--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When things don't go right, people are…" description: "\"When things don't go right, people are always trying to protect themselves.\" — Shawn Kemp" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ca/shawn-kemp-6170_go_when-things-don-t-go-right-people-are-al_1616594.jpg" --- # When things don't go right, people are always trying to… ![“When things don't go right, people are always trying to protect themselves.” quote by Shawn Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ca/shawn-kemp-6170_go_when-things-don-t-go-right-people-are-al_1616594.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ca/shawn-kemp-6170_go_when-things-don-t-go-right-people-are-al_1616594.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ca/shawn-kemp-6170_go_when-things-don-t-go-right-people-are-al_1616594.jpg) > “When things don't go right, people are always trying to protect themselves.” [Shawn Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-kemp/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People instinctively protect themselves when things fail. **In simple terms:** Self‑preservation is a natural reaction. Key Takeaway Recognize and manage defensive behavior. Themes psychology failure defense human nature Mood reflective cautious Type psychology motivational When to use this quote - personal setbacks - team dynamics - crisis management - leadership challenges Key Concepts cognitive bias self‑sabotage resilience emotional regulation Questions to Reflect On - How to turn defensive instincts into learning? - What practices build resilience? A Different Perspective Self‑preservation can hinder growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Go](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/go/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-trying/) [Protect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protect/) [Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right/) [Right people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-people/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Trying Protect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying-protect/) ## Related quotes > [The one person my heart needs protecting from is the only person trying to protect it. Who's going to stop YOU from hurting me?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/universalclockwork/the-one-person-my-heart-needs-protecting-from-is-the-only-person/) [UniversalClockwork](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/universalclockwork/) > [“Getting to the future is always held up by those trying to protect the past.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziad-k-abdelnour/getting-to-the-future-is-always-held-up-by-those-trying-to-protect/) [Ziad K. Abdelnour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziad-k-abdelnour/) > [“You have permission to walk away from anything that doesn't feel right. Trust your instincts and listen to your inner-voice — it's trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/you-have-permission-to-walk-away-from-anything-that-doesn-t-feel/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [Blaming is a way to protect your heart, trying to protect what is soft and open and tender in yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/blaming-is-a-way-to-protect-your-heart-trying-to-protect-what-is-soft/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [Often we spend so much time trying to protect ourselves from the rain, that we block the sun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandy/often-we-spend-so-much-time-trying-to-protect-ourselves-from-the-rain/) [Brandy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandy/) > [“Are you trying to protect me?" I asked, starting to get slightly pissed. "Dude. Knock it off. You're not my knight in shining armor.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-j-klune/are-you-trying-to-protect-me-i-asked-starting-to-get-slightly-pissed/) [T.J. Klune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-j-klune/) > [“For the record, while it's very charming that you keep trying to protect me, I would like to remind you that I actually know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marissa-meyer/for-the-record-while-it-s-very-charming-that-you-keep-trying-to/) [Marissa Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marissa-meyer/) > [ \[W\]e must stop trying to protect our planet from every imaginable, exaggerated or imaginary risk. And we must stop trying to protect it on… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niger-innis/w-e-must-stop-trying-to-protect-our-planet-from-every-imaginable/) [Niger Innis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niger-innis/) > [I'm known as a strange, aloof kind of man. But all I'm doing is trying to protect myself and my work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/i-m-known-as-a-strange-aloof-kind-of-man-but-all-i-m-doing-is-trying/) [J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/) > [“Jai, she pleaded quietly, if you hadn’t noticed, I’m a guts and glory kind of girl. I think I’d die trying to protect anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-young/jai-she-pleaded-quietly-if-you-hadn-t-noticed-i-m-a-guts-and-glory/) [Samantha Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-young/) > [There's no way I'm not gonna have a gun, 'cause you just never know what'll go down in Atlanta. But I'd rather be able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-yachty/there-s-no-way-i-m-not-gonna-have-a-gun-cause-you-just-never-know/) [Lil Yachty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-yachty/) > [I have one friend to whom I've told more than I've ever told anyone, and yet there are significant territories I have and will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanya-yanagihara/i-have-one-friend-to-whom-i-ve-told-more-than-i-ve-ever-told-anyone/) [Hanya Yanagihara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanya-yanagihara/) > [Some people make bad decisions to hurt others, some people make the wrong choices trying to protect the ones they love...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-people-make-bad-decisions-to-hurt-others-some-people-make-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Some officials overseeing local water systems have tried to go above and beyond what is legally required. But they have encountered resistance, sometimes from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-duhigg/some-officials-overseeing-local-water-systems-have-tried-to-go-above/) [Charles Duhigg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-duhigg/) > [“Maybe that's what we do to the people we love: take shots in the dark and realize too late that we've wounded the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/maybe-that-s-what-we-do-to-the-people-we-love-take-shots-in-the-dark/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) ## More by Shawn Kemp > [I'm relentlessly aggressive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-kemp/i-m-relentlessly-aggressive/) [Shawn Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-kemp/) > [I played so many years without having a big contract, to have the big contract and not win and not have the appreciation, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-kemp/i-played-so-many-years-without-having-a-big-contract-to-have-the-big/) [Shawn Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-kemp/) > [I love Karl Malone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-kemp/i-love-karl-malone/) [Shawn Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-kemp/) > [I was known for a lot of dunks, but my first big dunk really came here in New York. I had some others back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-kemp/i-was-known-for-a-lot-of-dunks-but-my-first-big-dunk-really-came-here/) [Shawn Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-kemp/) > [I'm not U.S.A. Olympic image. I didn't go to college. I came from a different route.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-kemp/i-m-not-u-s-a-olympic-image-i-didn-t-go-to-college-i-came-from-a/) [Shawn Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-kemp/) > [Anytime you struggle, people are always going to say something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-kemp/anytime-you-struggle-people-are-always-going-to-say-something/) [Shawn Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-kemp/) > [I've always thought I could shoot from the outside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-kemp/i-ve-always-thought-i-could-shoot-from-the-outside/) [Shawn Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-kemp/) > [Most of the time when you're going for a championship, unless you have guys who are willing to sacrifice, you're not going to win…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-kemp/most-of-the-time-when-you-re-going-for-a-championship-unless-you-have/) [Shawn Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-kemp/) > [Anytime you're playing with a team that's losing, the main guy is going to take a lot of the heat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-kemp/anytime-you-re-playing-with-a-team-that-s-losing-the-main-guy-is/) [Shawn Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-kemp/) > [When you lose you try to learn from your mistakes and build on them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-kemp/when-you-lose-you-try-to-learn-from-your-mistakes-and-build-on-them/) [Shawn Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-kemp/) > [I wasn't in the right place at Kentucky, and I don't think I ever would have been comfortable in college.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-kemp/i-wasn-t-in-the-right-place-at-kentucky-and-i-don-t-think-i-ever/) [Shawn Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-kemp/) > [I started jogging, jogging and jogging. I ran this weight off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-kemp/i-started-jogging-jogging-and-jogging-i-ran-this-weight-off/) [Shawn Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-kemp/) > [You won't see me doing a lot of talking, but you'll see me doing a lot of playing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-kemp/you-won-t-see-me-doing-a-lot-of-talking-but-you-ll-see-me-doing-a-lot/) [Shawn Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-kemp/) > [You know, I'm not going to be on a losing team. That's just not going to happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-kemp/you-know-i-m-not-going-to-be-on-a-losing-team-that-s-just-not-going/) [Shawn Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-kemp/) > [If I read an article and believed everything a guy said about me, I'd believe I was the best person in the world or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-kemp/if-i-read-an-article-and-believed-everything-a-guy-said-about-me-i-d/) [Shawn Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-kemp/) [Explore all 99 Shawn Kemp quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-kemp/) ## More Go quotes > [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [I love going to Columbia, Missouri. That is a really underrated campus. It shocked me when I went there because I really didn't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-herbstreit/i-love-going-to-columbia-missouri-that-is-a-really-underrated-campus/) [Kirk Herbstreit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-herbstreit/) > [Intel has a very complete process that I go through any time I want to sell that ensures I have no insider information.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-krzanich/intel-has-a-very-complete-process-that-i-go-through-any-time-i-want/) [Brian Krzanich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-krzanich/) > [Some shows just go away - and that's fine. They serve their purpose and their entertainment value, but there are shows that touch people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cudlitz/some-shows-just-go-away-and-that-s-fine-they-serve-their-purpose-and/) [Michael Cudlitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cudlitz/) > [Unfortunately, we all go through bad phases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sushmita-sen/unfortunately-we-all-go-through-bad-phases/) [Sushmita Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sushmita-sen/) > [I go out there and I work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-chubb/i-go-out-there-and-i-work/) [Nick Chubb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-chubb/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Racism is a cancer. You cannot ignore it and it'll go away. If you ignore cancer, it simply metastasizes and consumes the whole body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/racism-is-a-cancer-you-cannot-ignore-it-and-it-ll-go-away-if-you/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [As much as you want to improve or help the team, as a centre-back your job is to go under the radar and keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyrone-mings/as-much-as-you-want-to-improve-or-help-the-team-as-a-centre-back-your/) [Tyrone Mings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyrone-mings/) > [I don't know what successful journaling really looks like... I think it really does look so different for everyone who does it, I'm always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gracie-abrams/i-don-t-know-what-successful-journaling-really-looks-like-i-think-it/) [Gracie Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gracie-abrams/) > [“Everywhere is home, let is go home”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dzuco-hu-nh/everywhere-is-home-let-is-go-home/) [Dzuco Huỳnh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dzuco-hu-nh/) > [I turn a lot of stuff down - big, big movies, the kind I wouldn't want to go to the cinema to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/i-turn-a-lot-of-stuff-down-big-big-movies-the-kind-i-wouldn-t-want-to/) [Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/) [Browse all 23,138 Go quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/go/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When things don't go right, people are always trying to protect themselves.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Shawn Kemp" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-kemp/when-things-don-t-go-right-people-are-always-trying-to-protect/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Go" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-kemp/when-things-don-t-go-right-people-are-always-trying-to-protect/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ca/shawn-kemp-6170_go_when-things-don-t-go-right-people-are-al_1616594.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ca/shawn-kemp-6170_go_when-things-don-t-go-right-people-are-al_1616594.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ca/shawn-kemp-6170_go_when-things-don-t-go-right-people-are-al_1616594.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When things don't go right, people are always trying to protect themselves.” — Shawn Kemp", "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": "Shawn Kemp", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-kemp/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When things don't go right, people...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-kemp/when-things-don-t-go-right-people-are-always-trying-to-protect/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-kemp/when-things-don-t-go-right-people-are-always-trying-to-protect/#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 } } ] } ```