--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you think you can’t do a thing, you…" description: "\"“If you think you can’t do a thing, you will not be able to do it. If you think you can do something, then you have a chance of achieving it. Believing..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc5/eddie-izzard-1732_faith_if-you-think-you-can-t-do-a-thing-you-wi_1709446.jpg" --- # If you think you can’t do a thing, you will not be able to… ![“If you think you can’t do a thing, you will not be able to do it. If you think you can do something, then you have a chance of achieving it. Believing doesn’t mean you will instantly be able to, but you’ve got to believe that you can, otherwise you definitely won’t be able to do it. I’ve seen a…” quote by Eddie Izzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc5/eddie-izzard-1732_faith_if-you-think-you-can-t-do-a-thing-you-wi_1709446.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc5/eddie-izzard-1732_faith_if-you-think-you-can-t-do-a-thing-you-wi_1709446.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc5/eddie-izzard-1732_faith_if-you-think-you-can-t-do-a-thing-you-wi_1709446.jpg) > ““If you think you can’t do a thing, you will not be able to do it. If you think you can do something, then you have a chance of achieving it. Believing doesn’t mean you will instantly be able to, but you’ve got to believe that you can, otherwise you definitely won’t be able to do it. I’ve seen a number of people who I thought could do something brilliant and creative but they didn’t seem to believe in themselves and therefore didn’t, or couldn’t, do it.”” [Eddie Izzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-izzard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑belief influences ability to achieve goals, though belief alone isn’t enough. **In simple terms:** Believe in yourself to try. Key Takeaway Cultivate belief and take action. Themes confidence motivation self‑efficacy Mood hopeful encouraging Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career aspirations - creative projects - personal challenges Key Concepts psychology goal setting Questions to Reflect On - What steps support your belief? - How do you handle self‑doubt? A Different Perspective Belief without effort rarely yields results. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Able Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able-think/) [Achieving Believing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achieving-believing-1232320/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Believing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believing/) [Believing Doesn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believing-doesn-1232319/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) ## Related quotes > [Not believing in something doesn't make it not exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-sylver/not-believing-in-something-doesn-t-make-it-not-exist/) [Marshall Sylver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-sylver/) > [“I guess that's what a relationship is, believing each other, even when it doesn't seem like a good idea.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-donnelly/i-guess-that-s-what-a-relationship-is-believing-each-other-even-when/) [Jason Donnelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-donnelly/) > [“No achieving without believing”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ghassan-shahrour-md/no-achieving-without-believing/) [Ghassan Shahrour MD](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ghassan-shahrour-md/) > [As believers, our joy and peace are not based in doing and achieving, but in believing. Joy and peace come as a result of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/as-believers-our-joy-and-peace-are-not-based-in-doing-and-achieving/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [People not believing in you doesn't mean you can't achieve it. Where the most inspirational spirit lies is within you, believe in yourself even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaze-olamiday/people-not-believing-in-you-doesn-t-mean-you-can-t-achieve-it-where/) [Blaze Olamiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaze-olamiday/) > [Believing something doesn't change who you are. Neither does rejecting something you once believd in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-dorst/believing-something-doesn-t-change-who-you-are-neither-does-rejecting/) [Doug Dorst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-dorst/) > [“My father says that believing or not believing doesn't matter; what is important is speaking with God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjorie-agos-n/my-father-says-that-believing-or-not-believing-doesn-t-matter-what-is/) [Marjorie Agosín](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjorie-agos-n/) > [You don't just stop believing in something because it doesn't always work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-edmonds/you-don-t-just-stop-believing-in-something-because-it-doesn-t-always/) [Noel Edmonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-edmonds/) > [“Believing in love isn’t like believing in flying reindeer. It’s like believing in rain. Or summer. Or Christmas. Love is real and steady and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-jeffries/believing-in-love-isn-t-like-believing-in-flying-reindeer-it-s-like/) [Sabrina Jeffries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-jeffries/) > [Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/reality-is-that-which-when-you-stop-believing-in-it-doesn-t-go-away/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [“Apart from all this, I do of course have a real life. I sometimes have trouble believing in it, because it doesn't seem like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/apart-from-all-this-i-do-of-course-have-a-real-life-i-sometimes-have/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [I never stopped believing in my ability or what I was doing. I want to pass that sense of faith and perseverance on to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vantile-whitfield/i-never-stopped-believing-in-my-ability-or-what-i-was-doing-i-want-to/) [Vantile Whitfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vantile-whitfield/) > [You cannot will yourself to be happy while believing that you have no right to happiness, or that you are unworthy of it. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-roberts/you-cannot-will-yourself-to-be-happy-while-believing-that-you-have-no/) [Jane Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-roberts/) > [I've never let anyone talk me into not believing in myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/i-ve-never-let-anyone-talk-me-into-not-believing-in-myself/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [And if the mind thinks with a believing attitude one can do amazing things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/and-if-the-mind-thinks-with-a-believing-attitude-one-can-do-amazing/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) ## More by Eddie Izzard > [When I first came out, I thought, I want to walk like a real woman, I don't want to do mincing steps. And there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-izzard/when-i-first-came-out-i-thought-i-want-to-walk-like-a-real-woman-i/) [Eddie Izzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-izzard/) > [“You know, I don't believe that religions are religions. No, I believe they are philosophies with some good ideas and some fuckin' weird ones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-izzard/you-know-i-don-t-believe-that-religions-are-religions-no-i-believe/) [Eddie Izzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-izzard/) > [If you've never seen an elephant ski, then you've never been on acid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-izzard/if-you-ve-never-seen-an-elephant-ski-then-you-ve-never-been-on-acid/) [Eddie Izzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-izzard/) > [I don't believe in God. I believe gods and devils are within us. It's our own battle. Our life's battle is to appeal to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-izzard/i-don-t-believe-in-god-i-believe-gods-and-devils-are-within-us-it-s/) [Eddie Izzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-izzard/) > [“If you are an LGBT+ person and you come out, you have to go through your knight’s quest to create ground for yourself, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-izzard/if-you-are-an-lgbt-person-and-you-come-out-you-have-to-go-through/) [Eddie Izzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-izzard/) > [America is the new Roman Empire. Remember what happened to Rome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-izzard/america-is-the-new-roman-empire-remember-what-happened-to-rome/) [Eddie Izzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-izzard/) > [I wanna live 'til I die, no more, no less.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-izzard/i-wanna-live-til-i-die-no-more-no-less/) [Eddie Izzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-izzard/) > [I try to just talk about human stories and what I think about religion or teapots or whatever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-izzard/i-try-to-just-talk-about-human-stories-and-what-i-think-about/) [Eddie Izzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-izzard/) > [This is your captain speaking. Welcome aboard flight...one, from...here to there. We'll be cruising at a height of ten feet, going up to twelve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-izzard/this-is-your-captain-speaking-welcome-aboard-flight-one-from-here-to/) [Eddie Izzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-izzard/) > [You have the American dream! The dream is to be born in a gutter and grow up, and then get all the money in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-izzard/you-have-the-american-dream-the-dream-is-to-be-born-in-a-gutter-and/) [Eddie Izzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-izzard/) > [Because we all know one of the main factors of war is the element of surprise. And what could be more surprising than the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-izzard/because-we-all-know-one-of-the-main-factors-of-war-is-the-element-of/) [Eddie Izzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-izzard/) > [We have two hundred languages in Europe. Two hundred languages! Count them! I know you won't!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-izzard/we-have-two-hundred-languages-in-europe-two-hundred-languages-count/) [Eddie Izzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-izzard/) > [I don't believe that competitions are important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-izzard/i-don-t-believe-that-competitions-are-important/) [Eddie Izzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-izzard/) > [“Have you got a flag?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-izzard/have-you-got-a-flag/) [Eddie Izzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-izzard/) > [Cause if you're a transvestite, you're actually a male tomboy, that's where the sexuality is. Yeah, it's not drag queen, no; gay men have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-izzard/cause-if-you-re-a-transvestite-you-re-actually-a-male-tomboy-that-s/) [Eddie Izzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-izzard/) [Explore all 210 Eddie Izzard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-izzard/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [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/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) [Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If you think you can’t do a thing, you will not be able to do it. If you think you can do something, then you have a chance of achieving it. Believing doesn’t mean you will instantly be able to, but you’ve got to believe that you can, otherwise you definitely won’t be able to do it. 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