---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Aim high, and you won't shoot your foot…"
description: "\"Aim high, and you won't shoot your foot off.\" — Phyllis Diller"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f66/phyllis-diller-1622_aim_aim-high-and-you-won-t-shoot-your-foot-o_2701192.png"
---

#  Aim high, and you won't shoot your foot off.

![“Aim high, and you won't shoot your foot off.” quote by Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f66/phyllis-diller-1622_aim_aim-high-and-you-won-t-shoot-your-foot-o_2701192.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f66/phyllis-diller-1622_aim_aim-high-and-you-won-t-shoot-your-foot-o_2701192.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f66/phyllis-diller-1622_aim_aim-high-and-you-won-t-shoot-your-foot-o_2701192.png)

> “Aim high, and you won't shoot your foot off.”

[Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/)

## About This Quote

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

Encourages aiming high while avoiding self‑injury; metaphor for setting realistic goals.

**In simple terms:** Aim high, avoid self‑harm.

Key Takeaway

Set ambitious yet safe goals.

Themes

humor goal setting self‑care

Mood

playful wise

Type

humorous motivational

When to use this quote

- career planning
- fitness goals
- creative projects

Key Concepts

risk assessment personal boundaries motivation

Questions to Reflect On

- What goals are lofty yet safe?
- How do you gauge personal limits?

A Different Perspective

Over‑ambition can cause burnout.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Aim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aim/) [Aim high](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aim-high/) [High](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high/) [High Won](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-won-2539399/) [Shoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shoot/) [Shoot Foot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shoot-foot-441711/) [Target](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/target/)

## Related quotes

> [Aim high, and you won't shoot your foot off. - Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/innah-delos-angeles/aim-high-and-you-won-t-shoot-your-foot-off-phyllis-diller/)

[Innah Delos Angeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/innah-delos-angeles/)

> [You might as well aim high. Why shoot yourself in the foot when you can shoot yourself in the head?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/you-might-as-well-aim-high-why-shoot-yourself-in-the-foot-when-you/)

[William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/)

> [Aim high. You may still miss the target, but at least you won't shoot your foot off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/aim-high-you-may-still-miss-the-target-but-at-least-you-won-t-shoot/)

[Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/)

> [Needless to say, I don't want a woman working for me who's waiting for me to shoot myself in the foot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryanne-trump-barry/needless-to-say-i-don-t-want-a-woman-working-for-me-who-s-waiting-for/)

[Maryanne Trump Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryanne-trump-barry/)

> [It's one thing to shoot yourself in the foot. Just don't reload the gun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-graham/it-s-one-thing-to-shoot-yourself-in-the-foot-just-don-t-reload-the-gun/)

[Lindsey Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-graham/)

> [In the long run, men hit only what they aim at. Therefore, they had better aim at something high.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-the-long-run-men-hit-only-what-they-aim-at-therefore-they-had/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [“C makes it easy to shoot yourself in the foot; C++ makes it harder, but when you do it blows your whole leg off.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjarne-stroustrup/c-makes-it-easy-to-shoot-yourself-in-the-foot-c-makes-it-harder-but-2/)

[Bjarne Stroustrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjarne-stroustrup/)

> [I can't shoot myself in the foot before I get in the chorus line.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsay-pearce/i-can-t-shoot-myself-in-the-foot-before-i-get-in-the-chorus-line/)

[Lindsay Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsay-pearce/)

> [C makes it easy to shoot yourself in the foot; C++ makes it harder, but when you do, it blows away your whole leg.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjarne-stroustrup/c-makes-it-easy-to-shoot-yourself-in-the-foot-c-makes-it-harder-but/)

[Bjarne Stroustrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjarne-stroustrup/)

> [“I could shoot you in the foot." "Please do. At least then I wouldn't have to endure this sock humiliation any longer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kessler/i-could-shoot-you-in-the-foot-please-do-at-least-then-i-wouldn-t-have/)

[Lisa Kessler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kessler/)

> [Aim high! It is no harder on your gun to shoot the feathers off an eagle than to shoot the fur off a skunk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-moore/aim-high-it-is-no-harder-on-your-gun-to-shoot-the-feathers-off-an/)

[Troy Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-moore/)

> [“Aim high, for if you aim low you won't have a chance at hitting the high mark.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanya-van-rooyen/aim-high-for-if-you-aim-low-you-won-t-have-a-chance-at-hitting-the/)

[Tanya van Rooyen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanya-van-rooyen/)

> [“Aim high, hit high.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-delinsky/aim-high-hit-high/)

[Barbara Delinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-delinsky/)

> [Whatever vocation you decide on, track down the best people in the world at doing it and surround yourself with them. Aim high and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-weiss/whatever-vocation-you-decide-on-track-down-the-best-people-in-the/)

[Scott Weiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-weiss/)

> [One of the most powerful forces in the world is the will of men and women who believe in themselves, who dare to hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-devos/one-of-the-most-powerful-forces-in-the-world-is-the-will-of-men-and/)

[Richard DeVos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-devos/)

## More by Phyllis Diller

> [My mother-in-law must be the probation officer I got for the crime I committed of marrying my husband.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/my-mother-in-law-must-be-the-probation-officer-i-got-for-the-crime-i/)

[Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/)

> [I don't know how you feel about old age... but in my case I didn't even see it coming. It hit me from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/i-don-t-know-how-you-feel-about-old-age-but-in-my-case-i-didn-t-even/)

[Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/)

> [If it weren't for baseball, many kids wouldn't know what a millionaire looked like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/if-it-weren-t-for-baseball-many-kids-wouldn-t-know-what-a-millionaire/)

[Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/)

> [I'm the only woman who can walk in Central Park at night... and reduce the crime rate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/i-m-the-only-woman-who-can-walk-in-central-park-at-night-and-reduce/)

[Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/)

> [I was the world's ugliest baby. When I was born, the doctor slapped everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/i-was-the-world-s-ugliest-baby-when-i-was-born-the-doctor-slapped/)

[Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/)

> [By far the most common craving of pregnant women is not to be pregnant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/by-far-the-most-common-craving-of-pregnant-women-is-not-to-be-pregnant/)

[Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/)

> [For Fang, getting out of bed in the morning is a career move.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/for-fang-getting-out-of-bed-in-the-morning-is-a-career-move/)

[Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/)

> [Women want men, careers, money, children, friends, luxury, comfort, independence, freedom, respect, love, and a three-dollar pantyhose that won't run.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/women-want-men-careers-money-children-friends-luxury-comfort/)

[Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/)

> [I admit, I have a tremendous sex drive. My boyfriend lives forty miles away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/i-admit-i-have-a-tremendous-sex-drive-my-boyfriend-lives-forty-miles/)

[Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/)

> [The reason women don't play football is because 11 of them would never wear the same outfit in public.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/the-reason-women-don-t-play-football-is-because-11-of-them-would/)

[Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/)

> [If you don't have wrinkles, you haven't laughed enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/if-you-don-t-have-wrinkles-you-haven-t-laughed-enough/)

[Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/)

> [“A smile is a curve that sets things right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/a-smile-is-a-curve-that-sets-things-right/)

[Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/)

> [Every time I go near the stove, the dog howls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/every-time-i-go-near-the-stove-the-dog-howls/)

[Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/)

> [Some wives have model husbands, I got one that needed remodeling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/some-wives-have-model-husbands-i-got-one-that-needed-remodeling/)

[Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/)

> [My idea of exercise is a good brisk sit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/my-idea-of-exercise-is-a-good-brisk-sit/)

[Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/)

[Explore all 222 Phyllis Diller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/)

## More Aim quotes

> [If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/if-you-aim-at-nothing-you-will-hit-it-every-time/)

[Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/)

> [A good aim surveys the present state of experience of pupils, and forming a tentative plan of treatment, keeps the plan constantly in view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/a-good-aim-surveys-the-present-state-of-experience-of-pupils-and/)

[John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/)

> [The Christian man must aim at that complete obedience to God in which life finds its highest happiness, its greatest good, its perfect consummation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barclay/the-christian-man-must-aim-at-that-complete-obedience-to-god-in-which/)

[William Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barclay/)

> [ He \[an earnest young reporter\] seemed to share the view of many intelligent, well-educated, well-meaning people that, while adult literature may aim to be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/he-an-earnest-young-reporter-seemed-to-share-the-view-of-many/)

[Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/)

> [In Bosnia, little children shot in the head by a guy who thinks it's okay to aim his gun at a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christiane-amanpour/in-bosnia-little-children-shot-in-the-head-by-a-guy-who-thinks-it-s/)

[Christiane Amanpour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christiane-amanpour/)

> [Design certainly has a cosmetic, aesthetic aim. It always aims at making things beautiful. But relevance is just as important. I often say, 'If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yves-behar/design-certainly-has-a-cosmetic-aesthetic-aim-it-always-aims-at/)

[Yves Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yves-behar/)

> [My aim was to make money for the bank. You lose track of the amounts involved when you are engaged in this kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-kerviel/my-aim-was-to-make-money-for-the-bank-you-lose-track-of-the-amounts/)

[Jerome Kerviel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-kerviel/)

> [My only aim is to clock a time that everyone remembers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hima-das/my-only-aim-is-to-clock-a-time-that-everyone-remembers/)

[Hima Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hima-das/)

> [My main aim has always been to do good quality films with roles that have some substance. With Power and Beauty there were loads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-henstridge/my-main-aim-has-always-been-to-do-good-quality-films-with-roles-that/)

[Natasha Henstridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-henstridge/)

> [ I really enjoyed it - being involved in watching rushes and playback \[in "The Invisible Woman"\]. Ralph \[Fiennes\] was very open to my input,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicity-jones/i-really-enjoyed-it-being-involved-in-watching-rushes-and-playback-in/)

[Felicity Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicity-jones/)

> [My aim is to be counted among the top players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babar-azam/my-aim-is-to-be-counted-among-the-top-players/)

[Babar Azam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babar-azam/)

> [The single aim of my life is that every child is: free to be a child, free to grow and develop, free to eat,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kailash-satyarthi/the-single-aim-of-my-life-is-that-every-child-is-free-to-be-a-child/)

[Kailash Satyarthi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kailash-satyarthi/)

> [The aim of good prose words is to mean what they say. The aim of good poetical words is to mean what they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-aim-of-good-prose-words-is-to-mean-what-they-say-the-aim-of-good/)

[Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/)

> [Prescribing hard work for the soft, or easy work for the hardy, is generally nonsense. What is always needed in any aim is right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/prescribing-hard-work-for-the-soft-or-easy-work-for-the-hardy-is/)

[Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/)

> [To be normal is the ultimate aim of the unsuccessful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/to-be-normal-is-the-ultimate-aim-of-the-unsuccessful/)

[Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/)

[Browse all 3,047 Aim quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aim/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Aim high, and you won't shoot your foot off.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Phyllis Diller"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/aim-high-and-you-won-t-shoot-your-foot-off/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Aim"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/aim-high-and-you-won-t-shoot-your-foot-off/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f66/phyllis-diller-1622_aim_aim-high-and-you-won-t-shoot-your-foot-o_2701192.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f66/phyllis-diller-1622_aim_aim-high-and-you-won-t-shoot-your-foot-o_2701192.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f66/phyllis-diller-1622_aim_aim-high-and-you-won-t-shoot-your-foot-o_2701192.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Aim high, and you won't shoot your foot off.” — Phyllis Diller",
                "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": "Phyllis Diller",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Aim high, and you won't shoot...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/aim-high-and-you-won-t-shoot-your-foot-off/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/aim-high-and-you-won-t-shoot-your-foot-off/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
