--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Whenever anyone says \"I can't,\" it makes…" description: "\"Whenever anyone says \"I can't,\" it makes me wish he'd get stung to death by about ten thousand bees. When he says \"I'll try,\" five thousand bees. (\"I c..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d98/jack-handey-829_bees_whenever-anyone-says-i-can-t-it-makes-me_3189571.jpg" --- # Whenever anyone says "I can't," it makes me wish he'd get… ![“Whenever anyone says "I can't," it makes me wish he'd get stung to death by about ten thousand bees. When he says "I'll try," five thousand bees. ("I can," one bee.)” quote by Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d98/jack-handey-829_bees_whenever-anyone-says-i-can-t-it-makes-me_3189571.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d98/jack-handey-829_bees_whenever-anyone-says-i-can-t-it-makes-me_3189571.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d98/jack-handey-829_bees_whenever-anyone-says-i-can-t-it-makes-me_3189571.jpg) > “Whenever anyone says "I can't," it makes me wish he'd get stung to death by about ten thousand bees. When he says "I'll try," five thousand bees. ("I can," one bee.)” [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Exaggerated humor highlights how self‑doubt can be overwhelming, while effort feels less daunting. **In simple terms:** Self‑doubt feels huge; effort feels smaller. Key Takeaway Acknowledge doubt but keep trying. Themes humor self‑doubt effort Mood playful thought‑provoking Type humorous philosophical When to use this quote - overcoming procrastination - starting a project - building confidence - learning new skills Key Concepts exaggeration motivation psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you react to self‑doubt? - What small step can reduce your fear? A Different Perspective Humor may downplay serious anxiety. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bees/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Deep thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deep-thought/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) ## Related quotes > [A grudge is like being stung to death by one bee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-walton/a-grudge-is-like-being-stung-to-death-by-one-bee/) [William Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-walton/) > [“I'd rather be stung to death by a bunch of piss ants. ~Synola Harper, You're Busting My Nuptials”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-everett/i-d-rather-be-stung-to-death-by-a-bunch-of-piss-ants-synola-harper/) Ann Everett > [Death stung himself to death when he stung Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-romaine/death-stung-himself-to-death-when-he-stung-christ/) [William Romaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-romaine/) > [Keep out of Chancery. It's being ground to bits in a slow mill; it's being roasted at a slow fire; it's being stung to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/keep-out-of-chancery-it-s-being-ground-to-bits-in-a-slow-mill-it-s/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“Well, I will wear the bees, like Damon and Pythagoras – ho, a mere sixty thousand bees in the cabin don't signify, much.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/well-i-will-wear-the-bees-like-damon-and-pythagoras-ho-a-mere-sixty/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [The number of humble-bees in any district depends in a great degree on the number of field-mice, which destroy their combs and nests; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/the-number-of-humble-bees-in-any-district-depends-in-a-great-degree/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) > [You can't assume the best about people. If I get a girl home and she takes her pants off, and it looks like she's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dov-davidoff/you-can-t-assume-the-best-about-people-if-i-get-a-girl-home-and-she/) [Dov Davidoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dov-davidoff/) > [My cousin just died. He was only 19. He got stung by a bee - the natural enemy of a tightrope walker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-rather/my-cousin-just-died-he-was-only-19-he-got-stung-by-a-bee-the-natural/) [Dan Rather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-rather/) > [Playing in this nice weather really makes me remember all the times I got stung by a bee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-madden/playing-in-this-nice-weather-really-makes-me-remember-all-the-times-i/) [John Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-madden/) > [Those who have not been stung will hardly fear a bee the same as those who have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/those-who-have-not-been-stung-will-hardly-fear-a-bee-the-same-as/) [Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/) > [To carry a grudge is like being stung to death by one bee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-carry-a-grudge-is-like-being-stung-to-death-by-one-bee/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A king who feared wasps once decreed that they were abolished. As it happened, they did him no harm. But he was eventually stung…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/a-king-who-feared-wasps-once-decreed-that-they-were-abolished-as-it/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [MEMORIES OF MY FAMILY MEETINGS still are a source of strength to me. I remember we'd all get into the car - I forget…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/memories-of-my-family-meetings-still-are-a-source-of-strength-to-me-i/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [“The cotton swab softly moved across my face, leaving a pleasant coolness behind. It swept over my forehead, down my nose, on the sides…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ree-drummond/the-cotton-swab-softly-moved-across-my-face-leaving-a-pleasant/) [Ree Drummond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ree-drummond/) > [“If you'd only let me come by myself, none of this would have happened. Having you around makes everything worse.' She buried her head…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-standiford/if-you-d-only-let-me-come-by-myself-none-of-this-would-have-happened/) [Natalie Standiford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-standiford/) ## More by Jack Handey > [Sometimes life seems like a dream, especially when I look down and see that I forgot to put on my pants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/sometimes-life-seems-like-a-dream-especially-when-i-look-down-and-see/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [I think the best Thanksgiving we ever had was one where we didn't even have a turkey. Mom and Dad sat us kids down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/i-think-the-best-thanksgiving-we-ever-had-was-one-where-we-didn-t/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [At first I thought, if I were Superman, a perfect secret identity would be "Clark Kent, Dentist," because you could save money on tooth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/at-first-i-thought-if-i-were-superman-a-perfect-secret-identity-would/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Sometimes I wonder if I'm patriotic enough. Yes, I want to kill people, but on both sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/sometimes-i-wonder-if-i-m-patriotic-enough-yes-i-want-to-kill-people/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [I don't understand people who say life is a mystery, because what is it they want to know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/i-don-t-understand-people-who-say-life-is-a-mystery-because-what-is/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [It's probably not a good idea to be chewing on a toothpick if you're talking to the president, because what if he tells a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/it-s-probably-not-a-good-idea-to-be-chewing-on-a-toothpick-if-you-re/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Probably to a shark, about the funniest thing there is is a wounded seal, trying to swim to shore, because WHERE DOES HE THINK…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/probably-to-a-shark-about-the-funniest-thing-there-is-is-a-wounded/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [I wish I lived back in the Old West days, because I'd save up my money for about twenty years so I could buy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/i-wish-i-lived-back-in-the-old-west-days-because-i-d-save-up-my-money/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Why do there have to be rules for everything? It's gotten to the point that rules dominate just about every aspect of our lives.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/why-do-there-have-to-be-rules-for-everything-it-s-gotten-to-the-point/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Most people don't realize that large pieces of coral, which have been painted brown and attached to the skull by common wood screws, can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/most-people-don-t-realize-that-large-pieces-of-coral-which-have-been/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Here's a suggestion for a new animal, if some new ones get created or evolve: something that stings you, then laughs at you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/here-s-a-suggestion-for-a-new-animal-if-some-new-ones-get-created-or/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [When you go ice-skating, try not to swing your arms too much, because that really annoys me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/when-you-go-ice-skating-try-not-to-swing-your-arms-too-much-because/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [When you go to a party at somebody's house, don't automatically assume that the drinks are free. Ask, and ask often.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/when-you-go-to-a-party-at-somebody-s-house-don-t-automatically-assume/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [He was a cowboy, mister, and he loved the land. He loved it so much he made a woman out of dirt and married…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/he-was-a-cowboy-mister-and-he-loved-the-land-he-loved-it-so-much-he/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [If you were a gladiator in olden days, I bet the inefficiency of how the gladiator fights were organized and scheduled would just drive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/if-you-were-a-gladiator-in-olden-days-i-bet-the-inefficiency-of-how/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) [Explore all 358 Jack Handey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) ## More Bees quotes > [Those who have not been stung will hardly fear a bee the same as those who have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/those-who-have-not-been-stung-will-hardly-fear-a-bee-the-same-as/) [Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/) > [Arouse a bee and it will come at you with the force of a dragon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/takeda-shingen/arouse-a-bee-and-it-will-come-at-you-with-the-force-of-a-dragon/) [Takeda Shingen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/takeda-shingen/) > [Pray look upon the plants and birds, the ants, spiders, and bees, and you will see them all exerting their nature, and busy in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/pray-look-upon-the-plants-and-birds-the-ants-spiders-and-bees-and-you/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [You see, years ago I was just an ordinary bee minding my own business, smelling flowers all day, and occasionally picking up part-time work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/you-see-years-ago-i-was-just-an-ordinary-bee-minding-my-own-business/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [As the bee collecteth honey with great zest, so the fool collecteth wealth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kabir/as-the-bee-collecteth-honey-with-great-zest-so-the-fool-collecteth/) [Kabir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kabir/) > [It is hard to imagine a world without bees. It would be even harder to live in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-gardiner/it-is-hard-to-imagine-a-world-without-bees-it-would-be-even-harder-to/) [Barry Gardiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-gardiner/) > [When I heard that the bees were in trouble, the fact that they're disappearing and not coming back to the hive, which is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louie-schwartzberg/when-i-heard-that-the-bees-were-in-trouble-the-fact-that-they-re/) [Louie Schwartzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louie-schwartzberg/) > [Precise, graceful, and generous, the poems in SuperLoop, seem to be born out of a deep, careful attention and a profound compassion. Sometimes the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ada-limon/precise-graceful-and-generous-the-poems-in-superloop-seem-to-be-born/) [Ada Limon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ada-limon/) > [The little bee returns with evening's gloom, To join her comrades in the braided hive, Where, housed beside their might honey-comb, They dream their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-tennyson-turner/the-little-bee-returns-with-evening-s-gloom-to-join-her-comrades-in/) [Charles Tennyson Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-tennyson-turner/) > [“This time of year, the purple blooms were busy with life- not just the bees, but butterflies and ladybugs, skippers and emerald-toned beetles, flitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-wiggs/this-time-of-year-the-purple-blooms-were-busy-with-life-not-just-the/) [Susan Wiggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-wiggs/) > [“Bees chase flowers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-l-shreve/bees-chase-flowers/) Tracy L. Shreve > [My banks they are furnish'd with bees, Whose murmur invites one to sleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shenstone/my-banks-they-are-furnish-d-with-bees-whose-murmur-invites-one-to/) [William Shenstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shenstone/) > [There are certain pursuits which, if not wholly poetic and true, do at least suggest a nobler and finer relation to nature than we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/there-are-certain-pursuits-which-if-not-wholly-poetic-and-true-do-at/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The Bee Gees are a fly-by-night sort of group.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-gibb/the-bee-gees-are-a-fly-by-night-sort-of-group/) [Barry Gibb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-gibb/) > [“I don't like to hear cut and dried sermons. No—when I hear a man preach, I like to see him act as if he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-don-t-like-to-hear-cut-and-dried-sermons-no-when-i-hear-a-man/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) [Browse all 770 Bees quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bees/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Whenever anyone says \"I can't,\" it makes me wish he'd get stung to death by about ten thousand bees. When he says \"I'll try,\" five thousand bees. 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