---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I know the answer now, but I’m so…"
description: "\"“I know the answer now, but I’m so frightened I’ve forgotten the question.”\" — Michael Robotham"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b16/michael-robotham-7931_frightened_i-know-the-answer-now-but-i-m-so-frighte_2059971.png"
---

#  I know the answer now, but I’m so frightened I’ve…

![“I know the answer now, but I’m so frightened I’ve forgotten the question.” quote by Michael Robotham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b16/michael-robotham-7931_frightened_i-know-the-answer-now-but-i-m-so-frighte_2059971.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b16/michael-robotham-7931_frightened_i-know-the-answer-now-but-i-m-so-frighte_2059971.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b16/michael-robotham-7931_frightened_i-know-the-answer-now-but-i-m-so-frighte_2059971.png)

> ““I know the answer now, but I’m so frightened I’ve forgotten the question.””

[Michael Robotham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-robotham/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The narrator knows the answer but fear has erased the question.

**In simple terms:** Knowing answer, forgetting question due to fear.

Key Takeaway

Confront fear to recall what truly matters.

Themes

fear knowledge memory anxiety self-doubt

Mood

introspective tense

Type

psychological literary

When to use this quote

- personal crisis
- investigative work
- creative writing

Key Concepts

psychology of fear memory retrieval

Questions to Reflect On

- What question might you be avoiding?
- How does fear shape your perception of truth?

A Different Perspective

Fear can also distort the answer itself.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Answer Frightened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answer-frightened-3925205/) [Forgotten Question](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgotten-question-931885/) [Frightened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frightened/) [Frightened Ve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frightened-ve-1405346/) [Ve Forgotten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ve-forgotten/)

## Related quotes

> [“Why am I frightened? I've crossed no boundaries, I've given no trust, taken no risk, all is safe. It's the choice that terrifies me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/why-am-i-frightened-i-ve-crossed-no-boundaries-i-ve-given-no-trust/)

[Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/)

> [I was very attracted to the way that Zen did not go into the imagination land. And now I've forgotten what your first question…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-warner/i-was-very-attracted-to-the-way-that-zen-did-not-go-into-the/)

[Brad Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-warner/)

> [“He will never be able to explain how he dares to do this, but perhaps you get tired of being frightened if you've been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fredrik-backman/he-will-never-be-able-to-explain-how-he-dares-to-do-this-but-perhaps/)

[Fredrik Backman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fredrik-backman/)

> [“Not wonderful that you've forgotten, mind you. Wonderful that you have so much to discover.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-dekker/not-wonderful-that-you-ve-forgotten-mind-you-wonderful-that-you-have/)

[Ted Dekker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-dekker/)

> [I thought, I might not look my best, I've forgotten half the words to my songs and I'm suffering from post-traumatic stress, but I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-almond/i-thought-i-might-not-look-my-best-i-ve-forgotten-half-the-words-to/)

[Marc Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-almond/)

> [“Lost things never like to be found until they've been forgotten.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-j-mellow/lost-things-never-like-to-be-found-until-they-ve-been-forgotten/)

[E.J. Mellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-j-mellow/)

> [It occurred to me at some point that what really links us to the past is memory, and there's so much we've forgotten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-cameron/it-occurred-to-me-at-some-point-that-what-really-links-us-to-the-past/)

[Sharon Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-cameron/)

> [You all say the same thing. When something bad happens, everyone tells you to forget about it. But, I don't think you can forget…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fuyumi-soryo/you-all-say-the-same-thing-when-something-bad-happens-everyone-tells/)

[Fuyumi Soryo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fuyumi-soryo/)

> [“You're so busy running here and there that you've forgotten that the goal of life is learning.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-verge-higgins/you-re-so-busy-running-here-and-there-that-you-ve-forgotten-that-the/)

[Lisa Verge Higgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-verge-higgins/)

> [Don't ask me about my career - I've forgotten most of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-dalton/don-t-ask-me-about-my-career-i-ve-forgotten-most-of-it/)

[Timothy Dalton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-dalton/)

> [All that I've learned, I've forgotten. The little that I still know, I've guessed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-that-i-ve-learned-i-ve-forgotten-the-little-that-i-still-know-i/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“I've forgotten to remember”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/autumn-doughton/i-ve-forgotten-to-remember/)

[Autumn Doughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/autumn-doughton/)

> [I've forgotten who I had lunch with earlier, and even more important, where.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/i-ve-forgotten-who-i-had-lunch-with-earlier-and-even-more-important/)

[Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/)

> [“If you feel like you've been forgotten, your wrong. The only way you can be forgotten is if you want to be, and sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arianna-floyd/if-you-feel-like-you-ve-been-forgotten-your-wrong-the-only-way-you/)

[Arianna Floyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arianna-floyd/)

> [We've been speaking English as a second language so long that we've forgotten it as our first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/we-ve-been-speaking-english-as-a-second-language-so-long-that-we-ve/)

[Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/)

## More by Michael Robotham

> [“Here you can shoot the bad guys,' a mercenary says in Baghdad. 'In America we give them corporate bonuses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-robotham/here-you-can-shoot-the-bad-guys-a-mercenary-says-in-baghdad-in/)

[Michael Robotham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-robotham/)

> [“His freckles have faded but must riot every summer across his nose and cheeks.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-robotham/his-freckles-have-faded-but-must-riot-every-summer-across-his-nose/)

[Michael Robotham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-robotham/)

> [“It's strange, talking about love. I used to hate the word. Hate is too strong. I was sick of reading about it in books,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-robotham/it-s-strange-talking-about-love-i-used-to-hate-the-word-hate-is-too/)

[Michael Robotham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-robotham/)

> [“She is more memory than reality. She belongs to a time of teenage crushes, first kisses, crowded lecture halls and smoky pubs. Even if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-robotham/she-is-more-memory-than-reality-she-belongs-to-a-time-of-teenage/)

[Michael Robotham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-robotham/)

> [“My love for a child will be greater than my love for an adult because it is a singular love that isn’t based on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-robotham/my-love-for-a-child-will-be-greater-than-my-love-for-an-adult-because/)

[Michael Robotham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-robotham/)

> [“I did that,” says my memory. “I could not have done that,” says my pride, and remains inexorable. Eventually—​​the memory yields.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-robotham/i-did-that-says-my-memory-i-could-not-have-done-that-says-my-pride/)

[Michael Robotham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-robotham/)

> [“My other chore is to buy a tree- a thankless task. The only truly well-proportioned Christmas trees are the ones they use in advertisements.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-robotham/my-other-chore-is-to-buy-a-tree-a-thankless-task-the-only-truly-well/)

[Michael Robotham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-robotham/)

> [“Everyone thinks I'm so strong. They expect me to face autumns and winters like that and bitch-slap them down; make them come to heel.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-robotham/everyone-thinks-i-m-so-strong-they-expect-me-to-face-autumns-and/)

[Michael Robotham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-robotham/)

> [“We need the darkness to appreciate the light, and the bumps along the road to stop us falling asleep at the wheel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-robotham/we-need-the-darkness-to-appreciate-the-light-and-the-bumps-along-the/)

[Michael Robotham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-robotham/)

> [Why do our parents have the ability to make us feel like children even when our hair is graying and we have a mortgage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-robotham/why-do-our-parents-have-the-ability-to-make-us-feel-like-children/)

[Michael Robotham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-robotham/)

> [“Truth is a matter of semantics, whether we like it or not.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-robotham/truth-is-a-matter-of-semantics-whether-we-like-it-or-not/)

[Michael Robotham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-robotham/)

> [“I've discovered the secret of revenge. Outlive the f---ers! I'll dance on their graves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-robotham/i-ve-discovered-the-secret-of-revenge-outlive-the-f-ers-i-ll-dance-on/)

[Michael Robotham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-robotham/)

> [“Do you believe in God?” he asks. “Do you?” “I used to” “What happened?” “I couldn’t find him. He’s supposed to be everywhere. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-robotham/do-you-believe-in-god-he-asks-do-you-i-used-to-what-happened-i-couldn/)

[Michael Robotham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-robotham/)

> [“People talk about the sins of omission. What does that mean? Who decides if something is a sin? I know that I'm being semantic,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-robotham/people-talk-about-the-sins-of-omission-what-does-that-mean-who/)

[Michael Robotham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-robotham/)

> [“It was the most important moment in human history, the telling of the first lie. That's what separates us from the other animals. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-robotham/it-was-the-most-important-moment-in-human-history-the-telling-of-the/)

[Michael Robotham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-robotham/)

[Explore all 82 Michael Robotham quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-robotham/)

## More Frightened quotes

> [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/)

[Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/)

> [“and I actually talked about God, the one who had abandoned me when I was very little, very frightened, and very hurt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alcoholics-anonymous/and-i-actually-talked-about-god-the-one-who-had-abandoned-me-when-i/)

[Alcoholics Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alcoholics-anonymous/)

> [I don't think kids have a problem with death. It's us older ones who are nearer to it, that start being frightened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helena-bonham-carter/i-don-t-think-kids-have-a-problem-with-death-it-s-us-older-ones-who/)

[Helena Bonham Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helena-bonham-carter/)

> [American imperialism has always been the imperialism that has been frightened of speaking its name. Now it's beginning to do so. In a way,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/american-imperialism-has-always-been-the-imperialism-that-has-been/)

[Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/)

> [We all have prejudices to dispel: the need to get away from thinking that 'I' am important and special and 'you' are not, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-newkirk/we-all-have-prejudices-to-dispel-the-need-to-get-away-from-thinking/)

[Ingrid Newkirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-newkirk/)

> [“She had just started living like a grown-up and she'd never felt more vulnerable, frightened or confused in her life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/she-had-just-started-living-like-a-grown-up-and-she-d-never-felt-more/)

[Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/)

> [Megachurches. I can't be the only one frightened when our houses of worship sound like they could take on Godzilla.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/megachurches-i-can-t-be-the-only-one-frightened-when-our-houses-of/)

[Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/)

> [No one seems to have learned, or can remember, the magic words that calm people when they are frightened or threatened: "I'm sorry; I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-tavris/no-one-seems-to-have-learned-or-can-remember-the-magic-words-that/)

[Carol Tavris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-tavris/)

> [Or why it is acceptable to train fast runners and high jumpers but not to breed them. I can think of some answers, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/or-why-it-is-acceptable-to-train-fast-runners-and-high-jumpers-but/)

[Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/)

> [I can't help it when people are frightened," says Merricat. "I always want to frighten them more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-jackson/i-can-t-help-it-when-people-are-frightened-says-merricat-i-always/)

[Shirley Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-jackson/)

> [Soothing touch, whether it be applied to a ruffled cat, a crying infant, or a frightened child, has a universally recognized power to ameliorate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deane-juhan/soothing-touch-whether-it-be-applied-to-a-ruffled-cat-a-crying-infant/)

[Deane Juhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deane-juhan/)

> [Sometimes I've been to a party where no one spoke to me for a whole evening. The men, frightened by their wives or sweeites...the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/sometimes-i-ve-been-to-a-party-where-no-one-spoke-to-me-for-a-whole/)

[Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/)

> [All your names I and my friend approve of or nearly all as to sense &amp; expression, but I am frightened by their length…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-faraday/all-your-names-i-and-my-friend-approve-of-or-nearly-all-as-to-sense/)

[Michael Faraday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-faraday/)

> [I was hit by a car. I almost died. My show was taken away from me. I was frightened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-brennan/i-was-hit-by-a-car-i-almost-died-my-show-was-taken-away-from-me-i-was/)

[Eileen Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-brennan/)

> [“She was using the water as she had used the fruit earlier—to calm herself, to assure herself of the possibility of normality. Yet all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/she-was-using-the-water-as-she-had-used-the-fruit-earlier-to-calm/)

[Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/)

[Browse all 1,303 Frightened quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frightened/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“I know the answer now, but I’m so frightened I’ve forgotten the question.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Michael Robotham"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-robotham/i-know-the-answer-now-but-i-m-so-frightened-i-ve-forgotten-the/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Frightened"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-robotham/i-know-the-answer-now-but-i-m-so-frightened-i-ve-forgotten-the/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b16/michael-robotham-7931_frightened_i-know-the-answer-now-but-i-m-so-frighte_2059971.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b16/michael-robotham-7931_frightened_i-know-the-answer-now-but-i-m-so-frighte_2059971.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b16/michael-robotham-7931_frightened_i-know-the-answer-now-but-i-m-so-frighte_2059971.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I know the answer now, but I’m so frightened I’ve forgotten the question.” — Michael Robotham",
                "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": "Michael Robotham",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-robotham/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“I know the answer now, but...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-robotham/i-know-the-answer-now-but-i-m-so-frightened-i-ve-forgotten-the/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-robotham/i-know-the-answer-now-but-i-m-so-frightened-i-ve-forgotten-the/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
