--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ...The task is overwhelming, and the…" description: "\"...The task is overwhelming, and the chance is slight. We must take the chance or die.\" — Robert M. Hutchins" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c69/robert-m-hutchins-15892_chance_the-task-is-overwhelming-and-the-chance_1746631.png" --- # ...The task is overwhelming, and the chance is slight. We… ![“...The task is overwhelming, and the chance is slight. We must take the chance or die.” quote by Robert M. Hutchins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c69/robert-m-hutchins-15892_chance_the-task-is-overwhelming-and-the-chance_1746631.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c69/robert-m-hutchins-15892_chance_the-task-is-overwhelming-and-the-chance_1746631.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c69/robert-m-hutchins-15892_chance_the-task-is-overwhelming-and-the-chance_1746631.png) > “...The task is overwhelming, and the chance is slight. We must take the chance or die.” [Robert M. Hutchins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-hutchins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When odds are steep, taking decisive action is essential for survival and progress. **In simple terms:** Act despite low odds. Key Takeaway Seize bold chances. Themes risk decision survival Mood serious urgent Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - business ventures - political movements - personal crises Key Concepts courage existential choice Questions to Reflect On - What risks are worth taking now? - How do you balance fear and opportunity? A Different Perspective Bold moves can lead to failure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Chance Die](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance-die-1449470/) [Chances are](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chances-are/) [Darkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Dies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dies/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [Overwhelming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overwhelming/) [Overwhelming Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overwhelming-chance-1568099/) [Slight Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slight-chance-550773/) [Task Overwhelming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/task-overwhelming-1524676/) [Tasks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tasks/) ## Related quotes > [Whatever you're working on, take small bites. The task will not be overwhelming if you can reduce it to its smallest component.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/whatever-you-re-working-on-take-small-bites-the-task-will-not-be/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) > [How slight a chance may raise or sink a soul!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-james-bailey/how-slight-a-chance-may-raise-or-sink-a-soul/) [Philip James Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-james-bailey/) > [“There is a (slight) chance that I might be going to hell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-notaro/there-is-a-slight-chance-that-i-might-be-going-to-hell/) [Laurie Notaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-notaro/) > [There's only a slight chance of me being wrong. But even a greater chance of me being right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-only-a-slight-chance-of-me-being-wrong-but-even-a-greater/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Of course there is a slight chance that somebody might want to give the Celestial Bookmaker a heart attack.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-hughart/of-course-there-is-a-slight-chance-that-somebody-might-want-to-give/) [Barry Hughart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-hughart/) > [“I wish we could go to the movies." I stared at him. "We're in a creepy dungeon. There's a chance I might die in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawkins/i-wish-we-could-go-to-the-movies-i-stared-at-him-we-re-in-a-creepy/) [Rachel Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawkins/) > [Missionary life is simply a chance to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-carmichael/missionary-life-is-simply-a-chance-to-die/) [Amy Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-carmichael/) > [“The world is ending. This is your chance. Would you rather die here, or in a Jaeger?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-irvine/the-world-is-ending-this-is-your-chance-would-you-rather-die-here-or/) [Alex Irvine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-irvine/) > [“...Pff... there is always a reason for everything if you go deeper and deeper under the sea you will die in the same time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deyth-banger/pff-there-is-always-a-reason-for-everything-if-you-go-deeper-and/) [Deyth Banger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deyth-banger/) > [There's always the chance you could die right in the middle of your life story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/there-s-always-the-chance-you-could-die-right-in-the-middle-of-your/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [Like: 'Don't walk out there with one hand in your pocket unless there's somethin' in there you're going to bring out.' You gotta commit.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-murray/like-don-t-walk-out-there-with-one-hand-in-your-pocket-unless-there-s/) [Bill Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-murray/) > [Why should man fear since chance is all in all for him, and he can clearly foreknow nothing? Best to live lightly, as one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/why-should-man-fear-since-chance-is-all-in-all-for-him-and-he-can/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [Chances are that any helpful two-year-old will break some eggs. We are often not very good at things when we are new. But there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-naomi-remen/chances-are-that-any-helpful-two-year-old-will-break-some-eggs-we-are/) [Rachel Naomi Remen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-naomi-remen/) > [Hold tenderly that which you cherish, for it is precious and a tight grip may crush it. Do not let the fear of dropping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-alberti/hold-tenderly-that-which-you-cherish-for-it-is-precious-and-a-tight/) [Bob Alberti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-alberti/) > [The chances are that you have already come to believe that happiness is unattainable. But men have attained it. And they have attained it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-bennett/the-chances-are-that-you-have-already-come-to-believe-that-happiness/) [Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/) ## More by Robert M. Hutchins > [...the fullest development of the highest powers of men can be achieved only in a world of peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-hutchins/the-fullest-development-of-the-highest-powers-of-men-can-be-achieved/) [Robert M. Hutchins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-hutchins/) > [The college graduate is presented with a sheepskin to cover his intellectual nakedness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-hutchins/the-college-graduate-is-presented-with-a-sheepskin-to-cover-his/) [Robert M. Hutchins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-hutchins/) > [The three major administrative problems on a campus are sex for the students, athletics for the alumni, and parking for the faculty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-hutchins/the-three-major-administrative-problems-on-a-campus-are-sex-for-the/) [Robert M. Hutchins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-hutchins/) > [“To put an end to the spirit of inquiry that has characterized the West it is not necessary to burn the books. All we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-hutchins/to-put-an-end-to-the-spirit-of-inquiry-that-has-characterized-the/) [Robert M. Hutchins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-hutchins/) > [When I feel like exercising I just lie down until the feeling goes away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-hutchins/when-i-feel-like-exercising-i-just-lie-down-until-the-feeling-goes/) [Robert M. Hutchins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-hutchins/) > [The death of democracy is not likely to be an assassination from ambush. It will be a slow extinction from apathy, indifference, and undernourishment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-hutchins/the-death-of-democracy-is-not-likely-to-be-an-assassination-from/) [Robert M. Hutchins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-hutchins/) > [For those who are going to learn from books, learning the art of reading would seem to be indispensable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-hutchins/for-those-who-are-going-to-learn-from-books-learning-the-art-of/) [Robert M. Hutchins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-hutchins/) > [Nobody can read Freud without realizing that he was the scientific equivalent of another nuisance, George Bernard Shaw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-hutchins/nobody-can-read-freud-without-realizing-that-he-was-the-scientific/) [Robert M. Hutchins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-hutchins/) > [Mathematics ... is indispensable as an intellectual technique. In many subjects, to think at all is to think like a mathematician.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-hutchins/mathematics-is-indispensable-as-an-intellectual-technique-in-many/) [Robert M. Hutchins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-hutchins/) > [There is only one justification for universities, as distinguished from trade schools. They must be centers of criticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-hutchins/there-is-only-one-justification-for-universities-as-distinguished/) [Robert M. Hutchins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-hutchins/) > [When we listen to the radio, look at television and read the newspapers we wonder whether universal education has been the great boon that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-hutchins/when-we-listen-to-the-radio-look-at-television-and-read-the/) [Robert M. Hutchins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-hutchins/) > [It is not so important to be serious as it is to be serious about the important things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-hutchins/it-is-not-so-important-to-be-serious-as-it-is-to-be-serious-about-the/) [Robert M. Hutchins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-hutchins/) > [Whether four years of strenuous attention to football and fraternities is the best preparation for professional work has never been seriously investigated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-hutchins/whether-four-years-of-strenuous-attention-to-football-and/) [Robert M. Hutchins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-hutchins/) > [The policy of the repression of ideas cannot work and never has worked. The alternative to it is the long difficult road of education.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-hutchins/the-policy-of-the-repression-of-ideas-cannot-work-and-never-has/) [Robert M. Hutchins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-hutchins/) > [Education is not to reform students or amuse them or to make them expert technicians. It is to unsettle their minds, widen their horizons,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-hutchins/education-is-not-to-reform-students-or-amuse-them-or-to-make-them/) [Robert M. Hutchins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-hutchins/) [Explore all 41 Robert M. Hutchins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-hutchins/) ## More Chance quotes > [Before I debuted, it was my goal to make my debut, and afterwards, I aimed at winning champion titles on television music shows, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyuna/before-i-debuted-it-was-my-goal-to-make-my-debut-and-afterwards-i/) [Hyuna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyuna/) > [I understand it's promotion, but no one ever gave me a chance. No one ever thought I'd be the champ, and look where I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stipe-miocic/i-understand-it-s-promotion-but-no-one-ever-gave-me-a-chance-no-one/) [Stipe Miocic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stipe-miocic/) > [I might, by chance, write something just as shoddy; But then I wouldn't show it to everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moliere/i-might-by-chance-write-something-just-as-shoddy-but-then-i-wouldn-t/) [Moliere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moliere/) > [When I get a chance to play golf or go on a boat with good people, take the boat out and put some lobsters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-mac/when-i-get-a-chance-to-play-golf-or-go-on-a-boat-with-good-people/) [Bernie Mac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-mac/) > [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/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I have heard that if you pull a bent breath through the second hole of a harmonica tuned to the key of Georgia while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddy-wakefield/i-have-heard-that-if-you-pull-a-bent-breath-through-the-second-hole/) [Buddy Wakefield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddy-wakefield/) > [There are times when we can feel destiny close around us like a fist around a doorknob. Sure, we can resist. But a knob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/there-are-times-when-we-can-feel-destiny-close-around-us-like-a-fist/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Pain held no terror for him. Pain was, if not friend, then family, something he had grown up with in his crèche, learning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/pain-held-no-terror-for-him-pain-was-if-not-friend-then-family/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [Love changes people, for better or for worse. You could look at it as a chance for you to change. The best kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-changes-people-for-better-or-for-worse-you-could-look-at-it-as-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It's not who, it's when”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-taubas/it-s-not-who-it-s-when/) [Alejandro Taubas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-taubas/) > [Childhood is Last Chance Gulch for happiness. After that, you know too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/childhood-is-last-chance-gulch-for-happiness-after-that-you-know-too/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [I thought my first few jobs would just be off, off, off, off, off broadway. And by chance and how the world works, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-dorfman/i-thought-my-first-few-jobs-would-just-be-off-off-off-off-off/) [Tommy Dorfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-dorfman/) > [If you’re worrying about the past, you’ve got a good chance of screwing up the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-a-tullman/if-you-re-worrying-about-the-past-you-ve-got-a-good-chance-of/) [Howard A. Tullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-a-tullman/) > [To be successful, one must take chances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-stargell/to-be-successful-one-must-take-chances/) [Willie Stargell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-stargell/) [Browse all 12,460 Chance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "...The task is overwhelming, and the chance is slight. 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