---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You never know what you’re capable of…"
description: "\"“You never know what you’re capable of until you’re tested,”\" — Debra Salonen"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fb/debra-salonen-39770_quote_you-never-know-what-you-re-capable-of-un_1380148.jpg"
---

#  You never know what you’re capable of until you’re tested,

![“You never know what you’re capable of until you’re tested,” quote by Debra Salonen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fb/debra-salonen-39770_quote_you-never-know-what-you-re-capable-of-un_1380148.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fb/debra-salonen-39770_quote_you-never-know-what-you-re-capable-of-un_1380148.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fb/debra-salonen-39770_quote_you-never-know-what-you-re-capable-of-un_1380148.jpg)

> ““You never know what you’re capable of until you’re tested,””

[Debra Salonen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-salonen/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Challenges reveal hidden strengths; we discover abilities only when faced with difficulty.

**In simple terms:** Testing reveals true capability.

Key Takeaway

Embrace challenges to grow.

Themes

challenge growth potential

Mood

encouraging optimistic

Type

inspirational motivational

When to use this quote

- sports
- career advancement
- education
- personal crises

Key Concepts

resilience self‑discovery

Questions to Reflect On

- What challenge could you face to learn more?
- How do you handle fear of failure?

A Different Perspective

Some tests can be overwhelming or unfair.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

## Related quotes

> [None of us can know what we are capable of until we are tested.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-blackwell/none-of-us-can-know-what-we-are-capable-of-until-we-are-tested/)

[Elizabeth Blackwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-blackwell/)

> [“Until tested, we never know what we’re capable of. It is only in the eye of the storm we discover who we truly are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pippa-dacosta/until-tested-we-never-know-what-we-re-capable-of-it-is-only-in-the/)

[Pippa DaCosta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pippa-dacosta/)

> [Everyone tells us you really don't know what you're capable of till you're in the middle of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-rapp/everyone-tells-us-you-really-don-t-know-what-you-re-capable-of-till/)

[Anthony Rapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-rapp/)

> [I know what I'm capable of, and I try to go out and prove that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/draymond-green/i-know-what-i-m-capable-of-and-i-try-to-go-out-and-prove-that/)

[Draymond Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/draymond-green/)

> [I know what I'm capable of doing. I just want to stay fit and healthy and let my football take care of itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-ramsey/i-know-what-i-m-capable-of-doing-i-just-want-to-stay-fit-and-healthy/)

[Aaron Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-ramsey/)

> [I know what I'm capable of doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desean-jackson/i-know-what-i-m-capable-of-doing/)

[DeSean Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desean-jackson/)

> [I know what I'm capable of wearing in one lifetime and what I really need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlize-theron/i-know-what-i-m-capable-of-wearing-in-one-lifetime-and-what-i-really/)

[Charlize Theron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlize-theron/)

> [Go without a coat when it's cold; find out what cold is. Go hungry; keep your existence lean. Wear away the fat, get down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/go-without-a-coat-when-it-s-cold-find-out-what-cold-is-go-hungry-keep/)

[Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/)

> [A system is empirical or scientific only if it is capable of being tested by experience. These considerations suggest that not the verifiability but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/a-system-is-empirical-or-scientific-only-if-it-is-capable-of-being/)

[Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/)

> [I know I'm capable of greatness, and I'm expecting to reach that level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rodgers/i-know-i-m-capable-of-greatness-and-i-m-expecting-to-reach-that-level/)

[Aaron Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rodgers/)

> [On the track, you know what you're capable of, but being at the birth, you have no control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-farah/on-the-track-you-know-what-you-re-capable-of-but-being-at-the-birth/)

[Mo Farah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-farah/)

> [I have always said that if I get a run of games and stay fit I know what I am capable of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jones/i-have-always-said-that-if-i-get-a-run-of-games-and-stay-fit-i-know/)

[Phil Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jones/)

> [It's not too late at all. You just don't yet know what you are capable of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/it-s-not-too-late-at-all-you-just-don-t-yet-know-what-you-are-capable/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [I know what I'm capable of when I'm prepared and dialed in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-brunson/i-know-what-i-m-capable-of-when-i-m-prepared-and-dialed-in/)

[Derek Brunson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-brunson/)

> [You must know what you are capable of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhang-yimou/you-must-know-what-you-are-capable-of/)

[Zhang Yimou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhang-yimou/)

## More by Debra Salonen

> [“had lived and worked in Marietta, Montana, long enough to grasp the importance of proper winter footwear. But today she needed the height and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-salonen/had-lived-and-worked-in-marietta-montana-long-enough-to-grasp-the/)

[Debra Salonen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-salonen/)

> [“Things went downhill pretty fast after that. Although every action and reaction felt like slow motion from Krista’s perspective, the entire debacle probably took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-salonen/things-went-downhill-pretty-fast-after-that-although-every-action-and/)

[Debra Salonen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-salonen/)

> [“Well, trust me. Nowadays, babies travel with more crap than a rock band.” He”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-salonen/well-trust-me-nowadays-babies-travel-with-more-crap-than-a-rock-band/)

[Debra Salonen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-salonen/)

> [“Promotions—that said partner and friend’s work lately had become substandard, uninspired and phoned-in without adequate body armor and a large travel mug filled with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-salonen/promotions-that-said-partner-and-friend-s-work-lately-had-become/)

[Debra Salonen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-salonen/)

> [“We’re in Deadwood,” he said with a wink. “How’s the saying go? ‘Pray for me. I just left hell and I’m headed to Deadwood.’?”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-salonen/we-re-in-deadwood-he-said-with-a-wink-how-s-the-saying-go-pray-for-me/)

[Debra Salonen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-salonen/)

> [“Never get too attached to any thing, son. Somebody will be there to take it from you.’” And”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-salonen/never-get-too-attached-to-any-thing-son-somebody-will-be-there-to/)

[Debra Salonen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-salonen/)

> [“Martin had lived and worked in Marietta, Montana, long enough to grasp the importance of proper winter footwear. But today she needed the height…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-salonen/martin-had-lived-and-worked-in-marietta-montana-long-enough-to-grasp/)

[Debra Salonen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-salonen/)

> [“She didn’t have a quick comeback, not that he gave her time to answer. His lips carried a hint of cinnamon from the tea.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-salonen/she-didn-t-have-a-quick-comeback-not-that-he-gave-her-time-to-answer/)

[Debra Salonen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-salonen/)

> [“marriage self. Krista hesitated before reaching for the door. Blaming marriage might backfire. Amanda was the happiest Krista had ever seen her. But, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-salonen/marriage-self-krista-hesitated-before-reaching-for-the-door-blaming/)

[Debra Salonen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-salonen/)

> [“If wishes were horses, all men would ride,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-salonen/if-wishes-were-horses-all-men-would-ride/)

[Debra Salonen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-salonen/)

[Explore all 11 Debra Salonen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-salonen/)

## More Capable quotes

> [When we are capable of living in the moment free from the tyranny of "shoulds," free from the nagging sensation that this moment isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-z-borysenko/when-we-are-capable-of-living-in-the-moment-free-from-the-tyranny-of/)

[Joan Z. Borysenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-z-borysenko/)

> [Everybody is different. Some writers can write reams of great books and then J. D. Salinger wrote just a few. Beethoven wrote nine symphonies.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/everybody-is-different-some-writers-can-write-reams-of-great-books/)

[Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/)

> [People are capable of great, great change during the span of one lifetime. And women even more than men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/people-are-capable-of-great-great-change-during-the-span-of-one/)

[Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/)

> [When you lived it for years and years and years and seen different characters just get pummeled and squashed because 'I said so,' it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arn-anderson/when-you-lived-it-for-years-and-years-and-years-and-seen-different/)

[Arn Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arn-anderson/)

> [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/)

[Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/)

> [But, outside of being a sweet little girl, she was awfully dumb and capable of doing horrible things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/but-outside-of-being-a-sweet-little-girl-she-was-awfully-dumb-and/)

[Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/)

> [I was terrible student. I was capable, but I never like being told what to do, so I was always in the bottom class…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-lilley/i-was-terrible-student-i-was-capable-but-i-never-like-being-told-what/)

[Chris Lilley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-lilley/)

> [Not everyone is capable of madness; and of those lucky enough to be capable, not many have the courage for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-strindberg/not-everyone-is-capable-of-madness-and-of-those-lucky-enough-to-be/)

[August Strindberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-strindberg/)

> [ \[The Community's\] crosses and trials give me confidence. But I derive my hope above all, and most especially, from our utter incapacity, for it… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-guerin/the-community-s-crosses-and-trials-give-me-confidence-but-i-derive-my/)

[Theodore Guerin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-guerin/)

> [The mathematical facts worthy of being studied are those which, by their analogy with other facts, are capable of leading us to the knowledge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/the-mathematical-facts-worthy-of-being-studied-are-those-which-by/)

[Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/)

> [“If you not yet try How to know you can or not?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sopharat/if-you-not-yet-try-how-to-know-you-can-or-not/)

Sopharat

> [I'm attracted to the garden, without a doubt, but I always try and image the wolf that's there, too. And that wolf would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-light/i-m-attracted-to-the-garden-without-a-doubt-but-i-always-try-and/)

[Michael Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-light/)

> [A man, as a man, could arrive at all the dignity that a man was capable of obtaining or receiving; but it needed a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taylor/a-man-as-a-man-could-arrive-at-all-the-dignity-that-a-man-was-capable/)

[John Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taylor/)

> [Playing is much, much harder than composing in my opinion, becoming a player. If you want to be a player for all your life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-powell/playing-is-much-much-harder-than-composing-in-my-opinion-becoming-a/)

[John Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-powell/)

> [How difficult the task to quench the fire and the pride of private ambition, and to sacrifice ourselves and all our hopes and expectations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/how-difficult-the-task-to-quench-the-fire-and-the-pride-of-private/)

[Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/)

Browse all 3,861 Capable quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“You never know what you’re capable of until you’re tested,”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Debra Salonen"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-salonen/you-never-know-what-you-re-capable-of-until-you-re-tested/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Capable"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-salonen/you-never-know-what-you-re-capable-of-until-you-re-tested/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fb/debra-salonen-39770_quote_you-never-know-what-you-re-capable-of-un_1380148.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fb/debra-salonen-39770_quote_you-never-know-what-you-re-capable-of-un_1380148.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fb/debra-salonen-39770_quote_you-never-know-what-you-re-capable-of-un_1380148.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“You never know what you’re capable of until you’re tested,” — Debra Salonen",
                "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": "Debra Salonen",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-salonen/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“You never know what you’re capable...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-salonen/you-never-know-what-you-re-capable-of-until-you-re-tested/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-salonen/you-never-know-what-you-re-capable-of-until-you-re-tested/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
