--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I figured, if I failed, I'd tried…" description: "\"I figured, if I failed, I'd tried something that I hadn't tried before and if one movie was going to destroy my career than I didn't have much of a car..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a47/elizabeth-pena-41115_before_i-figured-if-i-failed-i-d-tried-somethin_637709.jpg" --- # I figured, if I failed, I'd tried something that I hadn't… ![“I figured, if I failed, I'd tried something that I hadn't tried before and if one movie was going to destroy my career than I didn't have much of a career to start with. I just went for it. God willing I wasn't over the top and didn't embarrass myself.” quote by Elizabeth Pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a47/elizabeth-pena-41115_before_i-figured-if-i-failed-i-d-tried-somethin_637709.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a47/elizabeth-pena-41115_before_i-figured-if-i-failed-i-d-tried-somethin_637709.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a47/elizabeth-pena-41115_before_i-figured-if-i-failed-i-d-tried-somethin_637709.jpg) > “I figured, if I failed, I'd tried something that I hadn't tried before and if one movie was going to destroy my career than I didn't have much of a career to start with. I just went for it. God willing I wasn't over the top and didn't embarrass myself.” [Elizabeth Pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-pena/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Failure is a catalyst for trying new things; if a project could ruin a career, the career was already fragile, so she embraced risk. **In simple terms:** Failure pushes you to try new things. Key Takeaway Embrace risk and act despite fear. Themes creativity risk career growth Mood hopeful cautious Type inspirational reflective When to use this quote - startup launch - artistic project - career pivot - public speaking Key Concepts psychology entrepreneurship self‑efficacy Questions to Reflect On - What risks are worth taking now? - How do you recover from a public failure? A Different Perspective Risk can lead to reputational damage if not managed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) ## Related quotes > [I can't cultivate a relationship with my child if it's between takes. I tried that on a movie and realized, 'This is not going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-heigl/i-can-t-cultivate-a-relationship-with-my-child-if-it-s-between-takes/) [Katherine Heigl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-heigl/) > [“At last, someone was articulating exactly how I felt. Every time I was called on in class, I was sure that I was about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/at-last-someone-was-articulating-exactly-how-i-felt-every-time-i-was/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [“Goldie hadn't tried all three beds, she thought, but she’d certainly tried all three brothers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-savage/goldie-hadn-t-tried-all-three-beds-she-thought-but-she-d-certainly/) Leigh Savage > [I don't think there'd be a Tina Fey now if I hadn't tried to look good in the beginning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-don-t-think-there-d-be-a-tina-fey-now-if-i-hadn-t-tried-to-look/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [“Part of the problem was that I couldn't seem to get past the fact that I hadn't tried to escape from Kas. Even in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-hayes/part-of-the-problem-was-that-i-couldn-t-seem-to-get-past-the-fact/) [Sophie Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-hayes/) > [If they hadn’t tried to break me down, I wouldn’t know that I’m unbreakable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabourey-sidibe/if-they-hadn-t-tried-to-break-me-down-i-wouldn-t-know-that-i-m/) [Gabourey Sidibe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabourey-sidibe/) > [“How different this was, she thought, from the way Ethan had been with her. Ethan had said exactly what he felt; he hadn't tried…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-wolitzer/how-different-this-was-she-thought-from-the-way-ethan-had-been-with/) [Meg Wolitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-wolitzer/) > [You can't embarrass Joss Whedon, he's got no pride! He fully admits it. 'Oh, it's me. I'm little and goofy.' You can't wound his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-fillion/you-can-t-embarrass-joss-whedon-he-s-got-no-pride-he-fully-admits-it/) [Nathan Fillion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-fillion/) > [I have been complimented many times and they always embarrass me; I always feel that they have not said enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/i-have-been-complimented-many-times-and-they-always-embarrass-me-i/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Golf asks something of a man. It makes one loathe mediocrity. It seems to say, "If you are going to keep company with me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-player/golf-asks-something-of-a-man-it-makes-one-loathe-mediocrity-it-seems/) [Gary Player](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-player/) > [I've always had the laugh. It just happens. It used to embarrass my parents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conchata-ferrell/i-ve-always-had-the-laugh-it-just-happens-it-used-to-embarrass-my/) [Conchata Ferrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conchata-ferrell/) > [I was so nervous because I was doing my first film. I didn't want to embarrass myself. I'm an incredibly insecure person, and knowing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahyna-tozzi/i-was-so-nervous-because-i-was-doing-my-first-film-i-didn-t-want-to/) Tahyna Tozzi > [You may not be able to change the world, but at least you can embarrass the guilty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-mitford/you-may-not-be-able-to-change-the-world-but-at-least-you-can/) [Jessica Mitford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-mitford/) > [“And slowly a discussion begins - as Morrie has wanted all along - about the effect of silence on human relations. Why are we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/and-slowly-a-discussion-begins-as-morrie-has-wanted-all-along-about/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You will not mistake the newspaperman - looks like a big turtle - published a letter meant to embarrass me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-hearst/you-will-not-mistake-the-newspaperman-looks-like-a-big-turtle/) George Hearst ## More by Elizabeth Pena > [It's a clique and I think a clique exists in every business. There's a circle of people that are guaranteed to open a movie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-pena/it-s-a-clique-and-i-think-a-clique-exists-in-every-business-there-s-a/) [Elizabeth Pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-pena/) > [Sayles could pull a performance out of a dog. I'm serious. He was just amazing. The world could fall apart and he remained on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-pena/sayles-could-pull-a-performance-out-of-a-dog-i-m-serious-he-was-just/) [Elizabeth Pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-pena/) > [When I'm not working, my family and I have a house in the San Juan Islands. We've been here since '94.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-pena/when-i-m-not-working-my-family-and-i-have-a-house-in-the-san-juan/) [Elizabeth Pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-pena/) > [When I got Jacob's Latter, I was nervous because I felt I wasn't allowed to fail. I felt that they were waiting for one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-pena/when-i-got-jacob-s-latter-i-was-nervous-because-i-felt-i-wasn-t/) [Elizabeth Pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-pena/) > [The work is getting the work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-pena/the-work-is-getting-the-work/) [Elizabeth Pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-pena/) > [It was a lot of pressure, but I loved working with Tim and I loved working with Adrian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-pena/it-was-a-lot-of-pressure-but-i-loved-working-with-tim-and-i-loved/) [Elizabeth Pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-pena/) > [I love acting. When I'm acting I feel like I'm on vacation. I'm just having a wonderful time. The nightmare is just getting the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-pena/i-love-acting-when-i-m-acting-i-feel-like-i-m-on-vacation-i-m-just/) [Elizabeth Pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-pena/) > [I believe the director is the one that sets the mood and if you have this hysterical director it's a domino effect. I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-pena/i-believe-the-director-is-the-one-that-sets-the-mood-and-if-you-have/) [Elizabeth Pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-pena/) > [Every time I work with a European director, I find they hire the person that captures the spirit of the role. Americans tend to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-pena/every-time-i-work-with-a-european-director-i-find-they-hire-the/) [Elizabeth Pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-pena/) [Explore all 10 Elizabeth Pena quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-pena/) ## More Before quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [I want to make myself and the crowd happy by way of something different, and that makes things difficult. I'm never playing something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiesto/i-want-to-make-myself-and-the-crowd-happy-by-way-of-something/) [Tiesto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiesto/) > [My writing routine is: get son off to school and sit down at 8 A.M. I read what I wrote the day before, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-chevalier/my-writing-routine-is-get-son-off-to-school-and-sit-down-at-8-a-m-i/) [Tracy Chevalier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-chevalier/) > [There aren't traditions of freedom in a place like Iraq. They're going to have to come to grips with a concept that they hadn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-wallop/there-aren-t-traditions-of-freedom-in-a-place-like-iraq-they-re-going/) [Malcolm Wallop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-wallop/) > [I don't like just traveling in for a short time. I've done that before, because sometimes you work for magazines and they have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-sacco/i-don-t-like-just-traveling-in-for-a-short-time-i-ve-done-that-before/) [Joe Sacco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-sacco/) > [Music is almost like a therapy for me. It helps keep me centered and think straight. Before I discovered it, I was walking around,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banks/music-is-almost-like-a-therapy-for-me-it-helps-keep-me-centered-and/) [Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banks/) > [My first company, Pure Software, was exciting and innovative in the first few years and bureaucratic and painful in the last few before it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-hastings/my-first-company-pure-software-was-exciting-and-innovative-in-the/) [Reed Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-hastings/) > [For the Russian masses, the proletarians, knew for certain, and already saw during the war, and in part before their very eyes, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-gorter/for-the-russian-masses-the-proletarians-knew-for-certain-and-already/) [Herman Gorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-gorter/) > [The Constitution is very clear on the - on the declaration of war or reacting to international crimes - crimes against nations. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-pitts/the-constitution-is-very-clear-on-the-on-the-declaration-of-war-or/) Joe Pitts > [I've been told before, and I tend to believe it, I'm not like most actresses out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moira-kelly/i-ve-been-told-before-and-i-tend-to-believe-it-i-m-not-like-most/) [Moira Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moira-kelly/) > [Before I got addicted to comedy, I was seriously thinking about playing tennis full time. I joined the tennis team and played with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrot-top/before-i-got-addicted-to-comedy-i-was-seriously-thinking-about/) [Carrot Top](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrot-top/) > [But even before I was in the military, I was extremely jumpy when asleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kyle/but-even-before-i-was-in-the-military-i-was-extremely-jumpy-when/) [Chris Kyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kyle/) > [When I'm making stuff, the thing that excites me most is not the result, but the process and trying to do something I've never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-jonze/when-i-m-making-stuff-the-thing-that-excites-me-most-is-not-the/) [Spike Jonze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-jonze/) > [I've pulled ticks off of me before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-miller/i-ve-pulled-ticks-off-of-me-before/) [Jim Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-miller/) > [You know, before I would think, my cab driver hates me. Now I think my limo driver hates me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-romano/you-know-before-i-would-think-my-cab-driver-hates-me-now-i-think-my/) [Ray Romano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-romano/) Browse all 4,123 Before quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I figured, if I failed, I'd tried something that I hadn't tried before and if one movie was going to destroy my career than I didn't have much of a career to start with. I just went for it. 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