--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If I'd been trying to kill him, he'd be…" description: "\"If I'd been trying to kill him, he'd be dead.\" — Kristin Cashore" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdd/kristin-cashore-369_dead_if-i-d-been-trying-to-kill-him-he-d-be-d_1597097.png" --- # If I'd been trying to kill him, he'd be dead. ![“If I'd been trying to kill him, he'd be dead.” quote by Kristin Cashore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdd/kristin-cashore-369_dead_if-i-d-been-trying-to-kill-him-he-d-be-d_1597097.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdd/kristin-cashore-369_dead_if-i-d-been-trying-to-kill-him-he-d-be-d_1597097.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdd/kristin-cashore-369_dead_if-i-d-been-trying-to-kill-him-he-d-be-d_1597097.png) > “If I'd been trying to kill him, he'd be dead.” [Kristin Cashore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-cashore/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A hypothetical threat is unnecessary; confidence in one's abilities makes the imagined danger irrelevant. **In simple terms:** Confidence makes imagined threats irrelevant. Key Takeaway Trust your competence. Themes confidence self‑reliance hypothetical threats Mood determined calm Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - personal challenges - competitive sports - public speaking Key Concepts psychology self‑efficacy Questions to Reflect On - Do you assume threats that aren’t real? - How does confidence affect decision‑making? A Different Perspective Overconfidence can blind you to real risks. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dead/) [Kill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kill/) [Kill Dead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kill-dead-433859/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Trying Kill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying-kill/) ## Related quotes > [They're trying to kill me before I'm dead. I come to Quebec to spend some time with my family and they say I'm dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-burns/they-re-trying-to-kill-me-before-i-m-dead-i-come-to-quebec-to-spend/) [Pat Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-burns/) > [You can not kill that which is already dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-undertaker/you-can-not-kill-that-which-is-already-dead/) [The Undertaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-undertaker/) > [“go ahead and kill us,we're already dead...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-j-rodriguez/go-ahead-and-kill-us-we-re-already-dead/) [Luis J Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-j-rodriguez/) > [“She'd... she'd... Well she'd kill him if he was dead.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/she-d-she-d-well-she-d-kill-him-if-he-was-dead/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [The bank...is trying to kill me, but I will kill it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-jackson/the-bank-is-trying-to-kill-me-but-i-will-kill-it/) [Andrew Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-jackson/) > [The voices in my head are trying to kill me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suicidal-scars/the-voices-in-my-head-are-trying-to-kill-me/) [Suicidal\_scars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suicidal-scars/) > [At least no one's trying to kill anyone. Give them about fifteen minutes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kami-garcia/at-least-no-one-s-trying-to-kill-anyone-give-them-about-fifteen/) [Kami Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kami-garcia/) > [I Don't Have To Kill Myself. I'm Already Dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-berryhill/i-don-t-have-to-kill-myself-i-m-already-dead/) [Ashley Berryhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-berryhill/) > [If criticism could kill you, I'd be dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-wommack/if-criticism-could-kill-you-i-d-be-dead/) [Andrew Wommack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-wommack/) > [“Never wound a foe when you can kill him. Dead men don’t claim vengeance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/never-wound-a-foe-when-you-can-kill-him-dead-men-don-t-claim-vengeance/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [Being jealous can't kill you if you're already dead inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/being-jealous-can-t-kill-you-if-you-re-already-dead-inside/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [“Watch-see, Holy One, my grave-rats will kill-kill all dead-things. We show-tell Fester-rats how to fight. Show-tell why Fester-rats should stay true to Horned One.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-l-werner/watch-see-holy-one-my-grave-rats-will-kill-kill-all-dead-things-we/) [C.L. Werner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-l-werner/) > [Did I just kill someone?" "You can't kill a dead person," Callum said. "Makes no sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-johnson/did-i-just-kill-someone-you-can-t-kill-a-dead-person-callum-said/) [Maureen Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-johnson/) > [I'm never gonna die, never heard of death, energy can never be destroyed only the flesh, so when you try to murder my with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-m-never-gonna-die-never-heard-of-death-energy-can-never-be/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [No man u kill me I'm dead!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mhdavoodi/no-man-u-kill-me-i-m-dead/) [MHDAVOODI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mhdavoodi/) ## More by Kristin Cashore > [“Back onto their horses, and shortly thereafter word had come around from the command units that any soldier brawling over any matter relating to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-cashore/back-onto-their-horses-and-shortly-thereafter-word-had-come-around/) [Kristin Cashore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-cashore/) > [“The girls clipped and swept, and Katsa’s hair fell away. She thrilled at the unfamiliar chill of air on her neck. And wondered if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-cashore/the-girls-clipped-and-swept-and-katsa-s-hair-fell-away-she-thrilled/) [Kristin Cashore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-cashore/) > [“Raffin appeared again, a floor above her, on the balconied passageway that ran past his workrooms. He leaned over the railing and called down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-cashore/raffin-appeared-again-a-floor-above-her-on-the-balconied-passageway/) [Kristin cashore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-cashore/) > [“When you’re a monster, she thought, you are thanked and praised for not behaving like a monster. She would like to restrain from cruelty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-cashore/when-you-re-a-monster-she-thought-you-are-thanked-and-praised-for-not/) [Kristin Cashore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-cashore/) > [“She glanced up at him, and in that moment he pulled his wet shirt over his head. She forced her mind blank. Blank as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-cashore/she-glanced-up-at-him-and-in-that-moment-he-pulled-his-wet-shirt-over/) [Kristin Cashore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-cashore/) > [“She had thought she'd already reached her capacity for pain and had no room inside her for more. But she remembered having told Archer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-cashore/she-had-thought-she-d-already-reached-her-capacity-for-pain-and-had/) [Kristin Cashore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-cashore/) > [“He thinks it's dangerous for us to leave each other so much freedom and make these vague plans to travel together in the future,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-cashore/he-thinks-it-s-dangerous-for-us-to-leave-each-other-so-much-freedom/) [Kristin Cashore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-cashore/) > [Ideas were growing in all directions and dimensions; they were becoming a sculpture, or a castle. And then everyone left her, to return to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-cashore/ideas-were-growing-in-all-directions-and-dimensions-they-were/) [Kristin Cashore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-cashore/) > [But everyone has some kind of power to hurt people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-cashore/but-everyone-has-some-kind-of-power-to-hurt-people/) [Kristin Cashore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-cashore/) > [“Papa?” she said, turning in circles now, spinning to look at each of the entrances. “Do you mean Papa? Where?” He came through an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-cashore/papa-she-said-turning-in-circles-now-spinning-to-look-at-each-of-the/) [Kristin Cashore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-cashore/) > [“He decided to mark this new era in his life with a change of his foolish, sentimental name. The people of this land had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-cashore/he-decided-to-mark-this-new-era-in-his-life-with-a-change-of-his/) [Kristin Cashore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-cashore/) > [I know you don't want this, Katsa. But I can't help myself. The moment you came barreling into my life I was lost. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-cashore/i-know-you-don-t-want-this-katsa-but-i-can-t-help-myself-the-moment/) [Kristin Cashore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-cashore/) > [“Como no te has dado cuenta de que tus ojos me atrapan igual que te ocurre a ti con los míos”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-cashore/como-no-te-has-dado-cuenta-de-que-tus-ojos-me-atrapan-igual-que-te/) [Kristin Cashore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-cashore/) > [I've been afraid of being Cansrel,' she said aloud to her reflection. 'But I'm not Cansrel.' At her elbow, Musa said blandly, 'Any one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-cashore/i-ve-been-afraid-of-being-cansrel-she-said-aloud-to-her-reflection/) [Kristin Cashore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-cashore/) > [Find something useful to do with your morning,' she thought to him as she neared her chambers. 'Do something heroic in front of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-cashore/find-something-useful-to-do-with-your-morning-she-thought-to-him-as/) [Kristin Cashore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-cashore/) [Explore all 604 Kristin Cashore quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-cashore/) ## More Dead quotes > [I'm going to stay on stage until I drop dead. Then I'm going to have myself stuffed, like Trigger, and I'm going to put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-reynolds/i-m-going-to-stay-on-stage-until-i-drop-dead-then-i-m-going-to-have/) [Debbie Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-reynolds/) > [I can't be a legend yet. I'm not dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-can-t-be-a-legend-yet-i-m-not-dead/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [It's a really dark, emotionally wrenching world that we've created on 'The Walking Dead.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-holden/it-s-a-really-dark-emotionally-wrenching-world-that-we-ve-created-on/) [Laurie Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-holden/) > [If you’re alive, don’t move, if you’re dead, don’t worry about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/if-you-re-alive-don-t-move-if-you-re-dead-don-t-worry-about-it/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [“I’m just–” She wanted to say “not in the mood,” but that was not only a cliché but a vast understatement. She was dead.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-mcintosh/i-m-just-she-wanted-to-say-not-in-the-mood-but-that-was-not-only-a/) [Will McIntosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-mcintosh/) > [Library: A place where the dead lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/library-a-place-where-the-dead-lie/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [When we dead awaken ... we see that we have never lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/when-we-dead-awaken-we-see-that-we-have-never-lived/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [Rather be dead than cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/rather-be-dead-than-cool/) [Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/) > [He was obviously dead. But since he was a vampire that wasn't as hopless a thing as it might have been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/he-was-obviously-dead-but-since-he-was-a-vampire-that-wasn-t-as/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [Ireland starts for me with the end of 'The Dead,' which my father read to me from his desk in his basement office in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-jeremiah-sullivan/ireland-starts-for-me-with-the-end-of-the-dead-which-my-father-read/) [John Jeremiah Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-jeremiah-sullivan/) > [“Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.’ – Ben Franklin,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/three-may-keep-a-secret-if-two-of-them-are-dead-ben-franklin/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [I intend to do the Penn & Teller show until they pry my cheesy magic wand from my cold dead fingers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/i-intend-to-do-the-penn-teller-show-until-they-pry-my-cheesy-magic/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > ['Misery' left a lasting mark on me. When I die, it will be 'Kathy 'Misery' Bates Is Dead.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-bates/misery-left-a-lasting-mark-on-me-when-i-die-it-will-be-kathy-misery/) [Kathy Bates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-bates/) > [The only good Indian is a dead Indian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-tecumseh-sherman/the-only-good-indian-is-a-dead-indian/) [William Tecumseh Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-tecumseh-sherman/) [Browse all 3,376 Dead quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dead/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If I'd been trying to kill him, he'd be dead.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kristin Cashore" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-cashore/if-i-d-been-trying-to-kill-him-he-d-be-dead/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dead" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-cashore/if-i-d-been-trying-to-kill-him-he-d-be-dead/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdd/kristin-cashore-369_dead_if-i-d-been-trying-to-kill-him-he-d-be-d_1597097.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdd/kristin-cashore-369_dead_if-i-d-been-trying-to-kill-him-he-d-be-d_1597097.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdd/kristin-cashore-369_dead_if-i-d-been-trying-to-kill-him-he-d-be-d_1597097.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If I'd been trying to kill him, he'd be dead.” — Kristin Cashore", "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": "Kristin Cashore", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-cashore/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If I'd been trying to kill...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-cashore/if-i-d-been-trying-to-kill-him-he-d-be-dead/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-cashore/if-i-d-been-trying-to-kill-him-he-d-be-dead/#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 } } ] } ```