--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Tell me I can't so I can show you I CAN!" description: "\"Tell me I can't so I can show you I CAN!\" — Ledisi" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23b/ledisi-19146_i-can_tell-me-i-can-t-so-i-can-show-you-i-can_2086203.png" --- # Tell me I can't so I can show you I CAN! ![“Tell me I can't so I can show you I CAN!” quote by Ledisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23b/ledisi-19146_i-can_tell-me-i-can-t-so-i-can-show-you-i-can_2086203.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23b/ledisi-19146_i-can_tell-me-i-can-t-so-i-can-show-you-i-can_2086203.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23b/ledisi-19146_i-can_tell-me-i-can-t-so-i-can-show-you-i-can_2086203.png) > “Tell me I can't so I can show you I CAN!” [Ledisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ledisi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Challenges doubt by turning it into motivation to prove oneself. **In simple terms:** Use doubt as fuel to succeed. Key Takeaway Transform skepticism into action. Themes self‑belief motivation challenge empowerment resilience Mood determined empowering Type speech motivational When to use this quote - sports competition - career advancement - creative projects - personal challenges - public speaking Key Concepts psychology performance mindset Questions to Reflect On - What doubt can you convert into drive? - When is it wise to accept limits? A Different Perspective May encourage reckless overconfidence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [I can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Shows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shows/) [Tell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tell/) [Tell me i can t](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tell-me-i-can-t/) ## Related quotes > [You want me to do something... tell me I can't do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-want-me-to-do-something-tell-me-i-can-t-do-it/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [Before me, sprinters retired at 23 or 24. I run because I still like it, I can make a living, and I feel I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-ashford/before-me-sprinters-retired-at-23-or-24-i-run-because-i-still-like-it/) [Evelyn Ashford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-ashford/) > [My mom used to tell me, I can't use this phrase on the radio - but basically don't be one of those dudes hanging…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ta-nehisi-coates/my-mom-used-to-tell-me-i-can-t-use-this-phrase-on-the-radio-but/) [Ta-Nehisi Coates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ta-nehisi-coates/) > [As soon as someone I don’t respect tells me I can’t do something, it just makes me want to do it even more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-branagh/as-soon-as-someone-i-don-t-respect-tells-me-i-can-t-do-something-it/) [Kenneth Branagh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-branagh/) > [If you tell me I can't have something then that just makes me want it more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-benson/if-you-tell-me-i-can-t-have-something-then-that-just-makes-me-want-it/) [Anna Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-benson/) > [I am the greatest. I said that even before I knew I was. Don't tell me I can't do something. Don't tell me it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/i-am-the-greatest-i-said-that-even-before-i-knew-i-was-don-t-tell-me/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [When anyone tells me I can't do anything, I'm just not listening anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-griffith-joyner/when-anyone-tells-me-i-can-t-do-anything-i-m-just-not-listening/) [Florence Griffith Joyner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-griffith-joyner/) > [My accountant tells me I can't be a California resident anymore. I spend too much of my time in New York.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/my-accountant-tells-me-i-can-t-be-a-california-resident-anymore-i/) [Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/) > [Have you ever tried?" "No." Then don't tell me I can't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-marr/have-you-ever-tried-no-then-don-t-tell-me-i-can-t/) [Melissa Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-marr/) > [I'm the mayor, I can do whatever I want until the courts tell me I can't.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-palin/i-m-the-mayor-i-can-do-whatever-i-want-until-the-courts-tell-me-i-can/) [Sarah Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-palin/) > [I'm tenacious, I think - I know - and I do also have a quality where if you tell me I can't do something,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-barkin/i-m-tenacious-i-think-i-know-and-i-do-also-have-a-quality-where-if/) [Ellen Barkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-barkin/) > [Once people tell me I can't do stuff, I'm going to go and make it happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-pain/once-people-tell-me-i-can-t-do-stuff-i-m-going-to-go-and-make-it/) [T-Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-pain/) > [People ask me why I work so hard and why I have this compassion to reach the top and be great. I respond by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-cheeke/people-ask-me-why-i-work-so-hard-and-why-i-have-this-compassion-to/) [Robert Cheeke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-cheeke/) > [If you tell me I can't understand you because of my color or you can't understand me because of your sexual orientation or she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cleve-jones/if-you-tell-me-i-can-t-understand-you-because-of-my-color-or-you-can/) [Cleve Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cleve-jones/) > [I just like testing myself. I just have that thing in me. Whatever it is that people tell me I can't do, I've gotta…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gethard/i-just-like-testing-myself-i-just-have-that-thing-in-me-whatever-it/) [Chris Gethard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gethard/) ## More by Ledisi > [our product will speak for itself if it's that good and your fan base will come and people will want it. Having the right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ledisi/our-product-will-speak-for-itself-if-it-s-that-good-and-your-fan-base/) [Ledisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ledisi/) > [I know who I am and I've always been comfortable in my own skin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ledisi/i-know-who-i-am-and-i-ve-always-been-comfortable-in-my-own-skin/) [Ledisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ledisi/) > [When you don't know how beautiful you are, you will always be in search of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ledisi/when-you-don-t-know-how-beautiful-you-are-you-will-always-be-in/) [Ledisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ledisi/) > [I'm always doubting because I've been told so much that, you're not the right look or you're not the right sound, and, you know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ledisi/i-m-always-doubting-because-i-ve-been-told-so-much-that-you-re-not/) [Ledisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ledisi/) > [I'm known for long colorful locs but I still don't take my hair too seriously. Changing it helps express who I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ledisi/i-m-known-for-long-colorful-locs-but-i-still-don-t-take-my-hair-too/) [Ledisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ledisi/) > [Any success matters to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ledisi/any-success-matters-to-me/) [Ledisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ledisi/) > [I'm just happy that I'm able to take care of what I need to take care of, live, and do the thing that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ledisi/i-m-just-happy-that-i-m-able-to-take-care-of-what-i-need-to-take-care/) [Ledisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ledisi/) > [I've had great people come in my life, meaning not just men, but women, support me and empower me. So that has lifted me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ledisi/i-ve-had-great-people-come-in-my-life-meaning-not-just-men-but-women/) [Ledisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ledisi/) > [I study a lot of the greats; I study the current people out now and what people are listening to now. I don't shun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ledisi/i-study-a-lot-of-the-greats-i-study-the-current-people-out-now-and/) [Ledisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ledisi/) > [Be careful of who and what you let into your space. Not everyone is worthy of your presence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ledisi/be-careful-of-who-and-what-you-let-into-your-space-not-everyone-is/) [Ledisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ledisi/) > [Know the business you're in for whatever you do, know it and understand how it works so you can be successful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ledisi/know-the-business-you-re-in-for-whatever-you-do-know-it-and/) [Ledisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ledisi/) > [There's always a story in music, and it's expressed through my music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ledisi/there-s-always-a-story-in-music-and-it-s-expressed-through-my-music/) [Ledisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ledisi/) > [I love energy and people; gosh I love people even when they got on my nerves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ledisi/i-love-energy-and-people-gosh-i-love-people-even-when-they-got-on-my/) [Ledisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ledisi/) > [I'm very open, I love music and I love people so you need to know what's going on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ledisi/i-m-very-open-i-love-music-and-i-love-people-so-you-need-to-know-what/) [Ledisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ledisi/) > [Although I’m known for my long, colorful locs, I still don’t take my hair too seriously. I experiment a lot, dyeing it and constantly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ledisi/although-i-m-known-for-my-long-colorful-locs-i-still-don-t-take-my/) [Ledisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ledisi/) [Explore all 33 Ledisi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ledisi/) ## More I can quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [My team mates are fundamental for my characteristics, if they send in crosses I can play inside the area.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/filippo-inzaghi/my-team-mates-are-fundamental-for-my-characteristics-if-they-send-in/) [Filippo Inzaghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/filippo-inzaghi/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [I love playing for my country, getting the support. Especially for the kids and everybody, showing my example of what I can achieve so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-love-playing-for-my-country-getting-the-support-especially-for-the/) [Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/) > [I always step on the plane with my right foot and touch the outside of the plane with my left hand. Sometimes you know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hope-davis/i-always-step-on-the-plane-with-my-right-foot-and-touch-the-outside/) [Hope Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hope-davis/) > [From as long as I can remember, I was always fond of drawing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-lucia/from-as-long-as-i-can-remember-i-was-always-fond-of-drawing/) [St. Lucia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-lucia/) > [I don't want to be famous famous. I'm happy on the second tier, where I have autonomy on a professional level but I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-reece/i-don-t-want-to-be-famous-famous-i-m-happy-on-the-second-tier-where-i/) [Gabrielle Reece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-reece/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [From my experience of having served for 3000 days, I can say that anything can be achieved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/from-my-experience-of-having-served-for-3000-days-i-can-say-that/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [I take the responsibility of playing another ethnicity very, very seriously, and I promise myself and those people that I will represent them with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cliff-curtis/i-take-the-responsibility-of-playing-another-ethnicity-very-very/) [Cliff Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cliff-curtis/) > [I can't say that there are 'things' that make me come alive. There are thoughts that make me come alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-can-t-say-that-there-are-things-that-make-me-come-alive-there-are/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [I'm Catholic and I can't commit suicide, but I plan to drink myself to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-m-catholic-and-i-can-t-commit-suicide-but-i-plan-to-drink-myself-to/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [I remember my friend Johnny von Neumann used to say, 'with four parameters I can fit an elephant and with five I can make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enrico-fermi/i-remember-my-friend-johnny-von-neumann-used-to-say-with-four/) [Enrico Fermi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enrico-fermi/) > [I recognize I am essentially a failed human being in the sense that I can't possibly live up to the expectations of an Almighty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-recognize-i-am-essentially-a-failed-human-being-in-the-sense-that-i/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) [Browse all 24,836 I can quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Tell me I can't so I can show you I CAN!", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ledisi" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ledisi/tell-me-i-can-t-so-i-can-show-you-i-can/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "I can" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ledisi/tell-me-i-can-t-so-i-can-show-you-i-can/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23b/ledisi-19146_i-can_tell-me-i-can-t-so-i-can-show-you-i-can_2086203.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23b/ledisi-19146_i-can_tell-me-i-can-t-so-i-can-show-you-i-can_2086203.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23b/ledisi-19146_i-can_tell-me-i-can-t-so-i-can-show-you-i-can_2086203.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Tell me I can't so I can show you I CAN!” — Ledisi", "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": "Ledisi", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ledisi/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Tell me I can't so I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ledisi/tell-me-i-can-t-so-i-can-show-you-i-can/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ledisi/tell-me-i-can-t-so-i-can-show-you-i-can/#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 } } ] } ```