--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you don't know, it's not always…" description: "\"If you don't know, it's not always necessary to admit it.\" — Malcolm Forbes" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d4/malcolm-forbes-1510_admit_if-you-don-t-know-it-s-not-always-necess_2420858.jpg" --- # If you don't know, it's not always necessary to admit it. ![“If you don't know, it's not always necessary to admit it.” quote by Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d4/malcolm-forbes-1510_admit_if-you-don-t-know-it-s-not-always-necess_2420858.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d4/malcolm-forbes-1510_admit_if-you-don-t-know-it-s-not-always-necess_2420858.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d4/malcolm-forbes-1510_admit_if-you-don-t-know-it-s-not-always-necess_2420858.jpg) > “If you don't know, it's not always necessary to admit it.” [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Admitting ignorance is optional; sometimes it's better to remain silent or defer. **In simple terms:** You don't always need to admit you don't know. Key Takeaway Choose when to acknowledge uncertainty wisely. Themes humility communication leadership knowledge strategy Mood cautious pragmatic Type business leadership When to use this quote - team meetings - client negotiations - public speaking Key Concepts Decision making information management confidence Questions to Reflect On - When is it better to admit not knowing? - How does silence affect credibility? A Different Perspective Avoiding admission can erode trust if discovered. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Admit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/admit/) [Don Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/don-know/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know/) [Know Necessary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-necessary-2857202/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Necessary Admit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/necessary-admit-5449165/) ## Related quotes > [“It’s necessary to admit that there's no universal truth about right and wrong when the subjects of your writings come rightly from your heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-vanderbuilt/it-s-necessary-to-admit-that-there-s-no-universal-truth-about-right/) [Frederick Vanderbuilt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-vanderbuilt/) > [I don't love the off-court stuff. But I know it's necessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristaps-porzingis/i-don-t-love-the-off-court-stuff-but-i-know-it-s-necessary/) [Kristaps Porzingis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristaps-porzingis/) > [I am one of you and being one of you is being and knowing what I am and know. Yet I am the necessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stevens/i-am-one-of-you-and-being-one-of-you-is-being-and-knowing-what-i-am/) [Wallace Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stevens/) > [You have to know what you want and know what's necessary to get to where you're going. If you establish a path, follow it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammi-post/you-have-to-know-what-you-want-and-know-what-s-necessary-to-get-to-2/) [Tammi Post](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammi-post/) > [To know all, it is necessary to know very little; but to know that very little, one must first know pretty much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-i-gurdjieff/to-know-all-it-is-necessary-to-know-very-little-but-to-know-that-very/) [G. I. Gurdjieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-i-gurdjieff/) > [You have to know what you want and know what's necessary to get to where you're going. If you establish a path follow it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-matobo/you-have-to-know-what-you-want-and-know-what-s-necessary-to-get-to/) [Frank Matobo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-matobo/) > [I know very well about the necessary level of reserves of the Central Bank as well as the purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/i-know-very-well-about-the-necessary-level-of-reserves-of-the-central/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [I don't know one note from another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-williams/i-don-t-know-one-note-from-another/) [Hank Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-williams/) > [I don't know anybody that doesn't own a gun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-manchin/i-don-t-know-anybody-that-doesn-t-own-a-gun/) [Joe Manchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-manchin/) > [“Good Lord, Jeeves! Is there anything you don’t know?’ ‘I couldn’t say, sir.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-wodehouse/good-lord-jeeves-is-there-anything-you-don-t-know-i-couldn-t-say-sir/) [P.G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse/) > [I don't know what people think of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/post-malone/i-don-t-know-what-people-think-of-me/) [Post Malone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/post-malone/) > [I don't know how to carry a tune.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-de-lancie/i-don-t-know-how-to-carry-a-tune/) [John de Lancie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-lancie/) > [I don't know anything about Amazon's culture; I've never worked there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-conrad/i-don-t-know-anything-about-amazon-s-culture-i-ve-never-worked-there/) [Parker Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-conrad/) > [I think there's a lot of power in admitting that you don't know everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kit-williamson/i-think-there-s-a-lot-of-power-in-admitting-that-you-don-t-know/) [Kit Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kit-williamson/) > [I don't know where 12 months has gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-appleby/i-don-t-know-where-12-months-has-gone/) [Stuart Appleby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-appleby/) ## More by Malcolm Forbes > [Once in a while there's wisdom in recognizing that the Boss is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/once-in-a-while-there-s-wisdom-in-recognizing-that-the-boss-is/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [Can you understand why the Congress, most states and most cities refuse to pass legislation requiring the registration and licensing of any and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/can-you-understand-why-the-congress-most-states-and-most-cities/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [ I don't think anybody can be a success who doesn't like what they do. \[But it's\] no job if it has no challenge; there's… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/i-don-t-think-anybody-can-be-a-success-who-doesn-t-like-what-they-do/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [Why, just a couple of economic seasons ago, was idle cash considered an indication of bad management or lazy management? Because it meant that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/why-just-a-couple-of-economic-seasons-ago-was-idle-cash-considered-an/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [Real writers-that is, capital W Writers-rarely make much money. Their biggest reward is the occasional reader's response… Commentators-in-print voicing big fat opinions-you might call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/real-writers-that-is-capital-w-writers-rarely-make-much-money-their/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [When things are bad, we take comfort in the thought that they could always be worse. And when they are, we find hope in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/when-things-are-bad-we-take-comfort-in-the-thought-that-they-could/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [Some people as a result of adversity are sadder, wiser, kinder, more human. Most of us are better, though, when things go better. Knowing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/some-people-as-a-result-of-adversity-are-sadder-wiser-kinder-more/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [The best vision is insight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/the-best-vision-is-insight/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [When you don't understand, it's sometimes easier to look like you do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/when-you-don-t-understand-it-s-sometimes-easier-to-look-like-you-do/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [It's so much easier to suggest solutions when you don't know too much about the problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/it-s-so-much-easier-to-suggest-solutions-when-you-don-t-know-too-much/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [Security isn't securities. It's knowing that someone cares whether you are or cease to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/security-isn-t-securities-it-s-knowing-that-someone-cares-whether-you/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [It is unfortunate we can't buy many business executives for what they are worth and sell them for what they think they are worth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/it-is-unfortunate-we-can-t-buy-many-business-executives-for-what-they/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [It is all one to me if a man comes from Sing Sing Prison or Harvard. We hire a man, not his history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/it-is-all-one-to-me-if-a-man-comes-from-sing-sing-prison-or-harvard/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [Compliment others on the virtues they have; and they're not half as pleased as being complimented for the ones they don't have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/compliment-others-on-the-virtues-they-have-and-they-re-not-half-as/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [. . . the most difficult thing asked by our young is not our earnings but our ears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/the-most-difficult-thing-asked-by-our-young-is-not-our-earnings-but/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) [Explore all 232 Malcolm Forbes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) ## More Admit quotes > [It is hard to admit to someone that you love him..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misherie/it-is-hard-to-admit-to-someone-that-you-love-him/) [Misherie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misherie/) > [I am not perfect by any means and ill be the first to admit I make plenty of mistakes but I wont make them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-am-not-perfect-by-any-means-and-ill-be-the-first-to-admit-i-make/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think it takes a lot for you to admit you made a mistake and correct it right away, especially on live television.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pia-wurtzbach/i-think-it-takes-a-lot-for-you-to-admit-you-made-a-mistake-and/) [Pia Wurtzbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pia-wurtzbach/) > [I'll admit a little something: If I go to one of those hotels where there's, like, a $50 omelet, I'm taking the silverware home…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-olyphant/i-ll-admit-a-little-something-if-i-go-to-one-of-those-hotels-where/) [Timothy Olyphant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-olyphant/) > [Most celebrities are not going to admit they had work done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-nassif/most-celebrities-are-not-going-to-admit-they-had-work-done/) [Paul Nassif](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-nassif/) > [If you're in rock 'n' roll, you're not supposed to admit to liking theatre stuff, but I'm a big theatregoer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-deyoung/if-you-re-in-rock-n-roll-you-re-not-supposed-to-admit-to-liking/) [Dennis DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-deyoung/) > [No one likes to admit they are racist or bear prejudices. Nor do they even like to be open and honest when they witness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-jacques/no-one-likes-to-admit-they-are-racist-or-bear-prejudices-nor-do-they/) [Martin Jacques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-jacques/) > [I love you. But I have no right to admit it to myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittany-snyder/i-love-you-but-i-have-no-right-to-admit-it-to-myself/) [Brittany\_Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittany-snyder/) > [There is something in me-I just can't stand to admit defeat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-sills/there-is-something-in-me-i-just-can-t-stand-to-admit-defeat/) [Beverly Sills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-sills/) > [As far as I can tell, the only unambiguous consequence of the claimed invasion of Earth by beings from another star system has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/as-far-as-i-can-tell-the-only-unambiguous-consequence-of-the-claimed/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [My first exposure to sanitation issues occurred when I got admission into an engineering college. They probably didn't want to admit me and informed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sudha-murty/my-first-exposure-to-sanitation-issues-occurred-when-i-got-admission/) [Sudha Murty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sudha-murty/) > [I have to admit that I get quite emotional listening to the amazing talent that exists in the New York subways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-o-hare/i-have-to-admit-that-i-get-quite-emotional-listening-to-the-amazing/) [Lisa O'Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-o-hare/) > [I was ashamed to admit I was hipped to the idea of acting. That's why I started in with the props.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wayne/i-was-ashamed-to-admit-i-was-hipped-to-the-idea-of-acting-that-s-why/) [John Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wayne/) > [I admit that I am very possessive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kunal-khemu/i-admit-that-i-am-very-possessive/) [Kunal Khemu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kunal-khemu/) > [Some people need to grow up and learn how to admit when they're wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-people-need-to-grow-up-and-learn-how-to-admit-when-they-re-wrong/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 816 Admit quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/admit/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you don't know, it's not always necessary to admit it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Malcolm Forbes" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/if-you-don-t-know-it-s-not-always-necessary-to-admit-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Admit" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/if-you-don-t-know-it-s-not-always-necessary-to-admit-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d4/malcolm-forbes-1510_admit_if-you-don-t-know-it-s-not-always-necess_2420858.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d4/malcolm-forbes-1510_admit_if-you-don-t-know-it-s-not-always-necess_2420858.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d4/malcolm-forbes-1510_admit_if-you-don-t-know-it-s-not-always-necess_2420858.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you don't know, it's not always necessary to admit it.” — Malcolm Forbes", "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": "Malcolm Forbes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you don't know, it's not...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/if-you-don-t-know-it-s-not-always-necessary-to-admit-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/if-you-don-t-know-it-s-not-always-necessary-to-admit-it/#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 } } ] } ```