--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Success has less to do with what we can…" description: "\"Success has less to do with what we can get ourselves to do and more to do with keeping ourselves from doing what we shouldn’t.\" — Kenneth Cole" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4a/kenneth-cole-3800_funny_success-has-less-to-do-with-what-we-can_1041583.jpg" --- # Success has less to do with what we can get ourselves to… ![“Success has less to do with what we can get ourselves to do and more to do with keeping ourselves from doing what we shouldn’t.” quote by Kenneth Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4a/kenneth-cole-3800_funny_success-has-less-to-do-with-what-we-can_1041583.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4a/kenneth-cole-3800_funny_success-has-less-to-do-with-what-we-can_1041583.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4a/kenneth-cole-3800_funny_success-has-less-to-do-with-what-we-can_1041583.jpg) > “Success has less to do with what we can get ourselves to do and more to do with keeping ourselves from doing what we shouldn’t.” [Kenneth Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-cole/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success depends more on avoiding harmful actions than on achieving positive ones. **In simple terms:** Avoid bad habits more than seeking success. Key Takeaway Focus on self‑discipline. Themes self‑discipline success habit formation Mood reflective pragmatic Type business self‑help When to use this quote - productivity coaching - addiction recovery - leadership training Key Concepts behavioral control personal responsibility ethical choices Questions to Reflect On - What distractions must you eliminate? - How can you reinforce good habits? A Different Perspective Self‑control is hard to maintain. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing/) [Doing Shouldn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-shouldn-404889/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Keeping Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/keeping-doing-2437544/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Restraining](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/restraining/) [Self control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-control/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Success Keeping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success-keeping-1394841/) ## Related quotes > [“Kenneth Cole, he said it this way: “Success has less to do with what we can get ourselves to do and more to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-hardy/kenneth-cole-he-said-it-this-way-success-has-less-to-do-with-what-we/) [Darren Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-hardy/) > [Art is all about doing what you shouldn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nobuyoshi-araki/art-is-all-about-doing-what-you-shouldn-t/) [Nobuyoshi Araki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nobuyoshi-araki/) > [I kept my head down and in bad situations you have to keep going. I kept telling myself 'this isn't going to last, keeping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-wan-bissaka/i-kept-my-head-down-and-in-bad-situations-you-have-to-keep-going-i/) [Aaron Wan-Bissaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-wan-bissaka/) > [Fear has a very concrete power of keeping us from doing and saying the things that are our purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luvvie-ajayi/fear-has-a-very-concrete-power-of-keeping-us-from-doing-and-saying/) [Luvvie Ajayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luvvie-ajayi/) > [“Not one word to stop me from doing something I shouldn't? 'No. By doing what you shouldn't, you will realize it yourself. As I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/not-one-word-to-stop-me-from-doing-something-i-shouldn-t-no-by-doing/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [We tell our kids to try for what they want. We cheer them on. But at some point, we stop doing this for ourselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-steenburgen/we-tell-our-kids-to-try-for-what-they-want-we-cheer-them-on-but-at/) [Mary Steenburgen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-steenburgen/) > [sometimes in life doing what we shouldn't do is the emergency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-courtenay/sometimes-in-life-doing-what-we-shouldn-t-do-is-the-emergency/) [Bryce Courtenay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-courtenay/) > [If we enjoy what we're doing, we shouldn't really need a break.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-finn/if-we-enjoy-what-we-re-doing-we-shouldn-t-really-need-a-break/) [Craig Finn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-finn/) > [Success - keeping your mind awake and your desire asleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-scott/success-keeping-your-mind-awake-and-your-desire-asleep/) [Walter Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-scott/) > [Most men talk too much. Much of my success has been due to keeping my mouth shut.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-ogden-armour/most-men-talk-too-much-much-of-my-success-has-been-due-to-keeping-my/) [J. Ogden Armour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-ogden-armour/) > [A theme of digital success is keeping it simple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/a-theme-of-digital-success-is-keeping-it-simple/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [I believe there are three keys to success. For me it is keeping my priorities in order: It's my faith and my family, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-ireland/i-believe-there-are-three-keys-to-success-for-me-it-is-keeping-my/) [Kathy Ireland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-ireland/) > [“ReThink Real Success: Keeping your word to others and never lying to yourself”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-dovale/rethink-real-success-keeping-your-word-to-others-and-never-lying-to/) [Tony Dovale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-dovale/) > [Hungry for success. Keeping faith in God. Through ups and downs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/hungry-for-success-keeping-faith-in-god-through-ups-and-downs/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everybody I've ever met was destroyed by a member of the opposite sex early on and that damage you took into every relationship after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-titus/everybody-i-ve-ever-met-was-destroyed-by-a-member-of-the-opposite-sex/) [Christopher Titus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-titus/) ## More by Kenneth Cole > [People have a whole lot more choices than they've had in the past, and I have only earned the right to be considered -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-cole/people-have-a-whole-lot-more-choices-than-they-ve-had-in-the-past-and/) [Kenneth Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-cole/) > [Twitter is a very powerful platform for adversarial feedback.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-cole/twitter-is-a-very-powerful-platform-for-adversarial-feedback/) [Kenneth Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-cole/) > [I've come to realize nobody needs what we sell. There's hardly a woman who needs another pair of black shoes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-cole/i-ve-come-to-realize-nobody-needs-what-we-sell-there-s-hardly-a-woman/) [Kenneth Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-cole/) > [I never really had long range plans. I take one season at a time, every day at a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-cole/i-never-really-had-long-range-plans-i-take-one-season-at-a-time-every/) [Kenneth Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-cole/) > [After working with my father for two years, we started Candie's, a line of imported shoes from Italy. Then in 1982 I set out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-cole/after-working-with-my-father-for-two-years-we-started-candie-s-a-line/) [Kenneth Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-cole/) > [It's not about me, it's about you, the customer. And if I am effective in making what I do about you, and I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-cole/it-s-not-about-me-it-s-about-you-the-customer-and-if-i-am-effective/) [Kenneth Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-cole/) > [Often people ask me about getting involved in service and philanthropy, and my first advice is: Make sure it's real and it's transparent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-cole/often-people-ask-me-about-getting-involved-in-service-and/) [Kenneth Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-cole/) > [I've struggled with that over the years: Is fashion relevant? Is it frivolous? Is it trivial? Because I give so much of my essence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-cole/i-ve-struggled-with-that-over-the-years-is-fashion-relevant-is-it/) [Kenneth Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-cole/) > [When I first fell in love with Maria, it was because she really cares about things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-cole/when-i-first-fell-in-love-with-maria-it-was-because-she-really-cares/) [Kenneth Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-cole/) > [My first AIDS campaign was in 1985. There was this dark cloud, everybody was socially inspired - we hadn't seen social consciousness like that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-cole/my-first-aids-campaign-was-in-1985-there-was-this-dark-cloud/) [Kenneth Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-cole/) > [I'm also on the Board at Sundance, so I've seen witnessed first hand the power of independent storytelling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-cole/i-m-also-on-the-board-at-sundance-so-i-ve-seen-witnessed-first-hand/) [Kenneth Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-cole/) > [I've realized that people come to the brand not just for the products we make, but because of what we stand for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-cole/i-ve-realized-that-people-come-to-the-brand-not-just-for-the-products/) [Kenneth Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-cole/) > [The best solution is very much the least expensive and most creative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-cole/the-best-solution-is-very-much-the-least-expensive-and-most-creative/) [Kenneth Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-cole/) > [Over the years, I have found a way to use this business and this platform to talk with people about important issues. To the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-cole/over-the-years-i-have-found-a-way-to-use-this-business-and-this/) [Kenneth Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-cole/) > [This is what I wanted the business to be when I started it: a lot of black, a lot of luxurious materials, and modern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-cole/this-is-what-i-wanted-the-business-to-be-when-i-started-it-a-lot-of/) [Kenneth Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-cole/) [Explore all 122 Kenneth Cole quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-cole/) ## More Doing quotes > [I don't know what I'm doing, but I'm damn well gonna do it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geri-halliwell/i-don-t-know-what-i-m-doing-but-i-m-damn-well-gonna-do-it/) [Geri Halliwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geri-halliwell/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [If you think you're doing everything right, then you have a tendency to stand pat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stockton/if-you-think-you-re-doing-everything-right-then-you-have-a-tendency/) [John Stockton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stockton/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Focus on becoming more to achieve more while doing less](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-elrod/focus-on-becoming-more-to-achieve-more-while-doing-less/) [Hal Elrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-elrod/) > [Doing the right things is more important than doing things right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ko-wen-je/doing-the-right-things-is-more-important-than-doing-things-right/) [Ko Wen-je](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ko-wen-je/) > [I was in high school and I had an independent album out, and we kept sending that out, and I was doing shows. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-hilton/i-was-in-high-school-and-i-had-an-independent-album-out-and-we-kept/) [Tyler Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-hilton/) > [If I'm not thinking about you then I am texting you , if I am not texting you then I am on the phone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-i-m-not-thinking-about-you-then-i-am-texting-you-if-i-am-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [.\*. why u hate me..Bitches be doing the most](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kitty/why-u-hate-me-bitches-be-doing-the-most/) [Kitty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kitty/) > [“dances with mine as if we’ve been doing this our whole”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corinne-michaels/dances-with-mine-as-if-we-ve-been-doing-this-our-whole/) [Corinne Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corinne-michaels/) > [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [When the dollar collapses, it's not doing it in a vacuum. If the dollar loses value, it's doing so relative to some other currency.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/when-the-dollar-collapses-it-s-not-doing-it-in-a-vacuum-if-the-dollar/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) > [When I made it, I still didn't wave the flag and say, Yeah go Asian people. I do want people to know that about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-hugo/when-i-made-it-i-still-didn-t-wave-the-flag-and-say-yeah-go-asian/) [Chad Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-hugo/) > [I really can't live without my In-N-Out burgers. Honestly, I can't. Even when I'm doing the whole no-carb thing occasionally, I make an exception…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-berkus/i-really-can-t-live-without-my-in-n-out-burgers-honestly-i-can-t-even/) [Nate Berkus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-berkus/) > [You can't drain the swamp, as President Trump has touted doing, without getting rid of Mitch McConnell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/you-can-t-drain-the-swamp-as-president-trump-has-touted-doing-without/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) [Browse all 10,133 Doing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Success has less to do with what we can get ourselves to do and more to do with keeping ourselves from doing what we shouldn’t.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kenneth Cole" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-cole/success-has-less-to-do-with-what-we-can-get-ourselves-to-do-and-more/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Doing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-cole/success-has-less-to-do-with-what-we-can-get-ourselves-to-do-and-more/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4a/kenneth-cole-3800_funny_success-has-less-to-do-with-what-we-can_1041583.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4a/kenneth-cole-3800_funny_success-has-less-to-do-with-what-we-can_1041583.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4a/kenneth-cole-3800_funny_success-has-less-to-do-with-what-we-can_1041583.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Success has less to do with what we can get ourselves to do and more to do with keeping ourselves from doing…” — Kenneth Cole", "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": "Kenneth Cole", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-cole/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Success has less to do with...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-cole/success-has-less-to-do-with-what-we-can-get-ourselves-to-do-and-more/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-cole/success-has-less-to-do-with-what-we-can-get-ourselves-to-do-and-more/#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 } } ] } ```