--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can't possibly judge your ability to…" description: "\"You can't possibly judge your ability to control something until you've experienced the extremes of its capabilities. Do you understand?\" — Richard Russo" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44e/richard-russo-1691_ability_you-can-t-possibly-judge-your-ability-to_3030564.png" --- # You can't possibly judge your ability to control something… ![“You can't possibly judge your ability to control something until you've experienced the extremes of its capabilities. Do you understand?” quote by Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44e/richard-russo-1691_ability_you-can-t-possibly-judge-your-ability-to_3030564.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44e/richard-russo-1691_ability_you-can-t-possibly-judge-your-ability-to_3030564.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44e/richard-russo-1691_ability_you-can-t-possibly-judge-your-ability-to_3030564.png) > “You can't possibly judge your ability to control something until you've experienced the extremes of its capabilities. Do you understand?” [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Understanding limits requires experiencing extremes, revealing true capacity. **In simple terms:** Experience extremes to know limits. Key Takeaway Test boundaries to discover abilities. Themes self‑discovery limits experience Mood adventurous analytical Type personal motivational When to use this quote - adventure sports - career challenges - creative projects - stress testing Key Concepts psychology risk assessment personal development Questions to Reflect On - What safe ways explore personal limits? - How do extremes reshape self‑perception? A Different Perspective Extreme tests can cause harm. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) [Extremes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extremes/) ## Related quotes > [“You can't possibly judge your ability to control something until you've experienced the extremes of its capabilities.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/you-can-t-possibly-judge-your-ability-to-control-something-until-you/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) > [“you may as well push yourself right to the very extremes of your capabilities”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-geldof/you-may-as-well-push-yourself-right-to-the-very-extremes-of-your/) [Bob Geldof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-geldof/) > [“...some events in life would remain beyond my ability to control or manage them. Some events would just happen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/some-events-in-life-would-remain-beyond-my-ability-to-control-or/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [Our technology has already outstripped our ability to control it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-n-bradley/our-technology-has-already-outstripped-our-ability-to-control-it/) [Omar N. Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-n-bradley/) > [A person who has mastered his ability to control his emotions can master anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/a-person-who-has-mastered-his-ability-to-control-his-emotions-can/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [“Bravery is the ability to control your fear”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabiso-monkoe/bravery-is-the-ability-to-control-your-fear/) [Thabiso Monkoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabiso-monkoe/) > [You are not a prisoner of your thoughts. You have the ability to control what you are thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/you-are-not-a-prisoner-of-your-thoughts-you-have-the-ability-to/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [My power is the ability to control water molecules and form them into ice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-ashmore/my-power-is-the-ability-to-control-water-molecules-and-form-them-into/) [Shawn Ashmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-ashmore/) > [If artists slowly learn how their business works, they'll have the ability to grow at any rate they can dream up, but they'll also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-delonge/if-artists-slowly-learn-how-their-business-works-they-ll-have-the/) [Tom DeLonge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-delonge/) > [Every woman has the ability to control her image, the way she conduct herself, the way she allows man to talk to her and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drusila-t/every-woman-has-the-ability-to-control-her-image-the-way-she-conduct/) [Drusila T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drusila-t/) > [Maturity is the ability to control anger and settle differences without violence or destruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/maturity-is-the-ability-to-control-anger-and-settle-differences/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [I've got the ability to control my destiny, and I take pride in that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-burroughs/i-ve-got-the-ability-to-control-my-destiny-and-i-take-pride-in-that/) [Jordan Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-burroughs/) > [Being competent means the ability to control and operate the things in the environment and the environment itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-ron-hubbard/being-competent-means-the-ability-to-control-and-operate-the-things/) [L. Ron Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-ron-hubbard/) > [Your true strength lies within your ability to control power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rochelle-morrison/your-true-strength-lies-within-your-ability-to-control-power/) [Rochelle Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rochelle-morrison/) > [Capability is just a concept of what is it we're looking at. Now how far we can go along that and what new capabilities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/capability-is-just-a-concept-of-what-is-it-we-re-looking-at-now-how/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) ## More by Richard Russo > [“The problem with the contemplative life was that there was no end to contemplation, no fixed time limit after which thought had to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/the-problem-with-the-contemplative-life-was-that-there-was-no-end-to/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) > [“That, very simply, was what adulthood must be all about—acquiring the skill to bury things more deeply. Out of sight and, whenever possible, out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/that-very-simply-was-what-adulthood-must-be-all-about-acquiring-the/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) > [“Miles couldn't help admiring women for their ability to dismiss the evidence of their senses. If that's what explained it. If it wasn't simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/miles-couldn-t-help-admiring-women-for-their-ability-to-dismiss-the/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) > [That afternoon I came to understand that one of the deepest purposes of intellectual sophistication is to provide distance between us and our most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/that-afternoon-i-came-to-understand-that-one-of-the-deepest-purposes/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) > [“Lucy, who apparently had no idea his girlfriend's father held him in such low regard, agreed with Noonan that he was pushing the envelope,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/lucy-who-apparently-had-no-idea-his-girlfriend-s-father-held-him-in/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) > [Movies have to handle time very efficiently. They're about stringing scenes together in the present. Novels aren't necessarily about that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/movies-have-to-handle-time-very-efficiently-they-re-about-stringing/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) > [When authors who write literary fiction begin to write screenplays, everybody assumes that's the end. Here's another who's never going to write well again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/when-authors-who-write-literary-fiction-begin-to-write-screenplays/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) > [“There was something about spending money they didn't really have that made him optimistic about more coming in.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/there-was-something-about-spending-money-they-didn-t-really-have-that/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) > [Some authors have a very hard time understanding that in order to be faithful to the spirit of the book, it's almost always impossible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/some-authors-have-a-very-hard-time-understanding-that-in-order-to-be/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) > [HBO is really famous for hiring good people and staying out of their way until they ask for help, or need it. And that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/hbo-is-really-famous-for-hiring-good-people-and-staying-out-of-their/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) > [I don't think there's a shortage of material in the world. Or in my head. I just pray for continued good health, because I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-shortage-of-material-in-the-world-or-in-my/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) > [Where was the middle ground between a sense of adventure and just plain sense?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/where-was-the-middle-ground-between-a-sense-of-adventure-and-just/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) > [“Non basta una vita "One life isn't enough”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/non-basta-una-vita-one-life-isn-t-enough/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) > [“... Mr. Purty has cheered me up. The task he has chosen for himself, of wooing my mother with a bright red pickup truck,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/mr-purty-has-cheered-me-up-the-task-he-has-chosen-for-himself-of/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) > [“So what? Few men, Miles reflected, lived so comfortably within the confines of a two.word personal philosophy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/so-what-few-men-miles-reflected-lived-so-comfortably-within-the/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) [Explore all 214 Richard Russo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [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/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You can't possibly judge your ability to control something until you've experienced the extremes of its capabilities. Do you understand?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Richard Russo" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/you-can-t-possibly-judge-your-ability-to-control-something-until-you-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/you-can-t-possibly-judge-your-ability-to-control-something-until-you-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44e/richard-russo-1691_ability_you-can-t-possibly-judge-your-ability-to_3030564.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44e/richard-russo-1691_ability_you-can-t-possibly-judge-your-ability-to_3030564.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44e/richard-russo-1691_ability_you-can-t-possibly-judge-your-ability-to_3030564.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You can't possibly judge your ability to control something until you've experienced the extremes of its…” — Richard Russo", "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": "Richard Russo", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You can't possibly judge your ability...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/you-can-t-possibly-judge-your-ability-to-control-something-until-you-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/you-can-t-possibly-judge-your-ability-to-control-something-until-you-2/#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 } } ] } ```