--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If at first you don't succeed, sure, try…" description: "\"If at first you don't succeed, sure, try again... but if you keep not succeeding, you should probably concentrate on something (or someone) else worthw..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eaa/ingrid-weir-20918_firsts_if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-sure-try-a_1288613.jpg" --- # If at first you don't succeed, sure, try again... but if… ![“If at first you don't succeed, sure, try again... but if you keep not succeeding, you should probably concentrate on something (or someone) else worthwhile & quit wasting your time.” quote by Ingrid Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eaa/ingrid-weir-20918_firsts_if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-sure-try-a_1288613.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eaa/ingrid-weir-20918_firsts_if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-sure-try-a_1288613.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eaa/ingrid-weir-20918_firsts_if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-sure-try-a_1288613.jpg) > “If at first you don't succeed, sure, try again... but if you keep not succeeding, you should probably concentrate on something (or someone) else worthwhile & quit wasting your time.” [Ingrid Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-weir/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Persisting in a failing endeavor wastes time; better to redirect effort toward a more promising pursuit. **In simple terms:** Stop trying what fails; focus elsewhere. Key Takeaway Redirect energy to viable goals. Themes efficiency prioritization resilience Mood pragmatic determined Type advice motivational When to use this quote - career change - business ventures - personal projects - relationship decisions Key Concepts opportunity cost strategic focus Questions to Reflect On - What could you pursue that offers better returns? - How do you know when to quit? A Different Perspective Success may require abandoning unproductive paths. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Concentrate Worthwhile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concentrate-worthwhile-4189503/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Quitting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quitting/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Succeed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/succeed/) [Succeeding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/succeeding/) [Succeeding Probably](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/succeeding-probably-4189502/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Try again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/try-again/) [Try Succeeding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/try-succeeding-4189501/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Wasting your time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wasting-your-time/) [Worthwhile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worthwhile/) ## Related quotes > [I think it's because in America you always get the sense that if you fail, you can just pack up your things and go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/i-think-it-s-because-in-america-you-always-get-the-sense-that-if-you/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [“I love your body 'cause I've lost my mind If you want someone to talk to, you're wasting your time If you want someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarvis-cocker/i-love-your-body-cause-i-ve-lost-my-mind-if-you-want-someone-to-talk/) [Jarvis Cocker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarvis-cocker/) > [“If you have been wasting your time or you have been investing your time, the result is actually staring at you right now”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/if-you-have-been-wasting-your-time-or-you-have-been-investing-your/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [I think in the Western world we have gotten overly identified with doing, and we've kind of forgotten about the art of being. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakti-gawain/i-think-in-the-western-world-we-have-gotten-overly-identified-with/) [Shakti Gawain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakti-gawain/) > [The More Jealous You Get , The More Hurt You Get , So Move The Fuck On ! & Stop Wasting Your Time On…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-vargas/the-more-jealous-you-get-the-more-hurt-you-get-so-move-the-fuck-on/) [Isa Vargas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-vargas/) > [If your not doing what you love, then your wasting your time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jc-caylen/if-your-not-doing-what-you-love-then-your-wasting-your-time/) [Jc Caylen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jc-caylen/) > [Any time you find the government involved in a conspiracy to violate the citizenship or the civil rights of a people, then you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/any-time-you-find-the-government-involved-in-a-conspiracy-to-violate/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Dear haters even I also hate myself, you're just wasting your time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dear-haters-even-i-also-hate-myself-you-re-just-wasting-your-time/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There are no normal people, there are just different kinds of weird, all of it is human and all humanity is better than everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-harmon/there-are-no-normal-people-there-are-just-different-kinds-of-weird/) [Dan Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-harmon/) > [Know what you love and do what you love. If you don't do what you love, you're just wasting your time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/know-what-you-love-and-do-what-you-love-if-you-don-t-do-what-you-love/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [“She is tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me; I am in no humour at present to give consequence to young ladies who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/she-is-tolerable-but-not-handsome-enough-to-tempt-me-i-am-in-no/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [It's hard to get along with people. As much as you try to like them and accept them as individuals, it becomes difficult because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/it-s-hard-to-get-along-with-people-as-much-as-you-try-to-like-them/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [When I dated someone, my goal is to marry her, I date to get married one day, I don't date a girl just to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werley-nortreus/when-i-dated-someone-my-goal-is-to-marry-her-i-date-to-get-married/) [Werley Nortreus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werley-nortreus/) > [“ You're wasting your time Giving me that speech you try to don't reach: your smile <3 You're holding your tears Your insides are dead You're eating your fears, In a cigarette. You've waited too long, to finally see... Sunshine in the rain is as deep as the sea. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-sheeran/you-re-wasting-your-time-giving-me-that-speech-you-try-to-don-t-reach/) [Ed Sheeran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-sheeran/) > [Our competition has always been anything that is wasting your time when you're bored at work. In a broad sense. We want people to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/our-competition-has-always-been-anything-that-is-wasting-your-time/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) ## More by Ingrid Weir > [What if reincarnation really happens, and Jesus were reincarnated, & you were a total d\*ck to him? It could happen. You should probably treat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-weir/what-if-reincarnation-really-happens-and-jesus-were-reincarnated-you/) [Ingrid Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-weir/) > [The only complicated things worth fighting for will change the world in some way and/or make you lots of money, and a complicated relationship…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-weir/the-only-complicated-things-worth-fighting-for-will-change-the-world/) [Ingrid Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-weir/) > [Looking for a gem, we are sometimes dumb enough to try to hold on to a lump of coal, convinced that it will turn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-weir/looking-for-a-gem-we-are-sometimes-dumb-enough-to-try-to-hold-on-to-a/) [Ingrid Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-weir/) > [The more obstacles you encounter, the harder you must fight to meet your destiny. Never let adversity win. Never give up on yourself and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-weir/the-more-obstacles-you-encounter-the-harder-you-must-fight-to-meet/) [Ingrid Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-weir/) > [Why would they have book covers if we aren't supposed to judge the book by them? It makes no sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-weir/why-would-they-have-book-covers-if-we-aren-t-supposed-to-judge-the/) [Ingrid Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-weir/) > [If you aren't happy with your life, change things until you are... if you can't change something, change your attitude about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-weir/if-you-aren-t-happy-with-your-life-change-things-until-you-are-if-you/) [Ingrid Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-weir/) > [It may be easier to get forgiveness than permission, but trust is harder to get back than both.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-weir/it-may-be-easier-to-get-forgiveness-than-permission-but-trust-is/) [Ingrid Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-weir/) > [Teach by example and treat yourself the way you would want your children to treat themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-weir/teach-by-example-and-treat-yourself-the-way-you-would-want-your/) [Ingrid Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-weir/) > [Since all men are created equal, I have to thank God I was born a woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-weir/since-all-men-are-created-equal-i-have-to-thank-god-i-was-born-a-woman/) [Ingrid Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-weir/) > [Insecurity isn't an attractive quality in a man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-weir/insecurity-isn-t-an-attractive-quality-in-a-man/) [Ingrid Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-weir/) > [I've never understood why people get mad at others for not being interested in them romantically - especially when there are so many reasons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-weir/i-ve-never-understood-why-people-get-mad-at-others-for-not-being/) [Ingrid Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-weir/) > [If it isn't going to matter to you in 5 years, quit stressing about it. (Also, quit b\*tching about it. It might matter when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-weir/if-it-isn-t-going-to-matter-to-you-in-5-years-quit-stressing-about-it/) [Ingrid Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-weir/) > [As a kid, I dreamed of a knight in shining armor coming to rescue me. Now, I just dream of equal pay for equal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-weir/as-a-kid-i-dreamed-of-a-knight-in-shining-armor-coming-to-rescue-me/) [Ingrid Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-weir/) > [Today is the first day of the rest of your life, and if you screw that up, you can start again tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-weir/today-is-the-first-day-of-the-rest-of-your-life-and-if-you-screw-that/) [Ingrid Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-weir/) > [Once you acknowledge that reality is not your enemy, it will no longer be your enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-weir/once-you-acknowledge-that-reality-is-not-your-enemy-it-will-no-longer/) [Ingrid Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-weir/) [Explore all 30 Ingrid Weir quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-weir/) ## More Failure quotes > [When you do things they're absolutely right at that time for you and it can always teach you something about yourself. You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-marsh/when-you-do-things-they-re-absolutely-right-at-that-time-for-you-and/) [Kym Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-marsh/) > [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/failures-happen-you-can-t-cry-over-them-you-just-take-it-in-your/) [Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/) > [No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/no-one-is-completely-unhappy-at-the-failure-of-his-best-friend/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [“Rhiannon's Law #28: If you're going to fuck up, be sure to fuck up good and proper. Nothing makes failure acceptable, so you might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/rhiannon-s-law-28-if-you-re-going-to-fuck-up-be-sure-to-fuck-up-good/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Failure is a part of life and you have to learn to deal with it. Failure is something that is part of life's cycle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/failure-is-a-part-of-life-and-you-have-to-learn-to-deal-with-it/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [First action was a mistake. What about the second? third? fourth and fifth?...Mehn you are bad...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/first-action-was-a-mistake-what-about-the-second-third-fourth-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [God's love never fail :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-s-love-never-fail/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don’t you just hate nights like that, when you think over every mistake you’ve made, every hurt you’ve received, every bit of meanness you’ve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlaine-harris/don-t-you-just-hate-nights-like-that-when-you-think-over-every/) [Charlaine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlaine-harris/) > [“Our failure to understand another being's inner reality doesn't make that reality any less real, or any less valuable to that being. (p.255)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-schulz/our-failure-to-understand-another-being-s-inner-reality-doesn-t-make/) [Kathryn Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-schulz/) > [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/) [Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/) > [Don't take too much comfort in the fact that you're successful today because tomorrow could bring failure. There's no surety in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-savage/don-t-take-too-much-comfort-in-the-fact-that-you-re-successful-today/) [Michael Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-savage/) > [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [As we are coming to the end of the year, I want you to forget about the past, the failure, the negative thoughts or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-we-are-coming-to-the-end-of-the-year-i-want-you-to-forget-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 27,498 Failure quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If at first you don't succeed, sure, try again... but if you keep not succeeding, you should probably concentrate on something (or someone) else worthwhile & quit wasting your time.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ingrid Weir" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-weir/if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-sure-try-again-but-if-you-keep-not/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Failure" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-weir/if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-sure-try-again-but-if-you-keep-not/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eaa/ingrid-weir-20918_firsts_if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-sure-try-a_1288613.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eaa/ingrid-weir-20918_firsts_if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-sure-try-a_1288613.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eaa/ingrid-weir-20918_firsts_if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-sure-try-a_1288613.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If at first you don't succeed, sure, try again... but if you keep not succeeding, you should probably…” — Ingrid Weir", "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": "Ingrid Weir", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-weir/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If at first you don't succeed,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-weir/if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-sure-try-again-but-if-you-keep-not/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-weir/if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-sure-try-again-but-if-you-keep-not/#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 } } ] } ```