--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But I don't give up; I forget why not." description: "\"But I don't give up; I forget why not.\" — Dorothy Parker" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/957/dorothy-parker-700_don-t-give-up_but-i-don-t-give-up-i-forget-why-not-497_497197.jpg" --- # But I don't give up; I forget why not. ![“But I don't give up; I forget why not.” quote by Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/957/dorothy-parker-700_don-t-give-up_but-i-don-t-give-up-i-forget-why-not-497_497197.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/957/dorothy-parker-700_don-t-give-up_but-i-don-t-give-up-i-forget-why-not-497_497197.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/957/dorothy-parker-700_don-t-give-up_but-i-don-t-give-up-i-forget-why-not-497_497197.jpg) > “But I don't give up; I forget why not.” [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She declares persistence despite forgetting the reason, emphasizing stubborn determination. **In simple terms:** She keeps trying even when she can't recall why. Key Takeaway Persist regardless of doubt; keep moving forward. Themes determination perseverance self‑motivation Mood motivational reflective Type literary personal When to use this quote - personal challenges - creative work - daily routines Key Concepts resilience habit formation goal pursuit Questions to Reflect On - What drives you when purpose feels unclear? - How can you rediscover your why? A Different Perspective Lack of clear purpose can lead to aimless effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Don Forget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/don-forget/) [Don-t-give-up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/don-t-give-up/) [Forget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forget/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Giving up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving-up/) [Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ramadan/) [Why not](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/why-not/) ## Related quotes > [I don't give up. I'm a plodder. People come and go, but I stay the course.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-costner/i-don-t-give-up-i-m-a-plodder-people-come-and-go-but-i-stay-the-course/) [Kevin Costner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-costner/) > [I don't give up because I don't give up. I don't believe in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-cash/i-don-t-give-up-because-i-don-t-give-up-i-don-t-believe-in-it/) [Johnny Cash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-cash/) > [The stubbornness I had as a child has been transmitted into perseverance. I can let go but I don't give up. I don't beat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phylicia-rashad/the-stubbornness-i-had-as-a-child-has-been-transmitted-into/) [Phylicia Rashad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phylicia-rashad/) > [I promise I shall never give up, and that I'll die yelling & laughing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-promise-i-shall-never-give-up-and-that-i-ll-die-yelling-laughing/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [The single biggest reason I got my stories taken in various literary magazines - and I want to stress this - is because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-almond/the-single-biggest-reason-i-got-my-stories-taken-in-various-literary/) [Steve Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-almond/) > [“Don’t forget that everything you deal with is only one thing and nothing else. And”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/don-t-forget-that-everything-you-deal-with-is-only-one-thing-and/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Don't forget our vets. They have been forgotten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/don-t-forget-our-vets-they-have-been-forgotten/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [“I’m more happy than not. Don’t forget me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-silvera/i-m-more-happy-than-not-don-t-forget-me/) [Adam Silvera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-silvera/) > [Don't forget to support your public library.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/don-t-forget-to-support-your-public-library/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [Happy Valentines Day to those who have found love, in whatever shape or form, and to those who are still hunting, don’t give up.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/happy-valentines-day-to-those-who-have-found-love-in-whatever-shape/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [... Change doesn't happen overnight-it's molded by people who don't give up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/change-doesn-t-happen-overnight-it-s-molded-by-people-who-don-t-give/) [Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/) > [It's hard to beat somebody when they don't give up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babe-ruth/it-s-hard-to-beat-somebody-when-they-don-t-give-up/) [Babe Ruth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babe-ruth/) > [Don't give up on me now. I'm sorry. I guess that's an odd thing to say. Because isn't that what I'm doing? Giving up?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-asher/don-t-give-up-on-me-now-i-m-sorry-i-guess-that-s-an-odd-thing-to-say/) [Jay Asher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-asher/) > [All the women in Pakistan working for change, don't give up on your dreams, this is for you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/all-the-women-in-pakistan-working-for-change-don-t-give-up-on-your/) [Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/) > [Stick to the fight whenyoure hardest hit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-guest/stick-to-the-fight-whenyoure-hardest-hit/) [Edgar Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-guest/) ## More by Dorothy Parker > [There's little in taking or giving, There's little in water or wine: This living, this living, this living, Was never a project of mine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/there-s-little-in-taking-or-giving-there-s-little-in-water-or-wine/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Writing is the art of applying the ass to the seat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/writing-is-the-art-of-applying-the-ass-to-the-seat/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Hollywood is the one place on earth where you could die of encouragement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/hollywood-is-the-one-place-on-earth-where-you-could-die-of/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [“The two most beautiful words in the English language are 'check enclosed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/the-two-most-beautiful-words-in-the-english-language-are-check/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Sometimes I think Ill give up trying, and just go completely Russian and sit on a stove and moan all day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/sometimes-i-think-ill-give-up-trying-and-just-go-completely-russian/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [I was always sweet, at first. Oh, it's so easy to be sweet to people before you love them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/i-was-always-sweet-at-first-oh-it-s-so-easy-to-be-sweet-to-people/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Now to me, Edith looks like something that would eat her young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/now-to-me-edith-looks-like-something-that-would-eat-her-young/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Misfortune, and recited misfortune especially, can be prolonged to the point where it ceases to excite pity and arouses only irritation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/misfortune-and-recited-misfortune-especially-can-be-prolonged-to-the/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [The sun's gone dim, and the moon's gone black. For I loved him, and he didn't love back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/the-sun-s-gone-dim-and-the-moon-s-gone-black-for-i-loved-him-and-he/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [There's a hell of a distance between wisecracking and wit. Wit has truth in it; wisecracking is simply calisthenics with words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/there-s-a-hell-of-a-distance-between-wisecracking-and-wit-wit-has/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Oh, life is a glorious cycle of song, A medley of extemporanea; And love is a thing that can never go wrong; And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/oh-life-is-a-glorious-cycle-of-song-a-medley-of-extemporanea-and-love/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Enjoyed it! One more drink and I'd have been under the host.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/enjoyed-it-one-more-drink-and-i-d-have-been-under-the-host/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [This living, this living, this living Was never a project of mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/this-living-this-living-this-living-was-never-a-project-of-mine/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Flowers are heaven's masterpiece.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/flowers-are-heaven-s-masterpiece/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [It costs me never a stab nor squirm / To tread by chance upon a worm. / Aha, my little dear, / I say,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/it-costs-me-never-a-stab-nor-squirm-to-tread-by-chance-upon-a-worm/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) [Explore all 398 Dorothy Parker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) ## More Don-t-give-up quotes > [“I've written about persistence and perseverance and yet for those of us with patchwork lives (projects, earnings, caretaking, home-tending, playing, friending, loving, celebrating, hurting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shellen-lubin/i-ve-written-about-persistence-and-perseverance-and-yet-for-those-of/) [Shellen Lubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shellen-lubin/) > [“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/) > [All the women in Pakistan working for change, don't give up on your dreams, this is for you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/all-the-women-in-pakistan-working-for-change-don-t-give-up-on-your/) [Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/) > [Don't give up on me now. I'm sorry. I guess that's an odd thing to say. Because isn't that what I'm doing? Giving up?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-asher/don-t-give-up-on-me-now-i-m-sorry-i-guess-that-s-an-odd-thing-to-say/) [Jay Asher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-asher/) > [“Don't give up too soon. If you persevere you will succeed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/don-t-give-up-too-soon-if-you-persevere-you-will-succeed/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [It's hard to beat somebody when they don't give up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babe-ruth/it-s-hard-to-beat-somebody-when-they-don-t-give-up/) [Babe Ruth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babe-ruth/) > [“Don't resist the growing pains, push through them. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/don-t-resist-the-growing-pains-push-through-them/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [... Change doesn't happen overnight-it's molded by people who don't give up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/change-doesn-t-happen-overnight-it-s-molded-by-people-who-don-t-give/) [Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/) > [Stick to the fight whenyoure hardest hit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-guest/stick-to-the-fight-whenyoure-hardest-hit/) [Edgar Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-guest/) > [Happy Valentines Day to those who have found love, in whatever shape or form, and to those who are still hunting, don’t give up.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/happy-valentines-day-to-those-who-have-found-love-in-whatever-shape/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [Saints are sinners who kept on going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/saints-are-sinners-who-kept-on-going/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [There will be time in life when there will be problems in life everything will seem impossible. But don't give up! Keep fighting. Determination…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/there-will-be-time-in-life-when-there-will-be-problems-in-life/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [“You can choose when and when not to be stopped... Choose to be stopped after you die... when your work is done and done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/you-can-choose-when-and-when-not-to-be-stopped-choose-to-be-stopped/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [“From this point forward, you don’t even know how to quit in life.” ~ Aaron Lauritsen, ‘100 Days Drive”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-lauritsen/from-this-point-forward-you-don-t-even-know-how-to-quit-in-life-aaron/) [Aaron Lauritsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-lauritsen/) > [I don't give up. I'm a plodder. People come and go, but I stay the course.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-costner/i-don-t-give-up-i-m-a-plodder-people-come-and-go-but-i-stay-the-course/) [Kevin Costner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-costner/) [Browse all 481 Don-t-give-up quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/don-t-give-up/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "But I don't give up; I forget why not.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dorothy Parker" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/but-i-don-t-give-up-i-forget-why-not/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Don-t-give-up" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/but-i-don-t-give-up-i-forget-why-not/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/957/dorothy-parker-700_don-t-give-up_but-i-don-t-give-up-i-forget-why-not-497_497197.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/957/dorothy-parker-700_don-t-give-up_but-i-don-t-give-up-i-forget-why-not-497_497197.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/957/dorothy-parker-700_don-t-give-up_but-i-don-t-give-up-i-forget-why-not-497_497197.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“But I don't give up; I forget why not.” — Dorothy Parker", "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": "Dorothy Parker", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "But I don't give up; I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/but-i-don-t-give-up-i-forget-why-not/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/but-i-don-t-give-up-i-forget-why-not/#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 } } ] } ```