--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I sometimes say that success just…" description: "\"I sometimes say that success just happens. That's not true. You have to make it happen. When I make up my mind to do something, I make sure it happens...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/356/michael-grade-83045_happens_i-sometimes-say-that-success-just-happen_30328.jpg" --- # I sometimes say that success just happens. That's not… ![“I sometimes say that success just happens. That's not true. You have to make it happen. When I make up my mind to do something, I make sure it happens. You can't wait for the phone to ring. You have to ring them.” quote by Michael Grade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/356/michael-grade-83045_happens_i-sometimes-say-that-success-just-happen_30328.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/356/michael-grade-83045_happens_i-sometimes-say-that-success-just-happen_30328.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/356/michael-grade-83045_happens_i-sometimes-say-that-success-just-happen_30328.jpg) > “I sometimes say that success just happens. That's not true. You have to make it happen. When I make up my mind to do something, I make sure it happens. You can't wait for the phone to ring. You have to ring them.” Michael Grade ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success requires proactive effort; waiting for opportunities is ineffective, so one must actively pursue goals. **In simple terms:** Take initiative, don't wait. Key Takeaway Action creates success. Themes proactivity determination goal-setting self-efficacy initiative Mood motivated determined assertive Type advice motivational leadership When to use this quote - career advancement - entrepreneurship - job search - sales outreach - project initiation Key Concepts personal agency mindset effort Practical Applications - goal‑setting workshops - coaching sessions Questions to Reflect On - What habits help you move from intention to action? - How can you create a habit of proactive outreach? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Phones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phones/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [If you want to make something happen, you can make it happen. There's always a way if it's what you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffany-alvord/if-you-want-to-make-something-happen-you-can-make-it-happen-there-s/) [Tiffany Alvord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffany-alvord/) > [Infuse your life with action. Don't wait for it to happen. Make it happen. Make your own future. Make your own hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-whitford/infuse-your-life-with-action-don-t-wait-for-it-to-happen-make-it/) [Bradley Whitford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-whitford/) > [When it comes to bringing an idea that God has given you to fruition, don't wait for it to happen again, you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-d-jakes/when-it-comes-to-bringing-an-idea-that-god-has-given-you-to-fruition/) [T. D. Jakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-d-jakes/) > [What's your vision of what you think should happen? How can you make it happen? Go stand in your power and walk with intention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-feldt/what-s-your-vision-of-what-you-think-should-happen-how-can-you-make/) [Gloria Feldt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-feldt/) > [If you want it to happen, you must make it happen. If you let it happen, you won't like what happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-dale-adams/if-you-want-it-to-happen-you-must-make-it-happen-if-you-let-it-happen/) [Randall Dale Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-dale-adams/) > [If someone else isn't making it happen for you, make it happen yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-miller/if-someone-else-isn-t-making-it-happen-for-you-make-it-happen-yourself/) [Lauren Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-miller/) > [Most of the time, stuff doesn't just happen to us-we make it happen by what we do and the way we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-jeary/most-of-the-time-stuff-doesn-t-just-happen-to-us-we-make-it-happen-by/) [Tony Jeary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-jeary/) > [“Just because something 'happens', because it is 'true', because the 'facts' are correct, does not ensure that it is the truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/just-because-something-happens-because-it-is-true-because-the-facts/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [“Anything you do is a lie and nothing that happens to you is true.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flann-o-brien/anything-you-do-is-a-lie-and-nothing-that-happens-to-you-is-true/) [Flann O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flann-o-brien/) > [What is failure? We can’t possibly know what failure is. Most people think they do, but that’s because they’re judging how their lives should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-zukav/what-is-failure-we-can-t-possibly-know-what-failure-is-most-people/) [Gary Zukav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-zukav/) > [I would be lying if I'd say success and failure doesn't matter because they do. For now, my biggest joy is that I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-sadh/i-would-be-lying-if-i-d-say-success-and-failure-doesn-t-matter/) [Amit Sadh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-sadh/) > [All these people who say success changes people; well, no, it just magnifies what's there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-smith/all-these-people-who-say-success-changes-people-well-no-it-just/) [Kevin Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-smith/) > [“We live in a sad society. Succeed--that is the advice which falls drop by drop from the overhanging corruption. In passing, we might say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/we-live-in-a-sad-society-succeed-that-is-the-advice-which-falls-drop/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [I always say that what's between you and your success is yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eiza-gonzalez/i-always-say-that-what-s-between-you-and-your-success-is-yourself/) [Eiza Gonzalez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eiza-gonzalez/) > [It's very easy for me to say what success is. I think success is connecting with an audience who understands you and having a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-s-very-easy-for-me-to-say-what-success-is-i-think-success-is/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) ## More by Michael Grade > [All my shows are great. Some of them are bad. But they are all great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-grade/all-my-shows-are-great-some-of-them-are-bad-but-they-are-all-great/) Michael Grade > [Innovation implies high risk, and with high risk comes failure, so you've got to be prepared for that, but if you don't risk, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-grade/innovation-implies-high-risk-and-with-high-risk-comes-failure-so-you/) Michael Grade Explore all 3 Michael Grade quotes ## More Happens quotes > [I could not limit my values and pursuits to what makes others comfortable. Being possessed by a promise I live without options. I will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/i-could-not-limit-my-values-and-pursuits-to-what-makes-others/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [I'm 38 and I'm single, and I'm having my most intense and gratifying relationship with a dog. But we all learn about love in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-knapp/i-m-38-and-i-m-single-and-i-m-having-my-most-intense-and-gratifying/) [Caroline Knapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-knapp/) > [Sometimes it's just enough for me to have the idea. I don't need to see it through to the end. When it actually happens,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sedaris/sometimes-it-s-just-enough-for-me-to-have-the-idea-i-don-t-need-to/) [Amy Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sedaris/) > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [I don't look at myself as a basketball coach. I look at myself as a leader who happens to coach basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/i-don-t-look-at-myself-as-a-basketball-coach-i-look-at-myself-as-a/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [Quantum physics fluctuates all the time. But now the fluctuations are not just particles coming into and out of existence, which happens all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/quantum-physics-fluctuates-all-the-time-but-now-the-fluctuations-are/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Talented people can predict with great accuracy what's about to happen just a tiny bit ahead of their competitors. It might be two seconds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-maney/talented-people-can-predict-with-great-accuracy-what-s-about-to/) [Kevin Maney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-maney/) > [Faith is the avenue to salvation. Not intellectual understanding. Not money. Not your works. Just simple faith. How much faith? The faith of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/faith-is-the-avenue-to-salvation-not-intellectual-understanding-not/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [I always knew I wanted to have a good career, so I made it happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chord-overstreet/i-always-knew-i-wanted-to-have-a-good-career-so-i-made-it-happen/) [Chord Overstreet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chord-overstreet/) > [The amazing thing is that we live our lives with the hope that things will go right, that things will happen. And all along…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurel-nakadate/the-amazing-thing-is-that-we-live-our-lives-with-the-hope-that-things/) [Laurel Nakadate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurel-nakadate/) > [I had sort of had a 21st birthday when I was 17, 18 years old living in Japan. I had all of that stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-wright/i-had-sort-of-had-a-21st-birthday-when-i-was-17-18-years-old-living/) [Sarah Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-wright/) > [I think the most miraculous thing is learning. I get out of the way and let the students learn. Then you get to watch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/i-think-the-most-miraculous-thing-is-learning-i-get-out-of-the-way/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [You want to remain hungry and stay in a good place as a competitor; at the same time, you want to be confident but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-odom/you-want-to-remain-hungry-and-stay-in-a-good-place-as-a-competitor-at/) [Lamar Odom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-odom/) > [This mind is a prison. It cannot find any freedom anywhere. It must die before freedom comes to you. But we have taken the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/this-mind-is-a-prison-it-cannot-find-any-freedom-anywhere-it-must-die/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [Evolution happens in jumps, very rapidly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-ferguson/evolution-happens-in-jumps-very-rapidly/) [Marilyn Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-ferguson/) Browse all 13,486 Happens quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I sometimes say that success just happens. That's not true. You have to make it happen. When I make up my mind to do something, I make sure it happens. You can't wait for the phone to ring. 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