--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was a guy who showed up for work and…" description: "\"I was a guy who showed up for work and took the chance for finding out whether I could do it or not... I'd like to think I made my success not at the e..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df3/gary-david-goldberg-36996_accidental_i-was-a-guy-who-showed-up-for-work-and-t_1163993.jpg" --- # I was a guy who showed up for work and took the chance for… ![“I was a guy who showed up for work and took the chance for finding out whether I could do it or not... I'd like to think I made my success not at the expense of anyone. Success was accidental.” quote by Gary David Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df3/gary-david-goldberg-36996_accidental_i-was-a-guy-who-showed-up-for-work-and-t_1163993.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df3/gary-david-goldberg-36996_accidental_i-was-a-guy-who-showed-up-for-work-and-t_1163993.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df3/gary-david-goldberg-36996_accidental_i-was-a-guy-who-showed-up-for-work-and-t_1163993.jpg) > “I was a guy who showed up for work and took the chance for finding out whether I could do it or not... I'd like to think I made my success not at the expense of anyone. Success was accidental.” [Gary David Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-david-goldberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success often comes unexpectedly and without harming others, reflecting humility and luck. **In simple terms:** Success can be accidental and ethical. Key Takeaway Recognize luck and stay humble. Themes humility luck ethics Mood reflective grateful Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - career advancement - entrepreneurship - team projects Key Concepts randomness meritocracy Questions to Reflect On - Do you attribute your achievements to skill or luck? - How can you ensure success benefits others? A Different Perspective Success may still require effort beyond chance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accidental](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accidental/) [Anyone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anyone/) [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Could](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/could/) [Expense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expense/) [Finding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finding/) [Guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guy/) [Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/out/) [Showed Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/showed-work-1269735/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Success Accidental](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success-accidental-1805049/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) [Think Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-success/) [Took](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/took/) [Took Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/took-chance/) [Up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/up/) [Whether](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whether/) [Who](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/who/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [Success is never accidental.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-dorsey/success-is-never-accidental/) [Jack Dorsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-dorsey/) > [I didn’t just show up for work, as has sometimes been said. I also showed up to work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/i-didn-t-just-show-up-for-work-as-has-sometimes-been-said-i-also/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [ Marlon \[Brando\] showed me that you could do the work and not have to shut yourself off from people or your family. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-depp/marlon-brando-showed-me-that-you-could-do-the-work-and-not-have-to/) [Johnny Depp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-depp/) > [At some clubs success is accidental. At Arsenal it is compulsory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arsene-wenger/at-some-clubs-success-is-accidental-at-arsenal-it-is-compulsory/) [Arsene Wenger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arsene-wenger/) > [“Change Management Success is not accidental, it requires a plan and strategy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-zhu/change-management-success-is-not-accidental-it-requires-a-plan-and/) [Pearl Zhu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-zhu/) > [“I had days thinking I am at loose, regretting why I took that chance. I had nights dreaming what if we be still together.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irfa-rahat/i-had-days-thinking-i-am-at-loose-regretting-why-i-took-that-chance-i/) [Irfa Rahat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irfa-rahat/) > [“Take a chance on God. After all, He took a chance on you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-may-warren/take-a-chance-on-god-after-all-he-took-a-chance-on-you/) [Susan May Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-may-warren/) > [Everything that's happened to me, nothing's been planned. I've never had a business plan. I just kind of fell into it, and I liked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-apfel/everything-that-s-happened-to-me-nothing-s-been-planned-i-ve-never/) [Iris Apfel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-apfel/) > [But when’s the last time you took a chance? Or didn’t do what someone else expected of you? Or did something you really wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessi-kirby/but-when-s-the-last-time-you-took-a-chance-or-didn-t-do-what-someone/) [Jessi Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessi-kirby/) > [I took a huge risk. At the time, I was an Orlando Magic dancer, and I was going on my third year. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi/i-took-a-huge-risk-at-the-time-i-was-an-orlando-magic-dancer-and-i/) [Naomi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi/) > [It's okay that I'm broken and hurting right now. It's okay because I took that chance in loving you and will always be able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-okay-that-i-m-broken-and-hurting-right-now-it-s-okay-because-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You took a chance on me, open my heart to see<3](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blood-on-the-dance-floor/you-took-a-chance-on-me-open-my-heart-to-see-3/) [Blood On The Dance Floor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blood-on-the-dance-floor/) > [“I thought I knew him well, too. I took a chance. I wrote an accurate account of my terrifying summer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-zackheim/i-thought-i-knew-him-well-too-i-took-a-chance-i-wrote-an-accurate/) [Ben Zackheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-zackheim/) > [Denver, of course I've got to take my hats off to them, because they took a chance of drafting me in the first round.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demaryius-thomas/denver-of-course-i-ve-got-to-take-my-hats-off-to-them-because-they/) [Demaryius Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demaryius-thomas/) > [I took a chance, I took a shot And you may think Im bullet-proof, but Im not. You took a swing, I took it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/i-took-a-chance-i-took-a-shot-and-you-may-think-im-bullet-proof-but/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) ## More by Gary David Goldberg > [I don't sleep at night at all. Making movies is a marathon. I'm a good 100-yard-dash guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-david-goldberg/i-don-t-sleep-at-night-at-all-making-movies-is-a-marathon-i-m-a-good/) [Gary David Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-david-goldberg/) > [In 1998, I received treatment for my knee by an Israeli therapist. We spoke about Israel and I mentioned 'Scooterman' and he just froze.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-david-goldberg/in-1998-i-received-treatment-for-my-knee-by-an-israeli-therapist-we/) [Gary David Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-david-goldberg/) > [It takes a lot of people to make a winning team. Everybody's contribution is important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-david-goldberg/it-takes-a-lot-of-people-to-make-a-winning-team-everybody-s/) [Gary David Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-david-goldberg/) > ['Family Ties' was a very successful situation comedy. And, in almost every respect, it functioned on a day to day basis like a well-run,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-david-goldberg/family-ties-was-a-very-successful-situation-comedy-and-in-almost/) [Gary David Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-david-goldberg/) > [My father worked in the Post Office. A lot of double shifts. All his friends were in the same situation - truck drivers, taxi…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-david-goldberg/my-father-worked-in-the-post-office-a-lot-of-double-shifts-all-his/) [Gary David Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-david-goldberg/) > [You could put all of Rev. Jeremiah Wright's angry sermons on to one loop. You could put that loop up on the big screen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-david-goldberg/you-could-put-all-of-rev-jeremiah-wright-s-angry-sermons-on-to-one/) [Gary David Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-david-goldberg/) > [Television is what it's always been. The best of times and the worst of times at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-david-goldberg/television-is-what-it-s-always-been-the-best-of-times-and-the-worst/) [Gary David Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-david-goldberg/) > [I think to the extent you die with money in the bank, you've miscalculated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-david-goldberg/i-think-to-the-extent-you-die-with-money-in-the-bank-you-ve/) [Gary David Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-david-goldberg/) > [A good team, like a good show, comes into being when the separate individuals working together create, in essence, another separate higher entity -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-david-goldberg/a-good-team-like-a-good-show-comes-into-being-when-the-separate/) [Gary David Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-david-goldberg/) > [A lot of money eliminates a category of worry. If your car breaks down, you're still going to get through the day. But it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-david-goldberg/a-lot-of-money-eliminates-a-category-of-worry-if-your-car-breaks-down-2/) [Gary David Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-david-goldberg/) > [At the end of the seven years, 'Family Ties' voluntarily went off the air. And, we went off as the #1 show on TV…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-david-goldberg/at-the-end-of-the-seven-years-family-ties-voluntarily-went-off-the/) [Gary David Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-david-goldberg/) [Explore all 12 Gary David Goldberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-david-goldberg/) ## More Accidental quotes > [The attempted assassinations against me were not accidental.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akhmad-kadyrov/the-attempted-assassinations-against-me-were-not-accidental/) [Akhmad Kadyrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akhmad-kadyrov/) > [“Accidental travel happens all the time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loren-w-cooper/accidental-travel-happens-all-the-time/) [Loren W. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loren-w-cooper/) > [Of your philosophy you makeno use If you give place to accidental evils.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/of-your-philosophy-you-makeno-use-if-you-give-place-to-accidental/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I'm kind of an accidental instrument, really, through which I hope that the judgment and the will of this nation can be expressed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-mccarthy/i-m-kind-of-an-accidental-instrument-really-through-which-i-hope-that/) [Eugene McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-mccarthy/) > [Im an accidental entrepreneur.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-massenet/im-an-accidental-entrepreneur/) [Natalie Massenet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-massenet/) > [Parties are organised happiness but happiness is accidental. You can't legislate for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-skinner/parties-are-organised-happiness-but-happiness-is-accidental-you-can-t/) [Dennis Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-skinner/) > [“That's how life is: it provides these accidental answers. Or it seems to. You have to judge by results.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-munson/that-s-how-life-is-it-provides-these-accidental-answers-or-it-seems/) [Sam Munson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-munson/) > [My misdeeds are accidental happenings and merely the result of having been in the wrong bar or bed at the wrong time, say most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-bernard/my-misdeeds-are-accidental-happenings-and-merely-the-result-of-having/) [Jeffrey Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-bernard/) > [“You have a real gift for getting into trouble, don’t you? That was one thing I forgot when you left the pack.” “How is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/you-have-a-real-gift-for-getting-into-trouble-don-t-you-that-was-one/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [I never thought I'd be acting. It's very accidental for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reeve-carney/i-never-thought-i-d-be-acting-it-s-very-accidental-for-me/) [Reeve Carney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reeve-carney/) > [Directing is my first love; turning an actor was rather accidental.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dileesh-pothan/directing-is-my-first-love-turning-an-actor-was-rather-accidental/) [Dileesh Pothan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dileesh-pothan/) > [“In my life's chain of events nothing was accidental. Everything happened according to an inner need.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-my-life-s-chain-of-events-nothing-was-accidental-everything/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“This accidental Meeting of possibilities Calls itself I.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dag-hammarskj-ld/this-accidental-meeting-of-possibilities-calls-itself-i/) [Dag Hammarskjold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dag-hammarskj-ld/) > [All my books are accidental books - they come from reacting to things and thinking about things and engaging in a real way. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/all-my-books-are-accidental-books-they-come-from-reacting-to-things/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Any planning that I have in my career is totally accidental really.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/any-planning-that-i-have-in-my-career-is-totally-accidental-really/) [Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) [Browse all 101 Accidental quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accidental/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was a guy who showed up for work and took the chance for finding out whether I could do it or not... I'd like to think I made my success not at the expense of anyone. 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