--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Instead of fearing what might happen if I…" description: "\"Instead of fearing what might happen if I failed, I should be excited about what could happen if I succeeded!\" — Deborah Smith" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e1/deborah-smith-13837_excited_instead-of-fearing-what-might-happen-if_596531.png" --- # Instead of fearing what might happen if I failed, I should… ![“Instead of fearing what might happen if I failed, I should be excited about what could happen if I succeeded!” quote by Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e1/deborah-smith-13837_excited_instead-of-fearing-what-might-happen-if_596531.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e1/deborah-smith-13837_excited_instead-of-fearing-what-might-happen-if_596531.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e1/deborah-smith-13837_excited_instead-of-fearing-what-might-happen-if_596531.png) > “Instead of fearing what might happen if I failed, I should be excited about what could happen if I succeeded!” [Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Shift from fear of failure to excitement for potential success, encouraging a positive mindset. **In simple terms:** Fear failure; be excited about possible success. Key Takeaway Reframe setbacks as opportunities. Themes mindset risk growth optimism Mood hopeful motivational Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - career change - creative projects - learning new skills - entrepreneurship Key Concepts psychology resilience Questions to Reflect On - What would you try if fear disappeared? - How can you prepare for possible failure? A Different Perspective Success is not guaranteed; risk remains. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Excited](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excited/) [Excited Happen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excited-happen-2926037/) [Failed Excited](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failed-excited-4871083/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Fearing Happen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fearing-happen-4871082/) [Happens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happens/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Instead Fearing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instead-fearing-2716492/) [Might](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/might/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [It's very fun to see how fans react and theorize and get excited about what might happen in future seasons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aidan-gallagher/it-s-very-fun-to-see-how-fans-react-and-theorize-and-get-excited/) [Aidan Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aidan-gallagher/) > [Instead of fearing the unknown - all the bad that can happen - realize that good things can surprise you as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-howes/instead-of-fearing-the-unknown-all-the-bad-that-can-happen-realize/) [Lewis Howes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-howes/) > [Instead of hoping he must fear and instead of fearing he must hope. He must fear that his loss may develop into a much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-lauriston-livermore/instead-of-hoping-he-must-fear-and-instead-of-fearing-he-must-hope-he/) [Jesse Lauriston Livermore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-lauriston-livermore/) > [Instead of fearing the future, I should live and enjoy the present, she told herself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-de-la-cruz/instead-of-fearing-the-future-i-should-live-and-enjoy-the-present-she/) [Melissa de la Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-de-la-cruz/) > [I'm really excited that people are receiving my performance like this. It makes me feel good, because I've been working really hard. And this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/i-m-really-excited-that-people-are-receiving-my-performance-like-this/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [Los Angles to me seems to be a little bit more forgiving. They're just as rowdy and they're just as excited but they understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-cole/los-angles-to-me-seems-to-be-a-little-bit-more-forgiving-they-re-just/) [Adam Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-cole/) > [I am excited to partner with Aeropostale for my very own collection. It was a great experience to be able to work with them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bethany-mota/i-am-excited-to-partner-with-aeropostale-for-my-very-own-collection/) [Bethany Mota](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bethany-mota/) > [I've been so lucky with the people I've worked with, but I'm such a fan girl. When I moved to London at 16, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheridan-smith/i-ve-been-so-lucky-with-the-people-i-ve-worked-with-but-i-m-such-a/) [Sheridan Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheridan-smith/) > [I've been in real estate for a long time and I always try to stay on the edge. I'm really excited about the partnership…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mc-hammer/i-ve-been-in-real-estate-for-a-long-time-and-i-always-try-to-stay-on/) [MC Hammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mc-hammer/) > [I didn't know the city at all, but I was so happy to be in New York I cried. I was so excited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/i-didn-t-know-the-city-at-all-but-i-was-so-happy-to-be-in-new-york-i/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [“I shall be excited when there is something to be excited about. This is not it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-campbell/i-shall-be-excited-when-there-is-something-to-be-excited-about-this/) [Jamie Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-campbell/) > [The best part of making music, for me, is collaborating and working with new people and fresh sounds and all those things that get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariah-carey/the-best-part-of-making-music-for-me-is-collaborating-and-working/) [Mariah Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariah-carey/) > [Don't get too excited, but I'm naked under these clothes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/don-t-get-too-excited-but-i-m-naked-under-these-clothes/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [I feel excited about getting older as an actress, too. I think there are some amazing opportunities around the corner and I don't need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sutton-foster/i-feel-excited-about-getting-older-as-an-actress-too-i-think-there/) [Sutton Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sutton-foster/) > [I was really excited to have the opportunity to make Fiddler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-jewison/i-was-really-excited-to-have-the-opportunity-to-make-fiddler/) [Norman Jewison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-jewison/) ## More by Deborah Smith > [Happy people look young. You’re really afraid of getting older, aren’t you? You should only be afraid of getting less happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/happy-people-look-young-you-re-really-afraid-of-getting-older-aren-t/) [Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) > [“I buried my grief for my son, not my memories, but my grief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/i-buried-my-grief-for-my-son-not-my-memories-but-my-grief/) [Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) > [I read The Vegetarian and fell in love with it. A year later, I was invited to go and speak at the London Book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/i-read-the-vegetarian-and-fell-in-love-with-it-a-year-later-i-was/) [Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) > [A chorus of tough southern belles whispered, You need a loyal husband around here. Loyal to you, loyal to your family, loyal to your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/a-chorus-of-tough-southern-belles-whispered-you-need-a-loyal-husband/) [Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) > [I suspected learning a language would be both useful and enjoyable (I love memorising lists of things), and would get rid of the embarrassment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/i-suspected-learning-a-language-would-be-both-useful-and-enjoyable-i/) [Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) > [“A vida é fugaz. A vida é preciosa. Temos de gozar cada momento. A sensualidade de respirar, de sentir, de querer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/a-vida-fugaz-a-vida-preciosa-temos-de-gozar-cada-momento-a/) [Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) > [“The best sex takes us somewhere. Somewhere warm and expansive, a paradise of lust and happiness. Sex is and can be and should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/the-best-sex-takes-us-somewhere-somewhere-warm-and-expansive-a/) [Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) > [Possibly the best thing about the whole experience is that Kang and I are now really good friends. It's as much of a pleasure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/possibly-the-best-thing-about-the-whole-experience-is-that-kang-and-i/) [Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) > [I've translated two of Bae's novels, A Greater Music and Recitation, which are coming from Open Letter and Deep Vellum in October and January…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/i-ve-translated-two-of-bae-s-novels-a-greater-music-and-recitation/) [Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) > [Simon Collinson, of digital publisher Canelo and über-cool Aussie mag The Lifted Brow, is our digital producer; Sarah Shin, Verso's comms director, is helping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/simon-collinson-of-digital-publisher-canelo-and-ber-cool-aussie-mag/) [Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) > [There's no linear narrative - the structure is more like a series of variations on a theme (how identity is shaped by language), with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/there-s-no-linear-narrative-the-structure-is-more-like-a-series-of/) [Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) > [There’s something very freeing about losing the anchors that have always defined you. Frightening, sad, but exhilarating in a poignant way, as well. You’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/there-s-something-very-freeing-about-losing-the-anchors-that-have/) [Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) > [Plus, publishing's inherent conservatism, means that what little did get through was weighted towards the commercial end of the scale, which is not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/plus-publishing-s-inherent-conservatism-means-that-what-little-did/) [Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) > [ Whenever I visit Korea she \[Kang\] buys me lunch and takes me to a gallery. As if all this wasn't enough, she has incredible… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/whenever-i-visit-korea-she-kang-buys-me-lunch-and-takes-me-to-a/) [Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) > [“I don’t ask for guarantees. I’ll tell you what I want. I want to laugh with you. Sit and look at you. Wake up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/i-don-t-ask-for-guarantees-i-ll-tell-you-what-i-want-i-want-to-laugh/) [Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) [Explore all 47 Deborah Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) ## More Excited quotes > [I was really excited to have the opportunity to make Fiddler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-jewison/i-was-really-excited-to-have-the-opportunity-to-make-fiddler/) [Norman Jewison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-jewison/) > [I feel excited about getting older as an actress, too. I think there are some amazing opportunities around the corner and I don't need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sutton-foster/i-feel-excited-about-getting-older-as-an-actress-too-i-think-there/) [Sutton Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sutton-foster/) > [Don't get too excited, but I'm naked under these clothes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/don-t-get-too-excited-but-i-m-naked-under-these-clothes/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [The best part of making music, for me, is collaborating and working with new people and fresh sounds and all those things that get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariah-carey/the-best-part-of-making-music-for-me-is-collaborating-and-working/) [Mariah Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariah-carey/) > [“I shall be excited when there is something to be excited about. This is not it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-campbell/i-shall-be-excited-when-there-is-something-to-be-excited-about-this/) [Jamie Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-campbell/) > [I didn't know the city at all, but I was so happy to be in New York I cried. I was so excited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/i-didn-t-know-the-city-at-all-but-i-was-so-happy-to-be-in-new-york-i/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [I've been in real estate for a long time and I always try to stay on the edge. I'm really excited about the partnership…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mc-hammer/i-ve-been-in-real-estate-for-a-long-time-and-i-always-try-to-stay-on/) [MC Hammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mc-hammer/) > [I've been so lucky with the people I've worked with, but I'm such a fan girl. When I moved to London at 16, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheridan-smith/i-ve-been-so-lucky-with-the-people-i-ve-worked-with-but-i-m-such-a/) [Sheridan Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheridan-smith/) > [I am excited to partner with Aeropostale for my very own collection. It was a great experience to be able to work with them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bethany-mota/i-am-excited-to-partner-with-aeropostale-for-my-very-own-collection/) [Bethany Mota](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bethany-mota/) > ['Dirt Road Diaries,' in my mind, is a perfect country guy song. It speaks to the hard-working guy, and I'm excited for the fans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-bryan/dirt-road-diaries-in-my-mind-is-a-perfect-country-guy-song-it-speaks/) [Luke Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-bryan/) > [I read novels but I also read the Bible. And study it, you know? And the more I learn, the more excited I get.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-cash/i-read-novels-but-i-also-read-the-bible-and-study-it-you-know-and-the/) [Johnny Cash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-cash/) > [I keep telling myself to calm down, to take less of an interest in things and not to get so excited, but I still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-adie/i-keep-telling-myself-to-calm-down-to-take-less-of-an-interest-in/) [Kate Adie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-adie/) > [I'm really excited about anything that is able to address the really big markets, so anything that's universally appealing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-andreessen/i-m-really-excited-about-anything-that-is-able-to-address-the-really/) [Marc Andreessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-andreessen/) > [Suddenly, I'm in movies that people are excited about, and that is a nice change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-brolin/suddenly-i-m-in-movies-that-people-are-excited-about-and-that-is-a/) [Josh Brolin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-brolin/) > [Being authentic can be a good thing in that often people who are fixated on that are also fixated on having very high standards,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-meyer/being-authentic-can-be-a-good-thing-in-that-often-people-who-are/) [Edgar Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-meyer/) [Browse all 3,350 Excited quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excited/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Instead of fearing what might happen if I failed, I should be excited about what could happen if I succeeded!", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Deborah Smith" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/instead-of-fearing-what-might-happen-if-i-failed-i-should-be-excited/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Excited" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/instead-of-fearing-what-might-happen-if-i-failed-i-should-be-excited/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e1/deborah-smith-13837_excited_instead-of-fearing-what-might-happen-if_596531.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e1/deborah-smith-13837_excited_instead-of-fearing-what-might-happen-if_596531.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e1/deborah-smith-13837_excited_instead-of-fearing-what-might-happen-if_596531.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Instead of fearing what might happen if I failed, I should be excited about what could happen if I succeeded!” — Deborah Smith", "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": "Deborah Smith", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Instead of fearing what might happen...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/instead-of-fearing-what-might-happen-if-i-failed-i-should-be-excited/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/instead-of-fearing-what-might-happen-if-i-failed-i-should-be-excited/#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 } } ] } ```