Skip to content

Ifs Quote by Ernest Hemingway

“Nobody knows what's in him until he tries to pull it out. If there's nothing, or very little, the shock can kill a man.” quote by Ernest Hemingway
Download Open image
“Nobody knows what's in him until he tries to pull it out. If there's nothing, or very little, the shock can kill a man.”

Ernest Hemingway

About This Quote

Source Novel: The Sun Also Rises, 1926

People often remain unknown until they are tested; failure can be devastating.

In simple terms: Testing reveals true character; failure can be shocking.

Key Takeaway

Test yourself and accept outcomes.

Themes

self‑discovery risk failure resilience

Mood

thoughtful cautious

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

  • career challenges
  • personal relationships
  • creative pursuits

Key Concepts

psychology of potential human limits courage

Questions to Reflect On

  • What risks are worth taking?
  • How do you recover from a painful failure?
A Different Perspective

Not all attempts lead to growth; some risks may be unnecessary.

2.1 out of 5 (10 ratings)

More by Ernest Hemingway

Explore all 1,465 Ernest Hemingway quotes

More Ifs quotes

Browse all 94,309 Ifs quotes