--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But I tried, didn't I? Goddamnit, at…" description: "\"But I tried, didn't I? Goddamnit, at least I did that.\" — Ken Kesey" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba2/ken-kesey-1034_attempting_but-i-tried-didn-t-i-goddamnit-at-least_2488586.png" --- # But I tried, didn't I? Goddamnit, at least I did that. ![“But I tried, didn't I? Goddamnit, at least I did that.” quote by Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba2/ken-kesey-1034_attempting_but-i-tried-didn-t-i-goddamnit-at-least_2488586.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba2/ken-kesey-1034_attempting_but-i-tried-didn-t-i-goddamnit-at-least_2488586.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba2/ken-kesey-1034_attempting_but-i-tried-didn-t-i-goddamnit-at-least_2488586.png) > “But I tried, didn't I? Goddamnit, at least I did that.” [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) ## 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 acknowledges effort despite failure, finding some solace in having tried. **In simple terms:** Even if I failed, I at least tried. Key Takeaway Value effort over outcome. Themes resilience effort acceptance Mood determined reflective Type advice motivational When to use this quote - personal setbacks - creative projects - learning processes Key Concepts psychology motivation Questions to Reflect On - What did you learn from trying? - How can you improve next time? A Different Perspective Effort alone may not lead to success. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chaos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chaos/) [Effort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effort/) [Endeavor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/endeavor/) [Endeavour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/endeavour/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Mcmurphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mcmurphy/) [Trying new things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying-new-things/) ## Related quotes > [Mr. Bibbit, you might warn this Mr. Harding that I'm so crazy I admit to voting for Eisenhower. Bibbit! You tell Mr. McMurphy I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/mr-bibbit-you-might-warn-this-mr-harding-that-i-m-so-crazy-i-admit-to/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [There’s no doubt in my mind that McMurphy’s won, but I’m not sure what.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/there-s-no-doubt-in-my-mind-that-mcmurphy-s-won-but-i-m-not-sure-what/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [She asked if we were calm enough for her to take off the cuffs, and McMurphy nodded. He had slumped over with his head…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/she-asked-if-we-were-calm-enough-for-her-to-take-off-the-cuffs-and/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [ The most work he did on \[the urinals\] was to run a brush once or twice apiece, singing some song as loud as he… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/the-most-work-he-did-on-the-urinals-was-to-run-a-brush-once-or-twice/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [“I will be a sonofabitch if he ain't in here at eleven-thirty at night, fartin' around in the dark with a pair of scissors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/i-will-be-a-sonofabitch-if-he-ain-t-in-here-at-eleven-thirty-at-night/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [Then—as he was talking—a set of tail-lights going past lit up McMurphy's face, and the windshield reflected an expression that was allowed only because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/then-as-he-was-talking-a-set-of-tail-lights-going-past-lit-up/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [“I see he had his shorts on under the towel all along. I think for a fact that she'd rather he'd of been stark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/i-see-he-had-his-shorts-on-under-the-towel-all-along-i-think-for-a/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [“Okay, stand outa the way. Sometimes when I go to exertin' myself I use up all the air nearby and grown men faint from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/okay-stand-outa-the-way-sometimes-when-i-go-to-exertin-myself-i-use/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [I tried--I swear I tried. But you didn't want to hear what I was saying, and I used that as an excuse to let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-tried-i-swear-i-tried-but-you-didn-t-want-to-hear-what-i-was-saying/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I Tried, You Didn't. Have Fun, I'm Done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-tried-you-didn-t-have-fun-i-m-done/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [They say if you want something done right, do it yourself. But what if you tried it and it didn't work? What if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devin-eich/they-say-if-you-want-something-done-right-do-it-yourself-but-what-if/) Devin\_eich > ['I tried and it didn't work' is a lot better than, 'I wish I'd tried'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-devrye/i-tried-and-it-didn-t-work-is-a-lot-better-than-i-wish-i-d-tried/) [Catherine DeVrye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-devrye/) > [Always saying, "I tried" when you didn't really try at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/always-saying-i-tried-when-you-didn-t-really-try-at-all/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [I tried, You didn't. I'm done, Have fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-tried-you-didn-t-i-m-done-have-fun/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [High high in the hills , high in a pine tree bed. She's tracing the wind with that old hand, counting the clouds with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/high-high-in-the-hills-high-in-a-pine-tree-bed-she-s-tracing-the-wind/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) ## More by Ken Kesey > [“Time overlaps itself. A breath breathed from a passing breeze is not the whole wind, neither is it just the last of what has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/time-overlaps-itself-a-breath-breathed-from-a-passing-breeze-is-not/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [The Grateful Dead are faster than light drive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/the-grateful-dead-are-faster-than-light-drive/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [“Okay, stand outa the way. Sometimes when I go to exertin' myself I use up all the air nearby and grown men faint from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/okay-stand-outa-the-way-sometimes-when-i-go-to-exertin-myself-i-use/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [The frontiers we broke into in the '60s are still largely unexplored.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/the-frontiers-we-broke-into-in-the-60s-are-still-largely-unexplored/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [There's something about taking a plow and breaking new ground. It gives you energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/there-s-something-about-taking-a-plow-and-breaking-new-ground-it/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [The best of all possible cages.' Ben stepped back to regard the job with a sad smile. 'What more can one ask?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/the-best-of-all-possible-cages-ben-stepped-back-to-regard-the-job/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [Your trouble is, you keep trying to unscrew the unscrutable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/your-trouble-is-you-keep-trying-to-unscrew-the-unscrutable/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [That ain't me, that ain't my face. It wasn't even me when I was trying to be that face. I wasn't even really me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/that-ain-t-me-that-ain-t-my-face-it-wasn-t-even-me-when-i-was-trying/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [But if the strength ain't real, I recall thinking the very last thing that day, before I finally passed out, then the weakness sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/but-if-the-strength-ain-t-real-i-recall-thinking-the-very-last-thing/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [“They think they know the book by its cover, but the book knows what it is. Now he knew better; if the book never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/they-think-they-know-the-book-by-its-cover-but-the-book-knows-what-it/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [More was revealed in a human face than a human being can bear face to face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/more-was-revealed-in-a-human-face-than-a-human-being-can-bear-face-to/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [If this glorious birth to death hassle is the only hassle we are ever to have ..if our grand exhilarating fight of life is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/if-this-glorious-birth-to-death-hassle-is-the-only-hassle-we-are-ever/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [“It's gonna burn me just that way, finally telling about all this, about the hospital, and her, and the guys- and about McMurphy. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/it-s-gonna-burn-me-just-that-way-finally-telling-about-all-this-about/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [When Shakespeare was writing, he wasn't writing for stuff to lie on the page; it was supposed to get up and move around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/when-shakespeare-was-writing-he-wasn-t-writing-for-stuff-to-lie-on/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [“And then some guy wandering as lost as you would all of a sudden be right before your eyes, his face bigger and clearer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/and-then-some-guy-wandering-as-lost-as-you-would-all-of-a-sudden-be/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) [Explore all 295 Ken Kesey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) ## More Attempting quotes > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [In terms of style, too, I think I've been working with a somewhat limited -- although intentionally limited -- set of tools. So I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-link/in-terms-of-style-too-i-think-i-ve-been-working-with-a-somewhat/) [Kelly Link](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-link/) > [Lobbying' is the activity of attempting to influence legislation by privately influencing the legislators. It is the result and creation of a mixed economy-of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/lobbying-is-the-activity-of-attempting-to-influence-legislation-by/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [To attempt to be religious without practicing a specific religion is as possible as attempting to speak without a specific language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-santayana/to-attempt-to-be-religious-without-practicing-a-specific-religion-is/) [George Santayana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-santayana/) > [Ewan McGregor stars as Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi, again doing a fine Alec Guinness impersonation but otherwise seeming lost and alone in the galaxy as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-zacharek/ewan-mcgregor-stars-as-jedi-obi-wan-kenobi-again-doing-a-fine-alec/) [Stephanie Zacharek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-zacharek/) > [Daphne," he said with controlled gentleness, "what is wrong?" She sat down opposite him and placed a hand on his cheek. "I'm so insensitive,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-quinn/daphne-he-said-with-controlled-gentleness-what-is-wrong-she-sat-down/) [Julia Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-quinn/) > [I'm a dreamer and continue to dream of what can and will be, "Expecting great things from God, Attempting great things for God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-carey/i-m-a-dreamer-and-continue-to-dream-of-what-can-and-will-be-expecting/) [William Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-carey/) > [I swear you’re a woman. (Devyn) I would respond to that, but I don’t want to distract you while you’re attempting to drive and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/i-swear-you-re-a-woman-devyn-i-would-respond-to-that-but-i-don-t-want/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [To approach a city, or even a city neighborhood, as if it were a larger architectural problem, capable of being given order by converting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-jacobs/to-approach-a-city-or-even-a-city-neighborhood-as-if-it-were-a-larger/) [Jane Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-jacobs/) > [I have told you of the Spaniard who always put on his spectacles when about to eat cherries, that they might look bigger and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-southey/i-have-told-you-of-the-spaniard-who-always-put-on-his-spectacles-when/) [Robert Southey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-southey/) > [The danger to which the success of revolutions is most exposed, is that of attempting them before the principles on which they proceed, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/the-danger-to-which-the-success-of-revolutions-is-most-exposed-is/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Politics resemble religion; attempting to divest either of ceremony is the most certain mode of bringing either into contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/politics-resemble-religion-attempting-to-divest-either-of-ceremony-is/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [“failure is not an outcome, but involves a lack of trying—not stretching yourself far enough out of your comfort zone and attempting to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-wiseman/failure-is-not-an-outcome-but-involves-a-lack-of-trying-not/) [Liz Wiseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-wiseman/) > [It is strange to reflect how much energy is thrown away in attempting to know the unknowable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-barber-lightfoot/it-is-strange-to-reflect-how-much-energy-is-thrown-away-in-attempting/) [Joseph Barber Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-barber-lightfoot/) > [I am not attempting to preserve culture, or record actual events or stories. Instead I bow my head in gratitude to those storytellers who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/i-am-not-attempting-to-preserve-culture-or-record-actual-events-or/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) Browse all 513 Attempting quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "But I tried, didn't I? 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