-and-otherwise-to-suggest/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [Miracles are like candles lit up until the sun rises, and then blown out. Therefore, I am amused when I hear sects and churches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/miracles-are-like-candles-lit-up-until-the-sun-rises-and-then-blown/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [“Human unhappiness is evidence of our immortality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rodriguez/human-unhappiness-is-evidence-of-our-immortality/) [Richard Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rodriguez/) > [The state is in danger of falling into disrepute due to the evidence of its inadequate resources.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jurgen-habermas/the-state-is-in-danger-of-falling-into-disrepute-due-to-the-evidence/) [Jurgen Habermas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jurgen-habermas/) > [You are innocent until proven guilty. And if folks have come forward, whether it is judge Roy Moore or whether it is anyone else,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-rosendale/you-are-innocent-until-proven-guilty-and-if-folks-have-come-forward/) [Matt Rosendale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-rosendale/) > [There is still zero empirical evidence that anthropogenic production of CO2 is making any measurable contribution to the world's present warming trend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-cockburn/there-is-still-zero-empirical-evidence-that-anthropogenic-production/) [Alexander Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-cockburn/) > [“‎If you regard evidence as a constraint and seek to free yourself, you sell yourself into the chains of your whims. For you cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/if-you-regard-evidence-as-a-constraint-and-seek-to-free-yourself-you/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) > [ We have reached a situation where a theory has been accepted as fact by some, and possible contrary evidence is shunted aside. \[This is\]… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-shapiro/we-have-reached-a-situation-where-a-theory-has-been-accepted-as-fact/) [Robert Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-shapiro/) Browse all 3,643 Evidence quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If at first you don't succeed, remove all evidence you ever tried. ”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Brent" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brent/if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-remove-all-evidence-you-ever-tried/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Evidence" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brent/if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-remove-all-evidence-you-ever-tried/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7d/david-brent-71090_evidence_if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-remove-all_405051.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7d/david-brent-71090_evidence_if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-remove-all_405051.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7d/david-brent-71090_evidence_if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-remove-all_405051.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If at first you don't succeed, remove all evidence you ever tried.” — David Brent", "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": "David Brent", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brent/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“If at first you don't succeed,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brent/if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-remove-all-evidence-you-ever-tried/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brent/if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-remove-all-evidence-you-ever-tried/#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 } } ] } ```