--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can't try. Trying is a struggle and…" description: "\"“You can't try. Trying is a struggle and doing is an act. You can't witness the act of trying, but you can see the results of doing. Trying brings on s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80e/robyn-carr-2593_psychology_you-can-t-try-trying-is-a-struggle-and-d_2999368.png" --- # You can't try. Trying is a struggle and doing is an act… ![“You can't try. Trying is a struggle and doing is an act. You can't witness the act of trying, but you can see the results of doing. Trying brings on stress because not only do you have the problem, but now you have all this frustration with it not going away just because you want it to. It's kind…” quote by Robyn Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80e/robyn-carr-2593_psychology_you-can-t-try-trying-is-a-struggle-and-d_2999368.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80e/robyn-carr-2593_psychology_you-can-t-try-trying-is-a-struggle-and-d_2999368.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80e/robyn-carr-2593_psychology_you-can-t-try-trying-is-a-struggle-and-d_2999368.png) > ““You can't try. Trying is a struggle and doing is an act. You can't witness the act of trying, but you can see the results of doing. Trying brings on stress because not only do you have the problem, but now you have all this frustration with it not going away just because you want it to. It's kind of like being told not to think of pink elephants—impossible. What you have to do is stop. You say to yourself, this is over for now. I'm done for now. Take your mind to another place and concentrate on that peaceful place. Deep breaths. Go limp. Put your mind in another state. It takes practice, but it gets easier, over time.”” [Robyn Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robyn-carr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Describes mental shift from struggle to action, using distraction and relaxation techniques. **In simple terms:** Stop trying, focus on doing. Key Takeaway Practice mindfulness to reduce stress. Themes mindfulness stress productivity Mood calm encouraging Type self-help practical When to use this quote - therapy - coaching - personal development Key Concepts cognitive reframing relaxation focus Questions to Reflect On - How can you redirect mental energy? - What techniques help you stay present? A Different Perspective May not suit all personalities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Act Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/act-trying-1432339/) [Doing Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-trying-413408/) [Peaceful Place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peaceful-place/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Try Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/try-trying-1075257/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Trying Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying-struggle-1829841/) ## Related quotes > [“Hanging on to it a little, are you? … There’s a trick to letting it go, in case you’re interested… You can’t try. Trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robyn-carr/hanging-on-to-it-a-little-are-you-there-s-a-trick-to-letting-it-go-in/) [Robyn Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robyn-carr/) > [I am simply trying to struggle through life; trying to do God's bidding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lucas/i-am-simply-trying-to-struggle-through-life-trying-to-do-god-s-bidding/) [George Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lucas/) > [My back swing off the first tee had put him in mond of an eldery woman of dubious morals trying to struggle out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-campbell-3rd-baron-glenavy/my-back-swing-off-the-first-tee-had-put-him-in-mond-of-an-eldery/) [Patrick Campbell, 3rd Baron Glenavy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-campbell-3rd-baron-glenavy/) > [Don't let nobody try to stop y'all from doing what y'all trying to do man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-rock/don-t-let-nobody-try-to-stop-y-all-from-doing-what-y-all-trying-to-do/) [Jay Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-rock/) > [It's not the troubles we run into, it's what we do about them which determines their net effect upon our lives ... by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-baylis/it-s-not-the-troubles-we-run-into-it-s-what-we-do-about-them-which/) [Nick Baylis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-baylis/) > [While I support making improvements in the Affordable Care Act, trying to enact them while holding the government and our economic recovery hostage is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-schneider/while-i-support-making-improvements-in-the-affordable-care-act-trying/) [Brad Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-schneider/) > [Judgment is contained in the act of trying to understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-naipaul/judgment-is-contained-in-the-act-of-trying-to-understand/) [V. S. Naipaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-naipaul/) > [The reason I act is because I'm trying to understand why people are as they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-reilly/the-reason-i-act-is-because-i-m-trying-to-understand-why-people-are/) [Kelly Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-reilly/) > [A lot of the offers I get are for these innocent 16-year-olds, and I turn down a lot of stuff because it's the same-old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jillian-murray/a-lot-of-the-offers-i-get-are-for-these-innocent-16-year-olds-and-i/) [Jillian Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jillian-murray/) > [I've always thought that the act of playing the guitar was the act of trying to make a point of playing the guitar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-ronson/i-ve-always-thought-that-the-act-of-playing-the-guitar-was-the-act-of/) [Mick Ronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-ronson/) > [“The act of 'trying' is success on its own.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitta-xinindlu/the-act-of-trying-is-success-on-its-own/) [Mitta Xinindlu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitta-xinindlu/) > [The act of trying keeps me excited, looking, asking questions and learning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-dawson/the-act-of-trying-keeps-me-excited-looking-asking-questions-and/) [Doug Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-dawson/) > [“Fuck “try.” Trying is an open invitation to failure, just another way of saying, “If I fail, it’s not my fault, I tried.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-s-grover/fuck-try-trying-is-an-open-invitation-to-failure-just-another-way-of/) [Tim S. Grover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-s-grover/) > [Don't hang on to your failures, because you can always try again. Trying gives hope. Hope gives us life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tsem-tulku/don-t-hang-on-to-your-failures-because-you-can-always-try-again/) [Tsem Tulku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tsem-tulku/) > [there’s really nowhere else I can go, and even if there were, it wouldn’t make a difference because I’d just be running from myself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-wentz/there-s-really-nowhere-else-i-can-go-and-even-if-there-were-it-wouldn/) [Pete Wentz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-wentz/) ## More by Robyn Carr > [“But, Marcie had reminded herself, I don’t know the weight of anyone else’s burdens—only my own. She didn’t judge. She didn’t feel smart or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robyn-carr/but-marcie-had-reminded-herself-i-don-t-know-the-weight-of-anyone/) [Robyn Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robyn-carr/) > [“Just be what you are and speak from your guts and heart—it’s all a man has. —Hubert Humphrey”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robyn-carr/just-be-what-you-are-and-speak-from-your-guts-and-heart-it-s-all-a/) [Robyn Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robyn-carr/) > [Count on Jill Shalvis for a witty, steamy, unputdownable love story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robyn-carr/count-on-jill-shalvis-for-a-witty-steamy-unputdownable-love-story/) [Robyn Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robyn-carr/) > [“Be able to be alone. Lose not the advantage of solitude. —Sir Thomas Browne”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robyn-carr/be-able-to-be-alone-lose-not-the-advantage-of-solitude-sir-thomas/) [Robyn Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robyn-carr/) > [“I didn’t want to cry in front of you.” He wiped away the tears with the pad of his thumb. “I want you to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robyn-carr/i-didn-t-want-to-cry-in-front-of-you-he-wiped-away-the-tears-with-the/) [Robyn Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robyn-carr/) > [It’s no good to lose touch with people who mean a lot,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robyn-carr/it-s-no-good-to-lose-touch-with-people-who-mean-a-lot/) [Robyn Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robyn-carr/) > [“Cooper’s been married in his head for a while now.” “That’s… kinda sweet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robyn-carr/cooper-s-been-married-in-his-head-for-a-while-now-that-s-kinda-sweet/) [Robyn Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robyn-carr/) > [My husband is a former Air Force pilot and my son is an active duty Army surgeon, recently returned from Iraq, so my pride…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robyn-carr/my-husband-is-a-former-air-force-pilot-and-my-son-is-an-active-duty/) [Robyn Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robyn-carr/) > [“...-you know no one wanted to see the old boy go. I bet where ever he is, the fishing's good" "Given his surely behavior,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robyn-carr/you-know-no-one-wanted-to-see-the-old-boy-go-i-bet-where-ever-he-is/) [Robyn Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robyn-carr/) > [“away. It was to be a busy week in the Brazzi household. Luca’s children,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robyn-carr/away-it-was-to-be-a-busy-week-in-the-brazzi-household-luca-s-children/) [Robyn Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robyn-carr/) > [“You should get a better boyfriend. One with an IQ higher than a turnip.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robyn-carr/you-should-get-a-better-boyfriend-one-with-an-iq-higher-than-a-turnip/) [Robyn Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robyn-carr/) > [“She'd always had a short fuse but lately she was positively electric and could burst into flame anywhere, anytime. ... When she was out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robyn-carr/she-d-always-had-a-short-fuse-but-lately-she-was-positively-electric/) [Robyn Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robyn-carr/) > [“You know, Pastor, how we always say God won’t give us more than we can handle?” “Yes, Lydie.” She sighed. “I wish God didn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robyn-carr/you-know-pastor-how-we-always-say-god-won-t-give-us-more-than-we-can/) [Robyn Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robyn-carr/) > [“Sarah, I’m going to take care of you whether you like it or not.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robyn-carr/sarah-i-m-going-to-take-care-of-you-whether-you-like-it-or-not/) [Robyn Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robyn-carr/) > [“At some point he realized that he knew how she felt—once you know how much you love someone, no one else would do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robyn-carr/at-some-point-he-realized-that-he-knew-how-she-felt-once-you-know-how/) [Robyn Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robyn-carr/) [Explore all 154 Robyn Carr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robyn-carr/) ## More Psychology quotes > [It appears to me that one great cause of our difference in opinion on subjects which we often discuss is that you have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/it-appears-to-me-that-one-great-cause-of-our-difference-in-opinion-on/) [David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Once ye made up yer mind to do somethin', 'tis better t'stumble o'er the small hillock of jump-ahead than t'bash yer head on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/once-ye-made-up-yer-mind-to-do-somethin-tis-better-t-stumble-o-er-the/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [“Not that it matters, when you dream, there's no outside or in. Your mind is an unimaginable bloom. A willow catkin as big as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-shapero/not-that-it-matters-when-you-dream-there-s-no-outside-or-in-your-mind/) [Rich Shapero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-shapero/) > [Because of the womb being a central phenomenon in the feminine body, the whole psychology of woman differs: she is non-aggressive, non-inquiring, non-questioning, non-doubting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/because-of-the-womb-being-a-central-phenomenon-in-the-feminine-body/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [I love playing for my country, getting the support. Especially for the kids and everybody, showing my example of what I can achieve so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-love-playing-for-my-country-getting-the-support-especially-for-the/) [Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/) > [Do you think that God would separate me from my husband if I killed myself? I feel as though I am going out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-you-think-that-god-would-separate-me-from-my-husband-if-i-killed/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [This is a proof of a well-trained mind, to rejoice in what is good and to grieve at the opposite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/this-is-a-proof-of-a-well-trained-mind-to-rejoice-in-what-is-good-and/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [“I had nowhere to go and did not wish to be seen by anyone for fear they would recognize my sadness and so for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/i-had-nowhere-to-go-and-did-not-wish-to-be-seen-by-anyone-for-fear/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) > [“As dreams are the healing songs from the wilderness of our unconscious - So wild animals, wild plants, wild landscapes are the healing dreams…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-pendell/as-dreams-are-the-healing-songs-from-the-wilderness-of-our/) [Dale Pendell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-pendell/) > [Music is a job, but I figured out ways to get my mind into a place where I could be creative. I actually discovered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flume/music-is-a-job-but-i-figured-out-ways-to-get-my-mind-into-a-place/) [Flume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flume/) > [ “\[S\]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/) > [No!! Get out of my Head!...You may have invaded my mind and my body...But there's one thing a Saiyan always keeps...his PRIDE!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dragon-ball-z/no-get-out-of-my-head-you-may-have-invaded-my-mind-and-my-body-but/) [Dragon Ball Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dragon-ball-z/) [Browse all 56,059 Psychology quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“You can't try. Trying is a struggle and doing is an act. You can't witness the act of trying, but you can see the results of doing. Trying brings on stress because not only do you have the problem, but now you have all this frustration with it not going away just because you want it to. It's kind of like being told not to think of pink elephants—impossible. What you have to do is stop. You say to yourself, this is over for now. I'm done for now. Take your mind to another place and concentrate on that peaceful place. Deep breaths. Go limp. Put your mind in another state. It takes practice, but it gets easier, over time.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robyn Carr" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robyn-carr/you-can-t-try-trying-is-a-struggle-and-doing-is-an-act-you-can-t/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Psychology" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robyn-carr/you-can-t-try-trying-is-a-struggle-and-doing-is-an-act-you-can-t/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80e/robyn-carr-2593_psychology_you-can-t-try-trying-is-a-struggle-and-d_2999368.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80e/robyn-carr-2593_psychology_you-can-t-try-trying-is-a-struggle-and-d_2999368.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80e/robyn-carr-2593_psychology_you-can-t-try-trying-is-a-struggle-and-d_2999368.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You can't try. Trying is a struggle and doing is an act. You can't witness the act of trying, but you can…” — Robyn Carr", "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": "Robyn Carr", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robyn-carr/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“You can't try. Trying is a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robyn-carr/you-can-t-try-trying-is-a-struggle-and-doing-is-an-act-you-can-t/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robyn-carr/you-can-t-try-trying-is-a-struggle-and-doing-is-an-act-you-can-t/#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 } } ] } ```