--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You're unwilling to go out on a limb…" description: "\"You're unwilling to go out on a limb because it just might break underneath you.\" — Jodi Picoult" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c4/jodi-picoult-45_break_you-re-unwilling-to-go-out-on-a-limb-bec_87888.jpg" --- # You're unwilling to go out on a limb because it just might… ![“You're unwilling to go out on a limb because it just might break underneath you.” quote by Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c4/jodi-picoult-45_break_you-re-unwilling-to-go-out-on-a-limb-bec_87888.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c4/jodi-picoult-45_break_you-re-unwilling-to-go-out-on-a-limb-bec_87888.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c4/jodi-picoult-45_break_you-re-unwilling-to-go-out-on-a-limb-bec_87888.jpg) > “You're unwilling to go out on a limb because it just might break underneath you.” [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Avoiding risk because of fear of failure limits growth and opportunity. **In simple terms:** Risk aversion hinders progress. Key Takeaway Courage to act despite uncertainty. Themes risk courage growth decision‑making fear Mood cautious reflective Type advice aphor When to use this quote - career decisions - entrepreneurial ventures - personal relationships - creative projects Key Concepts risk assessment personal development Practical Applications - leadership coaching - innovation workshops Questions to Reflect On - What would happen if you tried? - How does fear shape your choices? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [“I learned how to do that from him, how to use a knife gracefully like it's an extension of my limb. I just use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-darhower/i-learned-how-to-do-that-from-him-how-to-use-a-knife-gracefully-like/) [J.M. Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/) > [I grew up in a household where we didn't really talk about our feelings, and where the only reason you went to a doctor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/i-grew-up-in-a-household-where-we-didn-t-really-talk-about-our/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Who are you? Just because you break hearts doesn't make you a heartbreaker. Just because you get straight A's doesn't make you a success.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-friedman/who-are-you-just-because-you-break-hearts-doesn-t-make-you-a/) Robin Friedman > [Some people would do anything just to get a break; that's where the bad guys get you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-van-zant/some-people-would-do-anything-just-to-get-a-break-that-s-where-the/) [Johnny Van Zant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-van-zant/) > [Just break up with my bzz and take a pick pretending to be happy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ponkylovagirl/just-break-up-with-my-bzz-and-take-a-pick-pretending-to-be-happy/) Ponkylovagirl > [Those night you just break down realizing nobody cares...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamika-leeigh/those-night-you-just-break-down-realizing-nobody-cares/) [Tamika-leeigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamika-leeigh/) > [Instead of cheating on someone just break up with them instead of getting caught n never having a chance with them never again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bigboyalweezy/instead-of-cheating-on-someone-just-break-up-with-them-instead-of/) [Bigboyalweezy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bigboyalweezy/) > [People, they don't know how to bend; they just break.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/people-they-don-t-know-how-to-bend-they-just-break/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > [We all pretend to be very strong, and then in a fraction, you can just break down, at least for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabelle-huppert/we-all-pretend-to-be-very-strong-and-then-in-a-fraction-you-can-just/) [Isabelle Huppert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabelle-huppert/) > [You have to exercise, or at some point you'll just break down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/you-have-to-exercise-or-at-some-point-you-ll-just-break-down/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [You break your neck, and I’ll see it mended just so I can break it again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jordan/you-break-your-neck-and-i-ll-see-it-mended-just-so-i-can-break-it-2/) [Robert Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jordan/) > [If my name was Mario I'd get into as many relationships as I can just so I could break up with them and say,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-my-name-was-mario-i-d-get-into-as-many-relationships-as-i-can-just/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You're free to be free, just break the shackles and run loose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/you-re-free-to-be-free-just-break-the-shackles-and-run-loose/) [Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/) > [Something's just about to break.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/breaking-benjamin/something-s-just-about-to-break/) [Breaking Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/breaking-benjamin/) > [If you feel the need to cheat just break up with that person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solly-r/if-you-feel-the-need-to-cheat-just-break-up-with-that-person/) Solly R ## More by Jodi Picoult > [You get through it, you just never get over it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/you-get-through-it-you-just-never-get-over-it/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Let me guess," Eric says, "You never meant for it to happen." "Hell, yes, I did. I've wanted her since you two started dating."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/let-me-guess-eric-says-you-never-meant-for-it-to-happen-hell-yes-i/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“It’s the difference between dancing along the eggshell crust of acquaintance and diving into the messy center of a relationship.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/it-s-the-difference-between-dancing-along-the-eggshell-crust-of/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [Because hate's just the flip side of love. Like heads and tails on a dime. If you don't know what it feels like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/because-hate-s-just-the-flip-side-of-love-like-heads-and-tails-on-a/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [Some women are meant to change the world, while others are meant to hold it together. And then there are those of us who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/some-women-are-meant-to-change-the-world-while-others-are-meant-to/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [I love feeling loved. I don't love knowing that I will always come in second place. I love the fact that at least sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/i-love-feeling-loved-i-don-t-love-knowing-that-i-will-always-come-in/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Music is the language of memory”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/music-is-the-language-of-memory/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [But there is a different between mending someone who's broken and finding someone who makes you complete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/but-there-is-a-different-between-mending-someone-who-s-broken-and/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“sometimes words are not big enough to contain all the feelings you are trying to pour into them. 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Every second, another streak of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/the-night-is-falling-down-around-us-meteors-rain-like-fireworks-quick/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“When she had packed all the artifacts that made up their personal history into liquor store boxes, the house became strictly a feminine place.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/when-she-had-packed-all-the-artifacts-that-made-up-their-personal/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Maybe who we are isn't so much about what we do, but rather what we're capable of when we least expect it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/maybe-who-we-are-isn-t-so-much-about-what-we-do-but-rather-what-we-re/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Here's what I hadn't realized : the mother you haven't seen for almost 36 years isn't your mother. She is a stranger. Sharing DNA…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/here-s-what-i-hadn-t-realized-the-mother-you-haven-t-seen-for-almost/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [My brother believed in all sorts of mythical creatures: pixies, dragons, werewolves, honest men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/my-brother-believed-in-all-sorts-of-mythical-creatures-pixies-dragons/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) [Explore all 2,062 Jodi Picoult quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) ## More Break quotes > [I made, like, five movies while I was in college. I think they just weren't memorable movies. I've taken breaks as the years have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-foster/i-made-like-five-movies-while-i-was-in-college-i-think-they-just/) [Jodie Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-foster/) > [Things are going well in Germany because the economy is booming and as an export-driven nation, we are profiting from the fact that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-schulz/things-are-going-well-in-germany-because-the-economy-is-booming-and/) [Martin Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-schulz/) > [There were songs that we cut out after we chose the name, because 'Praise Break' turned out to be an underlying concept that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-caesar/there-were-songs-that-we-cut-out-after-we-chose-the-name-because/) [Daniel Caesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-caesar/) > [“He didn't break my heart. No one can break your heart except you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/he-didn-t-break-my-heart-no-one-can-break-your-heart-except-you/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [“She couldn't break the orbit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-schwab/she-couldn-t-break-the-orbit/) [Victoria Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-schwab/) > [Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding. Even as the stone of the fruit must break, that its heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/your-pain-is-the-breaking-of-the-shell-that-encloses-your/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) > [Must I go bound while you go free Must I love a manwho doesn't love me Must I be born with so little art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/must-i-go-bound-while-you-go-free-must-i-love-a-manwho-doesn-t-love/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I hadn't worked for a year when I had my Prison Break audition and it was the easiest audition I've ever had. I got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wentworth-miller/i-hadn-t-worked-for-a-year-when-i-had-my-prison-break-audition-and-it/) [Wentworth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wentworth-miller/) > [If you strike upon a thought that baffles you, break off from that entanglement and try another, so shall your wits be fresh to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristophanes/if-you-strike-upon-a-thought-that-baffles-you-break-off-from-that/) [Aristophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristophanes/) > [“A hole ain’t nothing either, but you can still break your neck in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-donati/a-hole-ain-t-nothing-either-but-you-can-still-break-your-neck-in-it/) [Sara Donati](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-donati/) > [“I break things, a lot of things, but I don’t want one of them to be you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/i-break-things-a-lot-of-things-but-i-don-t-want-one-of-them-to-be-you/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [Motor racing's less of a sport these days than a commercial break doing 150 mph.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-dunne/motor-racing-s-less-of-a-sport-these-days-than-a-commercial-break/) Peter Dunne > [Much like teaching art to young art students age 10 to 15 or so on, you have to break it down into bite-sized pieces,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/much-like-teaching-art-to-young-art-students-age-10-to-15-or-so-on/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [The purpose is to be in gratitude forever. Live with applied consciousness, prosperity will break through the walls, flood you with it. You do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harbhajan-singh-yogi/the-purpose-is-to-be-in-gratitude-forever-live-with-applied/) [Harbhajan Singh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harbhajan-singh-yogi/) > [Never break another man's rice bowl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akio-morita/never-break-another-man-s-rice-bowl/) [Akio Morita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akio-morita/) Browse all 8,188 Break quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You're unwilling to go out on a limb because it just might break underneath you.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jodi Picoult" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/you-re-unwilling-to-go-out-on-a-limb-because-it-just-might-break/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Break" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/you-re-unwilling-to-go-out-on-a-limb-because-it-just-might-break/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c4/jodi-picoult-45_break_you-re-unwilling-to-go-out-on-a-limb-bec_87888.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c4/jodi-picoult-45_break_you-re-unwilling-to-go-out-on-a-limb-bec_87888.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c4/jodi-picoult-45_break_you-re-unwilling-to-go-out-on-a-limb-bec_87888.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You're unwilling to go out on a limb because it just might break underneath you.” — Jodi Picoult", "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": "Jodi Picoult", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You're unwilling to go out on...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/you-re-unwilling-to-go-out-on-a-limb-because-it-just-might-break/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/you-re-unwilling-to-go-out-on-a-limb-because-it-just-might-break/#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 } } ] } ```