--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Not many people are really that…" description: "\"Not many people are really that meticulous with what they do, I suppose, but I'm just a control freak and terribly afraid of failure or regret. I work ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24e/george-michael-1332_afraid-of-failure_not-many-people-are-really-that-meticulo_1673207.png" --- # Not many people are really that meticulous with what they… ![“Not many people are really that meticulous with what they do, I suppose, but I'm just a control freak and terribly afraid of failure or regret. I work very hard on these things.” quote by George Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24e/george-michael-1332_afraid-of-failure_not-many-people-are-really-that-meticulo_1673207.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24e/george-michael-1332_afraid-of-failure_not-many-people-are-really-that-meticulo_1673207.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24e/george-michael-1332_afraid-of-failure_not-many-people-are-really-that-meticulo_1673207.png) > “Not many people are really that meticulous with what they do, I suppose, but I'm just a control freak and terribly afraid of failure or regret. I work very hard on these things.” [George Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-michael/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker admits to being overly controlling and fearful of failure, driving intense effort in tasks. **In simple terms:** Control and fear of failure lead to over‑work. Key Takeaway Balance control with self‑compassion. Themes self‑doubt perfectionism anxiety work ethic Mood anxious determined Type personal reflective When to use this quote - personal relationships - project management - creative work - health management Key Concepts control fear of failure regret perfectionism Questions to Reflect On - How does fear of failure shape your daily habits? - What can you do to reduce perfectionist tendencies? A Different Perspective Over‑control can cause burnout and strain relationships. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Afraid Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid-failure/) [Afraid of failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid-of-failure/) [Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) [Control freak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control-freak/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Failure Regret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure-regret-881502/) [Freak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freak/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Regret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regret/) [Regret Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regret-work-881503/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Work hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-hard/) ## Related quotes > [I'm basically a control freak. It's not because I want to be. I'm not at all into the power play that's involved in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-michael/i-m-basically-a-control-freak-it-s-not-because-i-want-to-be-i-m-not/) [George Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-michael/) > [If you are too afraid of failure, you cant possibly do what needs to be done to succeed in living a fulfilling life. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/if-you-are-too-afraid-of-failure-you-cant-possibly-do-what-needs-to/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [When I thought about why I was sometimes reluctant to push myself, I realized that it was because I was afraid of failure -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/when-i-thought-about-why-i-was-sometimes-reluctant-to-push-myself-i/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [Don't be afraid of failure. This is the way to succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lebron-james/don-t-be-afraid-of-failure-this-is-the-way-to-succeed/) [LeBron James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lebron-james/) > [I'm not afraid of failure; I'm afraid of succeeding at things that don't matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-carey/i-m-not-afraid-of-failure-i-m-afraid-of-succeeding-at-things-that-don/) [William Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-carey/) > [Never be afraid of failure. And don't stop yourself from doing something you want to do because of what others might think. Only you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suki-waterhouse/never-be-afraid-of-failure-and-don-t-stop-yourself-from-doing/) [Suki Waterhouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suki-waterhouse/) > [Sometimes we're afraid of failure so therefore we miss out on opportunities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/surgeo-bell/sometimes-we-re-afraid-of-failure-so-therefore-we-miss-out-on/) [Surgeo Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/surgeo-bell/) > [“Pushing myself, I knew, would cause me serious discomfort. It's a Secret of Adulthood: Happiness doesn't always make you feel happy. When I thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/pushing-myself-i-knew-would-cause-me-serious-discomfort-it-s-a-secret/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [I'm not the guy who's afraid of failure. I like to take risks, take the big shot and all that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-curry/i-m-not-the-guy-who-s-afraid-of-failure-i-like-to-take-risks-take-the/) [Stephen Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-curry/) > [I was very afraid of failure because if you fail at something you love, then you ruin what you love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimbal-musk/i-was-very-afraid-of-failure-because-if-you-fail-at-something-you/) [Kimbal Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimbal-musk/) > [If you show me someone who's afraid of failure, I'll show you someone who is not a groundbreaking, innovative pioneer of a certain industry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-heyman/if-you-show-me-someone-who-s-afraid-of-failure-i-ll-show-you-someone/) [Paul Heyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-heyman/) > [If you're so afraid of failure, you will never succeed. You have to take chances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-andretti/if-you-re-so-afraid-of-failure-you-will-never-succeed-you-have-to/) [Mario Andretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-andretti/) > [“I was never afraid of failure; for I would sooner fail than not be among the greatest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/i-was-never-afraid-of-failure-for-i-would-sooner-fail-than-not-be/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [Don't be afraid of failure, be afraid of not trying in the first place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-forleo/don-t-be-afraid-of-failure-be-afraid-of-not-trying-in-the-first-place/) [Marie Forleo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-forleo/) > [Don't be afraid of failure; be afraid of petty success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maude-adams/don-t-be-afraid-of-failure-be-afraid-of-petty-success/) [Maude Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maude-adams/) ## More by George Michael > [ When Andrew \[Ridgeley\] first met my family, he heard my mom calling me "Yorgos." He just abbreviated it to Yog, and unfortunately it stuck.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-michael/when-andrew-ridgeley-first-met-my-family-he-heard-my-mom-calling-me/) [George Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-michael/) > [ \[My family\] is one of the strongest families you're ever likely to see. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-michael/my-family-is-one-of-the-strongest-families-you-re-ever-likely-to-see/) [George Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-michael/) > [The first sign of real obsession with music was with an old wind-up gramophone that mum had thrown out into the garage. My parents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-michael/the-first-sign-of-real-obsession-with-music-was-with-an-old-wind-up/) [George Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-michael/) > [I'm a perfectionist. It's a big pain in the ass and it takes a lot of my time, but it really is going well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-michael/i-m-a-perfectionist-it-s-a-big-pain-in-the-ass-and-it-takes-a-lot-of/) [George Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-michael/) > [I find it difficult enough as it is to keep some kind of normality in my life. I enjoy this experience, but I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-michael/i-find-it-difficult-enough-as-it-is-to-keep-some-kind-of-normality-in/) [George Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-michael/) > [I want to make a pop album - something more upbeat than my stuff was in the '90s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-michael/i-want-to-make-a-pop-album-something-more-upbeat-than-my-stuff-was-in/) [George Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-michael/) > [If I can just live further from the spotlight I think that'll be better for all really.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-michael/if-i-can-just-live-further-from-the-spotlight-i-think-that-ll-be/) [George Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-michael/) > [Because of the media, the way the world is perceived is as a place where resources and time are running out. We're taught that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-michael/because-of-the-media-the-way-the-world-is-perceived-is-as-a-place/) [George Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-michael/) > [ Obviously, \[Wham!\] made me a lot more comfortable as a musician. I was very confident that I would become a successful musician, but I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-michael/obviously-wham-made-me-a-lot-more-comfortable-as-a-musician-i-was/) [George Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-michael/) > [“I should have known better than to cheat a friend / And waste the chance that I'd been given / So I'm never gonna…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-michael/i-should-have-known-better-than-to-cheat-a-friend-and-waste-the/) [George Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-michael/) > [I don't really feel I deserve something if I haven't had to fight for it. It's not a conscious attitude, and it's stupid and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-michael/i-don-t-really-feel-i-deserve-something-if-i-haven-t-had-to-fight-for/) [George Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-michael/) > [I had been obsessed with insects and creepy-crawlies: I used to get up at five o'clock in the morning and go out into this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-michael/i-had-been-obsessed-with-insects-and-creepy-crawlies-i-used-to-get-up/) [George Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-michael/) > [I think part of it has got to be compensation, yes, for the fact that when I was a kid, I wasn't particularly attractive.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-michael/i-think-part-of-it-has-got-to-be-compensation-yes-for-the-fact-that/) [George Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-michael/) > [I find it too terrifying to go out in L.A.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-michael/i-find-it-too-terrifying-to-go-out-in-l-a/) [George Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-michael/) > [In terms of my work, I've never been reticent in terms of defining my sexuality. I write about my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-michael/in-terms-of-my-work-i-ve-never-been-reticent-in-terms-of-defining-my/) [George Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-michael/) [Explore all 255 George Michael quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-michael/) ## More Afraid of failure quotes > [If you are too afraid of failure, you cant possibly do what needs to be done to succeed in living a fulfilling life. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/if-you-are-too-afraid-of-failure-you-cant-possibly-do-what-needs-to/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [Don't be afraid of failure, be afraid of not trying in the first place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-forleo/don-t-be-afraid-of-failure-be-afraid-of-not-trying-in-the-first-place/) [Marie Forleo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-forleo/) > [“I was never afraid of failure; for I would sooner fail than not be among the greatest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/i-was-never-afraid-of-failure-for-i-would-sooner-fail-than-not-be/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [“The coward and the ignorant are equally afraid of failure and humiliation. Escape is not a choice for them, as they find themselves having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sacredfire/the-coward-and-the-ignorant-are-equally-afraid-of-failure-and/) [Robin Sacredfire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sacredfire/) > [“Our fear is free-floating. We’re afraid this isn’t the right relationship or we’re afraid it is. We’re afraid they won’t like us or we’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/our-fear-is-free-floating-we-re-afraid-this-isn-t-the-right/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [If you're so afraid of failure, you will never succeed. You have to take chances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-andretti/if-you-re-so-afraid-of-failure-you-will-never-succeed-you-have-to/) [Mario Andretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-andretti/) > [If you show me someone who's afraid of failure, I'll show you someone who is not a groundbreaking, innovative pioneer of a certain industry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-heyman/if-you-show-me-someone-who-s-afraid-of-failure-i-ll-show-you-someone/) [Paul Heyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-heyman/) > [“Never be afraid to wish for what you really want in life. Wishes are possible manifestation of thoughts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/never-be-afraid-to-wish-for-what-you-really-want-in-life-wishes-are/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [I was very afraid of failure because if you fail at something you love, then you ruin what you love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimbal-musk/i-was-very-afraid-of-failure-because-if-you-fail-at-something-you/) [Kimbal Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimbal-musk/) > [I'm not the guy who's afraid of failure. I like to take risks, take the big shot and all that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-curry/i-m-not-the-guy-who-s-afraid-of-failure-i-like-to-take-risks-take-the/) [Stephen Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-curry/) > [“Pushing myself, I knew, would cause me serious discomfort. It's a Secret of Adulthood: Happiness doesn't always make you feel happy. When I thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/pushing-myself-i-knew-would-cause-me-serious-discomfort-it-s-a-secret/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“He was like a jazz musician, joyfully improvising, imagining tastes that ordinary people could not. He pulled ingredients apart and reconstructed them in endlessly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-reichl/he-was-like-a-jazz-musician-joyfully-improvising-imagining-tastes/) [Ruth Reichl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-reichl/) > [Sometimes we're afraid of failure so therefore we miss out on opportunities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/surgeo-bell/sometimes-we-re-afraid-of-failure-so-therefore-we-miss-out-on/) [Surgeo Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/surgeo-bell/) > [Never be afraid of failure. And don't stop yourself from doing something you want to do because of what others might think. Only you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suki-waterhouse/never-be-afraid-of-failure-and-don-t-stop-yourself-from-doing/) [Suki Waterhouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suki-waterhouse/) > [“I don't care about the good grades in school, I'm not afraid of failures. All I want is to do what I want because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-ricafort/i-don-t-care-about-the-good-grades-in-school-i-m-not-afraid-of/) [Evan Ricafort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-ricafort/) [Browse all 98 Afraid of failure quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid-of-failure/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Not many people are really that meticulous with what they do, I suppose, but I'm just a control freak and terribly afraid of failure or regret. 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