--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No one knows what he can do till he tries." description: "\"No one knows what he can do till he tries.\" — Publilius Syrus" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b26/publilius-syrus-594_can-do_no-one-knows-what-he-can-do-till-he-trie_2469222.png" --- # No one knows what he can do till he tries. ![“No one knows what he can do till he tries.” quote by Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b26/publilius-syrus-594_can-do_no-one-knows-what-he-can-do-till-he-trie_2469222.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b26/publilius-syrus-594_can-do_no-one-knows-what-he-can-do-till-he-trie_2469222.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b26/publilius-syrus-594_can-do_no-one-knows-what-he-can-do-till-he-trie_2469222.png) > “No one knows what he can do till he tries.” [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Action reveals true capability; potential is unknown until attempted **In simple terms:** You only know your abilities by trying Key Takeaway Try to discover your limits Themes potential action self-discovery Mood encouraging determined Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career - sports - personal challenges - learning new skills Key Concepts Stoicism ancient wisdom Questions to Reflect On - What would you attempt if fear vanished? - How can you test your limits safely? A Different Perspective Fear of failure may stop you from trying ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Can do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/can-do/) [Excellence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellence/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Knows Till](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows-till-742083/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-time/) [Maturity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maturity/) [Till](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/till/) [Till Tries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/till-tries-742082/) [Tries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tries/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) ## Related quotes > [No one know what he can do till he tries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/no-one-know-what-he-can-do-till-he-tries/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [No one knows what is in him till he tries, and many would never try if they were not forced to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/basil-w-maturin/no-one-knows-what-is-in-him-till-he-tries-and-many-would-never-try-if/) [Basil W. Maturin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/basil-w-maturin/) > [No one knows what he can do until he tries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/no-one-knows-what-he-can-do-until-he-tries/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [No one knows what it is that he can do until he tries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/no-one-knows-what-it-is-that-he-can-do-until-he-tries/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [There are writers' rooms that will write episodes all together, who will break into little groups and write certain scenes. Everyone's process can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rash/there-are-writers-rooms-that-will-write-episodes-all-together-who/) [Jim Rash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rash/) > [The U.S. tries to provide immigrants who grow up here with a world-class education and imbue them with the can-do attitude that has long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-locke/the-u-s-tries-to-provide-immigrants-who-grow-up-here-with-a-world/) [Gary Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-locke/) > [I'm a storyteller... I haves a God-given gift that I can share with you and perhaps entertain you and bring you along for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-sutter/i-m-a-storyteller-i-haves-a-god-given-gift-that-i-can-share-with-you/) [Kurt Sutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-sutter/) > [“Sometimes he tries to catch her, wading frantically through earth that has turned to water, or sometimes through air. Sometimes she tries to catch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-greenland/sometimes-he-tries-to-catch-her-wading-frantically-through-earth-that/) [Colin Greenland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-greenland/) > [The last thing I want to do is force tries to happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israel-folau/the-last-thing-i-want-to-do-is-force-tries-to-happen/) [Israel Folau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israel-folau/) > [Anyone who tries to diss me in comparison to Queen, it just renders all their criticisms completely futile. That's quite pleasurable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mika/anyone-who-tries-to-diss-me-in-comparison-to-queen-it-just-renders/) [Mika](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mika/) > [I'm scammed almost every day. Or, if not scammed, at the very least someone tries to scam me. Usually more than once a day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/i-m-scammed-almost-every-day-or-if-not-scammed-at-the-very-least/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [The Antichrist is often identified with the second beast in the Book of Revelation that arises from the land, the beast that tries to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-pagels/the-antichrist-is-often-identified-with-the-second-beast-in-the-book/) [Elaine Pagels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-pagels/) > [Ryan Murphy, he basically tries to find something that's a pulse, a pressure point in our culture, and he grabs it, and he squeezes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finn-wittrock/ryan-murphy-he-basically-tries-to-find-something-that-s-a-pulse-a/) [Finn Wittrock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finn-wittrock/) > [Beware of anyone who tries to please you all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/beware-of-anyone-who-tries-to-please-you-all-the-time/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [The stag tells him that he is the eldest of the sons - the father's favorite - and he warns the father that if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-solti/the-stag-tells-him-that-he-is-the-eldest-of-the-sons-the-father-s/) [Georg Solti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-solti/) ## More by Publilius Syrus > [Even speed, when we are anxious, seems like delay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/even-speed-when-we-are-anxious-seems-like-delay/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [The coward regards himself as cautious, the miser as thrifty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/the-coward-regards-himself-as-cautious-the-miser-as-thrifty/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [It is his nature, not his standing, that makes the good man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/it-is-his-nature-not-his-standing-that-makes-the-good-man/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [It is more tolerable to be refused than deceived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/it-is-more-tolerable-to-be-refused-than-deceived/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [Modesty once lost, never returns into favour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/modesty-once-lost-never-returns-into-favour/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [One ungrateful person does an injury to all needy people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/one-ungrateful-person-does-an-injury-to-all-needy-people/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [He has existed only, not lived, who lacks wisdom in old age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/he-has-existed-only-not-lived-who-lacks-wisdom-in-old-age/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [Any plan is bad which is incapable of modification.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/any-plan-is-bad-which-is-incapable-of-modification/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [The evil you do to others you may expect in return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/the-evil-you-do-to-others-you-may-expect-in-return/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [The power of habit is very strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/the-power-of-habit-is-very-strong/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [Take care that no one hates you justly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/take-care-that-no-one-hates-you-justly/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [Poverty wants much; but avarice, everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/poverty-wants-much-but-avarice-everything/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [He who has plenty of pepper will pepper his cabbage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/he-who-has-plenty-of-pepper-will-pepper-his-cabbage/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [Hasty conclusions lead to speedy repentance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/hasty-conclusions-lead-to-speedy-repentance/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [When reason rules, money is a blessing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/when-reason-rules-money-is-a-blessing/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) [Explore all 455 Publilius Syrus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) ## More Can do quotes > [Changes before your eyes, things you can do and things you can't. My attitude is always let it keep rolling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-malick/changes-before-your-eyes-things-you-can-do-and-things-you-can-t-my/) [Terrence Malick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-malick/) > [The happy medium is television. And if you find a good suitor, you can do it for years. With movies, you roll the dice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-campbell/the-happy-medium-is-television-and-if-you-find-a-good-suitor-you-can/) [Bruce Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-campbell/) > [If I had a million dollars, I just wouldn't just completely set back. I'd have to get out there and show my face to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muddy-waters/if-i-had-a-million-dollars-i-just-wouldn-t-just-completely-set-back-i/) [Muddy Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muddy-waters/) > [Anybody can be Prince Charming one day a year, with the dinner and the flowers and all that. But you know what impresses me?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-howard/anybody-can-be-prince-charming-one-day-a-year-with-the-dinner-and-the/) [Ryan Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-howard/) > [And if the mind thinks with a believing attitude one can do amazing things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/and-if-the-mind-thinks-with-a-believing-attitude-one-can-do-amazing/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [The amount of things you can do with a kettlebell is unsurpassed by any other training equipment - dumbbells, resistance machines, free weights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-hamilton/the-amount-of-things-you-can-do-with-a-kettlebell-is-unsurpassed-by/) [Laird Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-hamilton/) > [It's nice when you've done enough movies that you can do your own anthology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/it-s-nice-when-you-ve-done-enough-movies-that-you-can-do-your-own/) [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) > [If people don't have their own vision, all they can do is 'sign-up' for someone else's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-senge/if-people-don-t-have-their-own-vision-all-they-can-do-is-sign-up-for/) [Peter Senge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-senge/) > [The one thing that flies in the face of all human history and experience, is that the government can do a superior job than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/the-one-thing-that-flies-in-the-face-of-all-human-history-and/) [James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/) > [...what I can do is offer myself, wholehearted and present, to walk with the people I love through the fear and the mess. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/what-i-can-do-is-offer-myself-wholehearted-and-present-to-walk-with/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [Whether that's speaking up in your job or asking for a promotion or saying, 'I think I can do that.' Using your voice in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-shriver/whether-that-s-speaking-up-in-your-job-or-asking-for-a-promotion-or/) [Maria Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-shriver/) > [The average ordinary citizen can do a lot of different things when it comes to the climate crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-bender/the-average-ordinary-citizen-can-do-a-lot-of-different-things-when-it/) [Lawrence Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-bender/) > [A professional is a man who can do his job when he doesn't feel like it. An amateur is a man who can't do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-agate/a-professional-is-a-man-who-can-do-his-job-when-he-doesn-t-feel-like/) [James Agate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-agate/) > [The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, as it pleases him, for he can do all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/the-lord-gives-and-the-lord-takes-away-as-it-pleases-him-for-he-can/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [I'm not an educated man. I only know what I'm told, and I'm not told that much; I have no frame of reference for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-m-not-an-educated-man-i-only-know-what-i-m-told-and-i-m-not-told/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) [Browse all 5,673 Can do quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/can-do/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "No one knows what he can do till he tries.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Publilius Syrus" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/no-one-knows-what-he-can-do-till-he-tries/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Can do" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/no-one-knows-what-he-can-do-till-he-tries/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b26/publilius-syrus-594_can-do_no-one-knows-what-he-can-do-till-he-trie_2469222.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b26/publilius-syrus-594_can-do_no-one-knows-what-he-can-do-till-he-trie_2469222.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b26/publilius-syrus-594_can-do_no-one-knows-what-he-can-do-till-he-trie_2469222.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“No one knows what he can do till he tries.” — Publilius Syrus", "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": "Publilius Syrus", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "No one knows what he can...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/no-one-knows-what-he-can-do-till-he-tries/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/no-one-knows-what-he-can-do-till-he-tries/#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 } } ] } ```