--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To succeed in life, you need three…" description: "\"“To succeed in life, you need three things: A Wishbone, A Back Bone, and a Funny Bone.”\" — Reba McEntire" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/402/reba-mcentire-4189_humor_to-succeed-in-life-you-need-three-things_2245269.jpg" --- # To succeed in life, you need three things: A Wishbone, A… ![“To succeed in life, you need three things: A Wishbone, A Back Bone, and a Funny Bone.” quote by Reba McEntire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/402/reba-mcentire-4189_humor_to-succeed-in-life-you-need-three-things_2245269.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/402/reba-mcentire-4189_humor_to-succeed-in-life-you-need-three-things_2245269.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/402/reba-mcentire-4189_humor_to-succeed-in-life-you-need-three-things_2245269.jpg) > ““To succeed in life, you need three things: A Wishbone, A Back Bone, and a Funny Bone.”” [Reba McEntire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reba-mcentire/) ## 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 resilience, support, and humor. **In simple terms:** Need determination, support, and humor. Key Takeaway Cultivate backbone, humor, and hope. Themes resilience support humor Mood inspirational lighthearted Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career challenges - health setbacks - teamwork Key Concepts psychology well‑being motivation Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance seriousness and humor? - What supports your resilience? A Different Perspective Humor alone may not solve serious problems. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bone Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bone-funny-5108242/) [Funny Bone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny-bone-251485/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Things Wishbone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-wishbone-251484/) [Three things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/three-things/) [Wishbone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wishbone/) [Wishbone Bone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wishbone-bone-5108241/) ## Related quotes > [To succeed in life, you need three things: a wishbone, a backbone and a funny bone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reba-mcentire/to-succeed-in-life-you-need-three-things-a-wishbone-a-backbone-and-a/) [Reba McEntire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reba-mcentire/) > [“To succeed in life, you need three things: a wishbone, a backbone and a funnybone.”—Reba McEntire”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reba-mcentire/to-succeed-in-life-you-need-three-things-a-wishbone-a-backbone-and-a-2/) [Reba McEntire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reba-mcentire/) > [Some people develop a wishbone where their back bone should be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/some-people-develop-a-wishbone-where-their-back-bone-should-be/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [To succeed in your life, you need these three things: a wishbone, a backbone and a funny bone...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/to-succeed-in-your-life-you-need-these-three-things-a-wishbone-a/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [To succeed in life, you need three things: a wishbone, a backbone and a funnybone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reba-mcentire/to-succeed-in-life-you-need-three-things-a-wishbone-a-backbone-and-a-3/) [Reba McEntire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reba-mcentire/) > [“To thrive in life you need three bones. A wishbone. A backbone. And a funny bone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reba-mcentire/to-thrive-in-life-you-need-three-bones-a-wishbone-a-backbone-and-a/) [Reba McEntire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reba-mcentire/) > [Put your backbone where your wishbone is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/put-your-backbone-where-your-wishbone-is/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [“Some people develop a wishbone where their backbone should be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/some-people-develop-a-wishbone-where-their-backbone-should-be/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“Left wing...Right wing...it's so limited; why doesn't it ever occur to any of them that what one is really longing for is the wishbone?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-struther/left-wing-right-wing-it-s-so-limited-why-doesn-t-it-ever-occur-to-any/) [Jan Struther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-struther/) > [A person will sometimes devote all his life to the development of one part of his body - the wishbone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/a-person-will-sometimes-devote-all-his-life-to-the-development-of-one/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) > [Good luck with your wishbone; You'll still need a backbone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-abdul/good-luck-with-your-wishbone-you-ll-still-need-a-backbone/) [Paula Abdul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-abdul/) > [We don't need a wishbone...we need a backbone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/we-don-t-need-a-wishbone-we-need-a-backbone/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [Many a man has failed because he had his wishbone where his backbone should have been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/many-a-man-has-failed-because-he-had-his-wishbone-where-his-backbone/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [We need a backbone, not a wishbone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/we-need-a-backbone-not-a-wishbone/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [“Never grow a wishbone where your backbone ought to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clementine-paddleford/never-grow-a-wishbone-where-your-backbone-ought-to-be/) [Clementine Paddleford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clementine-paddleford/) ## More by Reba McEntire > [I use all my skills that I can muster up, but the fun thing is that I find some untapped skills every once in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reba-mcentire/i-use-all-my-skills-that-i-can-muster-up-but-the-fun-thing-is-that-i/) [Reba McEntire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reba-mcentire/) > [For me, singing sad songs often has a way of healing a situation. It gets the hurt out in the open into the light,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reba-mcentire/for-me-singing-sad-songs-often-has-a-way-of-healing-a-situation-it/) [Reba McEntire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reba-mcentire/) > [Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so. Little ones to him belong, they are weak, but he is strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reba-mcentire/jesus-loves-me-this-i-know-for-the-bible-tells-me-so-little-ones-to/) [Reba McEntire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reba-mcentire/) > [I think it's the way I talk. I think they thought I was too country. And I'm not ashamed of that by any means.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reba-mcentire/i-think-it-s-the-way-i-talk-i-think-they-thought-i-was-too-country/) [Reba McEntire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reba-mcentire/) > [I'm open to any kind of situation in a song as long as it touches my heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reba-mcentire/i-m-open-to-any-kind-of-situation-in-a-song-as-long-as-it-touches-my/) [Reba McEntire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reba-mcentire/) > [So, I think it has to do with the product and what you take to the public. If they like it, they're going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reba-mcentire/so-i-think-it-has-to-do-with-the-product-and-what-you-take-to-the/) [Reba McEntire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reba-mcentire/) > [I grew up in southeastern Oklahoma on a working cattle ranch, and it was always very romantic to me: The West, the cowboy, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reba-mcentire/i-grew-up-in-southeastern-oklahoma-on-a-working-cattle-ranch-and-it/) [Reba McEntire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reba-mcentire/) > [A good song has to have a great melody, and the lyrics have to touch my heart. Now, if it's just a little toe-tapper,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reba-mcentire/a-good-song-has-to-have-a-great-melody-and-the-lyrics-have-to-touch/) [Reba McEntire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reba-mcentire/) > [My goals have changed throughout my life. At one time it was winning awards, selling out concert dates, selling more albums than anyone else.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reba-mcentire/my-goals-have-changed-throughout-my-life-at-one-time-it-was-winning/) [Reba McEntire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reba-mcentire/) > [I can't imagine living a life without God in my life. He is my best friend, He's my buddy, He's the one that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reba-mcentire/i-can-t-imagine-living-a-life-without-god-in-my-life-he-is-my-best/) [Reba McEntire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reba-mcentire/) > [Fame is a mind - a way of thinking about things. It's all in your mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reba-mcentire/fame-is-a-mind-a-way-of-thinking-about-things-it-s-all-in-your-mind/) [Reba McEntire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reba-mcentire/) > [My family, you know, are all still, you know, very close. We're all still very close. Mom and Daddy are still alive. So, what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reba-mcentire/my-family-you-know-are-all-still-you-know-very-close-we-re-all-still/) [Reba McEntire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reba-mcentire/) > [To succeed in life, you need three things: a wishbone, a backbone and a funny bone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reba-mcentire/to-succeed-in-life-you-need-three-things-a-wishbone-a-backbone-and-a/) [Reba McEntire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reba-mcentire/) > [I think it's a wonderful time for a woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reba-mcentire/i-think-it-s-a-wonderful-time-for-a-woman/) [Reba McEntire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reba-mcentire/) > [Never have doubted it, even when the plane crash happened. I wasn't mad at God. I just knew that there was a reason that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reba-mcentire/never-have-doubted-it-even-when-the-plane-crash-happened-i-wasn-t-mad/) [Reba McEntire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reba-mcentire/) [Explore all 115 Reba McEntire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reba-mcentire/) ## More Humor quotes > ['Mad TV' is one of my most favorite shows of all time and is a huge part of my obsession with sketch comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-dawson/mad-tv-is-one-of-my-most-favorite-shows-of-all-time-and-is-a-huge/) [Shane Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-dawson/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [In my opinion, sexiness comes down to three things: chemistry, sense of humor, and treatment of waitstaff at restaurants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhoda-janzen/in-my-opinion-sexiness-comes-down-to-three-things-chemistry-sense-of/) [Rhoda Janzen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhoda-janzen/) > [“...I haven't guessed where your shirt is from yet Bane, but I don't think it'll matter once it's underwater!' Tristan looked at Bane questioningly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-k-munt/i-haven-t-guessed-where-your-shirt-is-from-yet-bane-but-i-don-t-think/) [S.K. Munt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-k-munt/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) [Markus Herz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-herz/) > [“Not wise, perhaps, to be rude to the Pope's favorite son, but my viper tongue still required a fool now and then on which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-quinn/not-wise-perhaps-to-be-rude-to-the-pope-s-favorite-son-but-my-viper/) [Kate Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-quinn/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [ “\[S\]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-the-possible-irrelevance-of/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [If you were to send a werewolf to the moon, would he be a werewolf permanently?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-schaal/if-you-were-to-send-a-werewolf-to-the-moon-would-he-be-a-werewolf/) [Kristen Schaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-schaal/) > [“I only have two words to say More or Less”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timbur/i-only-have-two-words-to-say-more-or-less/) [TimBur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timbur/) > [“ “Do Southerners laugh at different things than Northerners do? Yes, I say--Northerners.” Roy Blount, Jr., Roy Blount’s Book of Southern Humor”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-ford/do-southerners-laugh-at-different-things-than-northerners-do-yes-i/) [Deborah Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-ford/) > [There's a difference between delivering real funny and just silly funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-rel-howery/there-s-a-difference-between-delivering-real-funny-and-just-silly/) [Lil Rel Howery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-rel-howery/) > [I love being my silly ole self! Lifes a lot better when you have a good sense of humor and you smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-love-being-my-silly-ole-self-lifes-a-lot-better-when-you-have-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Men circle like bees around honey, buzzing to communicate their sexual despair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-h-krueger/men-circle-like-bees-around-honey-buzzing-to-communicate-their-sexual/) [Carla H Krueger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-h-krueger/) [Browse all 33,155 Humor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“To succeed in life, you need three things: A Wishbone, A Back Bone, and a Funny Bone.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Reba McEntire" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reba-mcentire/to-succeed-in-life-you-need-three-things-a-wishbone-a-back-bone-and-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Humor" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reba-mcentire/to-succeed-in-life-you-need-three-things-a-wishbone-a-back-bone-and-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/402/reba-mcentire-4189_humor_to-succeed-in-life-you-need-three-things_2245269.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/402/reba-mcentire-4189_humor_to-succeed-in-life-you-need-three-things_2245269.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/402/reba-mcentire-4189_humor_to-succeed-in-life-you-need-three-things_2245269.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To succeed in life, you need three things: A Wishbone, A Back Bone, and a Funny Bone.” — Reba McEntire", "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": "Reba McEntire", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reba-mcentire/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“To succeed in life, you need...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reba-mcentire/to-succeed-in-life-you-need-three-things-a-wishbone-a-back-bone-and-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reba-mcentire/to-succeed-in-life-you-need-three-things-a-wishbone-a-back-bone-and-a/#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 } } ] } ```