---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No one gives it to you. You have to take…"
description: "\"No one gives it to you. You have to take it.\" — Frank Costello"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f5/frank-costello-39394_departed_no-one-gives-it-to-you-you-have-to-take_1933320.png"
---

#  No one gives it to you. You have to take it.

![“No one gives it to you. You have to take it.” quote by Frank Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f5/frank-costello-39394_departed_no-one-gives-it-to-you-you-have-to-take_1933320.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f5/frank-costello-39394_departed_no-one-gives-it-to-you-you-have-to-take_1933320.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f5/frank-costello-39394_departed_no-one-gives-it-to-you-you-have-to-take_1933320.png)

> “No one gives it to you. You have to take it.”

[Frank Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-costello/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Success must be earned through personal effort; it isn’t handed out.

**In simple terms:** You must work for what you want.

Key Takeaway

Take initiative to claim your goals.

Themes

effort self-reliance achievement

Mood

determined assertive

Type

motivational pragmatic

When to use this quote

- career advancement
- skill development
- entrepreneurial ventures

Key Concepts

personal agency motivation

Questions to Reflect On

- What steps will you take today?
- How can you help others earn theirs?

A Different Perspective

May overlook systemic barriers.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Departed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/departed/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/)

## Related quotes

> [When you decide to be something, you can be it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-costello/when-you-decide-to-be-something-you-can-be-it/)

[Frank Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-costello/)

> [The only one that can do what I do is me. Lot of people had to die for me to be me. You wanna…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-costello/the-only-one-that-can-do-what-i-do-is-me-lot-of-people-had-to-die-for/)

[Frank Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-costello/)

> [When you decide to be something, you can be it. That's what they don't tell you in the church. When I was your age,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-costello/when-you-decide-to-be-something-you-can-be-it-that-s-what-they-don-t/)

[Frank Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-costello/)

> [Church wants you on your place. Kneel, stand, kneel, stand. If you go for that sort of thing, I don't know what to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-costello/church-wants-you-on-your-place-kneel-stand-kneel-stand-if-you-go-for/)

[Frank Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-costello/)

> [You can learn a lot, watching things eat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-costello/you-can-learn-a-lot-watching-things-eat/)

[Frank Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-costello/)

> [When I get home, I'm not the boss like I am at work - I slip into a more feminine role. I take everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-kerr/when-i-get-home-i-m-not-the-boss-like-i-am-at-work-i-slip-into-a-more/)

[Miranda Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-kerr/)

> [Through the music I hope to give it an arc that gives it a greater sense of a journey through the set rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gotye/through-the-music-i-hope-to-give-it-an-arc-that-gives-it-a-greater/)

[Gotye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gotye/)

> [I have a large watch collection, and classic watches are especially important to me. I had a silver Rolex, and I actually gave it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-berkus/i-have-a-large-watch-collection-and-classic-watches-are-especially/)

[Nate Berkus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-berkus/)

> [I am indeed a fortunate man and today's hours are but a bonus, undeserved. Why have I been allowed to live this extra day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/i-am-indeed-a-fortunate-man-and-today-s-hours-are-but-a-bonus/)

[Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/)

> [Thus departed Hiawatha, Hiawatha the Beloved, In the glory of the sunset, In the purple mists of evening, To the regions of the home-wind,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/thus-departed-hiawatha-hiawatha-the-beloved-in-the-glory-of-the/)

[Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/)

> [Those who grieve frequently find themselves alone. Missed is the laughter of children, the commotion of teenagers, and the tender, loving concern of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-s-monson/those-who-grieve-frequently-find-themselves-alone-missed-is-the/)

[Thomas S. Monson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-s-monson/)

> [Leo couldnt deliver Mr. Martin Scorsese his Oscar with The Aviator, but I will go on record to say I will do so in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-anderson/leo-couldnt-deliver-mr-martin-scorsese-his-oscar-with-the-aviator-but/)

[Anthony Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-anderson/)

> [So in the heart, When, fading slowly down the past, Fond memories depart, And each that leaves it seems the last; Long after all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-van-dyke/so-in-the-heart-when-fading-slowly-down-the-past-fond-memories-depart/)

[Henry Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-van-dyke/)

> [I find very reasonable the Celtic belief that the souls of our dearly departed are trapped in some inferior being, in an animal, aplant,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/i-find-very-reasonable-the-celtic-belief-that-the-souls-of-our-dearly/)

[Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/)

> [The end result of how I obviously departed from the Cubs wasn't ideal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-schwarber/the-end-result-of-how-i-obviously-departed-from-the-cubs-wasn-t-ideal/)

[Kyle Schwarber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-schwarber/)

## More by Frank Costello

> [You can learn a lot, watching things eat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-costello/you-can-learn-a-lot-watching-things-eat/)

[Frank Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-costello/)

> [Church wants you on your place. Kneel, stand, kneel, stand. If you go for that sort of thing, I don't know what to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-costello/church-wants-you-on-your-place-kneel-stand-kneel-stand-if-you-go-for/)

[Frank Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-costello/)

> [A lot of people had to die for me to be me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-costello/a-lot-of-people-had-to-die-for-me-to-be-me/)

[Frank Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-costello/)

> [Most men I know, pissed away their fortunes. I'm the only one I know, that made a fortune pissin'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-costello/most-men-i-know-pissed-away-their-fortunes-i-m-the-only-one-i-know/)

[Frank Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-costello/)

> [When you decide to be something, you can be it. That's what they don't tell you in the church. When I was your age,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-costello/when-you-decide-to-be-something-you-can-be-it-that-s-what-they-don-t/)

[Frank Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-costello/)

> [Other kids are brought up nice and sent to Harvard and Yale. Me? I was brought up like a mushroom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-costello/other-kids-are-brought-up-nice-and-sent-to-harvard-and-yale-me-i-was/)

[Frank Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-costello/)

> [The only one that can do what I do is me. Lot of people had to die for me to be me. You wanna…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-costello/the-only-one-that-can-do-what-i-do-is-me-lot-of-people-had-to-die-for/)

[Frank Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-costello/)

> [There's no justice in this world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-costello/there-s-no-justice-in-this-world/)

[Frank Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-costello/)

> [When you decide to be something, you can be it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-costello/when-you-decide-to-be-something-you-can-be-it/)

[Frank Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-costello/)

> [We're all gonna die, let's act accordingly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-costello/we-re-all-gonna-die-let-s-act-accordingly/)

[Frank Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-costello/)

[Explore all 11 Frank Costello quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-costello/)

## More Departed quotes

> [The end result of how I obviously departed from the Cubs wasn't ideal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-schwarber/the-end-result-of-how-i-obviously-departed-from-the-cubs-wasn-t-ideal/)

[Kyle Schwarber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-schwarber/)

> [I find very reasonable the Celtic belief that the souls of our dearly departed are trapped in some inferior being, in an animal, aplant,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/i-find-very-reasonable-the-celtic-belief-that-the-souls-of-our-dearly/)

[Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/)

> [So in the heart, When, fading slowly down the past, Fond memories depart, And each that leaves it seems the last; Long after all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-van-dyke/so-in-the-heart-when-fading-slowly-down-the-past-fond-memories-depart/)

[Henry Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-van-dyke/)

> [Leo couldnt deliver Mr. Martin Scorsese his Oscar with The Aviator, but I will go on record to say I will do so in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-anderson/leo-couldnt-deliver-mr-martin-scorsese-his-oscar-with-the-aviator-but/)

[Anthony Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-anderson/)

> [Those who grieve frequently find themselves alone. Missed is the laughter of children, the commotion of teenagers, and the tender, loving concern of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-s-monson/those-who-grieve-frequently-find-themselves-alone-missed-is-the/)

[Thomas S. Monson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-s-monson/)

> [Thus departed Hiawatha, Hiawatha the Beloved, In the glory of the sunset, In the purple mists of evening, To the regions of the home-wind,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/thus-departed-hiawatha-hiawatha-the-beloved-in-the-glory-of-the/)

[Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/)

> [I am indeed a fortunate man and today's hours are but a bonus, undeserved. Why have I been allowed to live this extra day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/i-am-indeed-a-fortunate-man-and-today-s-hours-are-but-a-bonus/)

[Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/)

> [So I departed and was free from imprisonment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/so-i-departed-and-was-free-from-imprisonment/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I haven't died in a movie in a while,'The Departed,' 'Body of Lies,' 'Revolutionary Road,' 'Shutter Island' and 'Inception.' I guess I did die…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/i-haven-t-died-in-a-movie-in-a-while-the-departed-body-of-lies/)

[Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/)

> [The things that have been and shall be no more, The things that are, and that hereafter shall be, The things that might have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/the-things-that-have-been-and-shall-be-no-more-the-things-that-are/)

[Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/)

> [When we come face-to-face with one down a dark alley, we're going to be having a shufti to see if it's solid, aren't we,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-we-come-face-to-face-with-one-down-a-dark-alley-we-re-going-to/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I was broken in body, soul, and spirit. My natural elasticity was crushed, my intellect languished, the disposition to read departed, the cheerful spark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-was-broken-in-body-soul-and-spirit-my-natural-elasticity-was/)

[Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/)

> [Here the Frenchman, Spaniard, and Englishman all passed, leaving each his legend; and a brilliant and more or less feudal civilization with its aristocracy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hervey-allen/here-the-frenchman-spaniard-and-englishman-all-passed-leaving-each/)

[Hervey Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hervey-allen/)

> [Language is in decline. Not only has eloquence departed but simple, direct speech as well, though pomposity and banality have not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-newman/language-is-in-decline-not-only-has-eloquence-departed-but-simple/)

[Edwin Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-newman/)

> [He who has once stood beside the grave, to look back upon the companionship which has been forever closed, feeling how impotent there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/he-who-has-once-stood-beside-the-grave-to-look-back-upon-the/)

[John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/)

[Browse all 201 Departed quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/departed/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "No one gives it to you. You have to take it.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Frank Costello"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-costello/no-one-gives-it-to-you-you-have-to-take-it/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Departed"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-costello/no-one-gives-it-to-you-you-have-to-take-it/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f5/frank-costello-39394_departed_no-one-gives-it-to-you-you-have-to-take_1933320.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f5/frank-costello-39394_departed_no-one-gives-it-to-you-you-have-to-take_1933320.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f5/frank-costello-39394_departed_no-one-gives-it-to-you-you-have-to-take_1933320.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“No one gives it to you. You have to take it.” — Frank Costello",
                "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": "Frank Costello",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-costello/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "No one gives it to you....",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-costello/no-one-gives-it-to-you-you-have-to-take-it/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-costello/no-one-gives-it-to-you-you-have-to-take-it/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
