--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you want to be successful, you must…" description: "\"If you want to be successful, you must either have a chance or take one.\" — Evan Esar" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb4/evan-esar-1689_being-successful_if-you-want-to-be-successful-you-must-ei_1026905.jpg" --- # If you want to be successful, you must either have a… ![“If you want to be successful, you must either have a chance or take one.” quote by Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb4/evan-esar-1689_being-successful_if-you-want-to-be-successful-you-must-ei_1026905.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb4/evan-esar-1689_being-successful_if-you-want-to-be-successful-you-must-ei_1026905.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb4/evan-esar-1689_being-successful_if-you-want-to-be-successful-you-must-ei_1026905.jpg) > “If you want to be successful, you must either have a chance or take one.” [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success requires either luck or proactive risk‑taking. **In simple terms:** Success needs chance or action. Key Takeaway Take calculated risks. Themes success risk initiative Mood motivational pragmatic Type inspirational advisory When to use this quote - career advancement - entrepreneurship - personal goals Key Concepts opportunity self‑efficacy Questions to Reflect On - Will you create your own opportunities? - What risks are worth taking now? A Different Perspective Relying solely on luck can lead to passivity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-successful/) [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Luck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luck/) [One chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/one-chance/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) ## Related quotes > [If you want to be successful, find someone who has already done it and do it the same way they did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/if-you-want-to-be-successful-find-someone-who-has-already-done-it-and/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [What I’ve learned is that if you really want to be successful at something, you’ll find that you put the time in. You won’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-cuban/what-i-ve-learned-is-that-if-you-really-want-to-be-successful-at/) [Mark Cuban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-cuban/) > [I want to be successful, but I don't really have what it takes to do it comfortably.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shania-twain/i-want-to-be-successful-but-i-don-t-really-have-what-it-takes-to-do/) [Shania Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shania-twain/) > [Do you want to be successful? Nurture your talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-ernie-ford/do-you-want-to-be-successful-nurture-your-talent/) [Tennessee Ernie Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-ernie-ford/) > [If you want to be successful, you are going to have to deal with pressure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-bosh/if-you-want-to-be-successful-you-are-going-to-have-to-deal-with/) [Chris Bosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-bosh/) > [Failure is an event, something that happens at a specific time on a certain day. If you want to be successful, you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeet-banerjee/failure-is-an-event-something-that-happens-at-a-specific-time-on-a/) [Jeet Banerjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeet-banerjee/) > [If you want to be successful, love what you are doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/if-you-want-to-be-successful-love-what-you-are-doing/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [No matter what your goals are, you've got to bring other people onto your team. For one thing, if you surround yourself with people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimora-lee-simmons/no-matter-what-your-goals-are-you-ve-got-to-bring-other-people-onto/) [Kimora Lee Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimora-lee-simmons/) > [Too many people, right now are playing it small. If you want to be SUCCESSFUL, Live BIG, Think BIG, & make every day of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-brown/too-many-people-right-now-are-playing-it-small-if-you-want-to-be/) [Joel Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-brown/) > [I want to be successful, not famous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-harrison/i-want-to-be-successful-not-famous/) [George Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-harrison/) > [If you work hard and you learn and you absorb and you pay attention, career in food is great. This job can take you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/april-bloomfield/if-you-work-hard-and-you-learn-and-you-absorb-and-you-pay-attention/) [April Bloomfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/april-bloomfield/) > [If you want to be successful, just meditate, man. God will tell you what people need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-santana/if-you-want-to-be-successful-just-meditate-man-god-will-tell-you-what/) [Carlos Santana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-santana/) > [If you really want to be successful and you really want to be happy, don't have a job, have a purpose. ...When you've got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-holden/if-you-really-want-to-be-successful-and-you-really-want-to-be-happy/) [Robert Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-holden/) > [If you truly want to be successful, spend less time following the lives of other people and more time leading your own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-hardy/if-you-truly-want-to-be-successful-spend-less-time-following-the/) [Darren Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-hardy/) > [If you want to be successful, you have to be the best person doing it. And in order to be the best person doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ne-yo/if-you-want-to-be-successful-you-have-to-be-the-best-person-doing-it/) [Ne-Yo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ne-yo/) ## More by Evan Esar > [Life is a battle of wits, and many people have to fight it unarmed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/life-is-a-battle-of-wits-and-many-people-have-to-fight-it-unarmed/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [A vacation is like love - anticipated with pleasure, experienced with discomfort, and remembered with nostalgia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/a-vacation-is-like-love-anticipated-with-pleasure-experienced-with/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [Las Vegas is a resort whose two chief sources of income are seven and eleven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/las-vegas-is-a-resort-whose-two-chief-sources-of-income-are-seven-and/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [It's not the loss of life that makes the death bitter -- it's the obituaries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/it-s-not-the-loss-of-life-that-makes-the-death-bitter-it-s-the/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [“Let those who want to, arrive Let those who want to, leave Let those who want to, stay With out harm to me or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/let-those-who-want-to-arrive-let-those-who-want-to-leave-let-those/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [The only medicine that needs no prescription, has no unpleasant taste, and costs no money is laughter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/the-only-medicine-that-needs-no-prescription-has-no-unpleasant-taste/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [The word impossible is peculiar because if you examine it closely, you'll find that most of it is possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/the-word-impossible-is-peculiar-because-if-you-examine-it-closely-you/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [Walking isn't a lost art: one must, by some means, get to the garage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/walking-isn-t-a-lost-art-one-must-by-some-means-get-to-the-garage/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [There are two kinds of leaders: those who are interested in the flock, and those who are interested in the fleece.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/there-are-two-kinds-of-leaders-those-who-are-interested-in-the-flock/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [The man who avoids debt doesn't have to worry about avoiding his creditors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/the-man-who-avoids-debt-doesn-t-have-to-worry-about-avoiding-his/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [The diamond is the hardest stone -- to get.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/the-diamond-is-the-hardest-stone-to-get/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [The lecturer who is full of his subject is usually very slow in emptying himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/the-lecturer-who-is-full-of-his-subject-is-usually-very-slow-in/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [Etymology: from Latin ad-, "to" + visum, past participle of videre, "to see". Advice is what you get from your parents when you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/etymology-from-latin-ad-to-visum-past-participle-of-videre-to-see/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [A husband may forget where he went on his honeymoon, but he never forgets why.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/a-husband-may-forget-where-he-went-on-his-honeymoon-but-he-never/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [You can always tell the golfer who's winning: he's the one who keeps telling his opponent that it's only a game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/you-can-always-tell-the-golfer-who-s-winning-he-s-the-one-who-keeps/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) [Explore all 215 Evan Esar quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) ## More Being successful quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [The vast majority of organizations today have more than enough intelligence, experience and knowledge to be successful. What they lack is organizational health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/the-vast-majority-of-organizations-today-have-more-than-enough/) [Patrick Lencioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-lencioni/) > [To be successful, one must take chances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-stargell/to-be-successful-one-must-take-chances/) [Willie Stargell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-stargell/) > [Business is always a struggle. There are always obstacles and competitors. There is never an open road, except the wide road that leads to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kirubi/business-is-always-a-struggle-there-are-always-obstacles-and/) Chris Kirubi > [You cannot be successful without passion. If you don't love what you're doing, if you don't have passion for it - forget it. Do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/you-cannot-be-successful-without-passion-if-you-don-t-love-what-you/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [You can't not be a little different from others and be successful for three decades.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sheen/you-can-t-not-be-a-little-different-from-others-and-be-successful-for/) [Charlie Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sheen/) > [Everyone has a breaking point, turning point, stress point, the game is permeated with it. The fans don't see it because we make it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-winfield/everyone-has-a-breaking-point-turning-point-stress-point-the-game-is/) [Dave Winfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-winfield/) > [If you increase the number of rockets you build and you buy, then it's the scale of the economy, the price is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/if-you-increase-the-number-of-rockets-you-build-and-you-buy-then-it-s/) [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) > [Hockey is a unique sport in the sense that you need each and every guy helping each other and pulling in the same direction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gretzky/hockey-is-a-unique-sport-in-the-sense-that-you-need-each-and-every/) [Wayne Gretzky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gretzky/) > [There has always been a display of wealth and always will be, until the depression comes, which it always does. And let me tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/there-has-always-been-a-display-of-wealth-and-always-will-be-until/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [I think there is a big and significant difference between being a leader and being a manager-leaders lead from the heart. You have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-jung/i-think-there-is-a-big-and-significant-difference-between-being-a/) [Andrea Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-jung/) > [There's nobody that wants the president to be successful more than I.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-r-clapper/there-s-nobody-that-wants-the-president-to-be-successful-more-than-i/) [James R. Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-r-clapper/) > [Don't worry about your individual numbers. Worry about the team. If the team is successful, each of you will be successful, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/branch-rickey/don-t-worry-about-your-individual-numbers-worry-about-the-team-if-the/) [Branch Rickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/branch-rickey/) > [We have to be successful at the cutting-edge industries of the future like Twitter. But we also have always been a country that makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-have-to-be-successful-at-the-cutting-edge-industries-of-the-future/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Also, it's not the mathematical skill that's critical to winning, it's the discipline of being able to stick to the system. There are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blair-hull/also-it-s-not-the-mathematical-skill-that-s-critical-to-winning-it-s/) Blair Hull [Browse all 1,002 Being successful quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-successful/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you want to be successful, you must either have a chance or take one.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Evan Esar" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/if-you-want-to-be-successful-you-must-either-have-a-chance-or-take-one/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Being successful" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/if-you-want-to-be-successful-you-must-either-have-a-chance-or-take-one/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb4/evan-esar-1689_being-successful_if-you-want-to-be-successful-you-must-ei_1026905.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb4/evan-esar-1689_being-successful_if-you-want-to-be-successful-you-must-ei_1026905.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb4/evan-esar-1689_being-successful_if-you-want-to-be-successful-you-must-ei_1026905.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you want to be successful, you must either have a chance or take one.” — Evan Esar", "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": "Evan Esar", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you want to be successful,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/if-you-want-to-be-successful-you-must-either-have-a-chance-or-take-one/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/if-you-want-to-be-successful-you-must-either-have-a-chance-or-take-one/#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 } } ] } ```